If it sounds 'great', everything is ok?


G'day to all

Given that the listener has at least a good average hearing: If the sound quality from a record sounds 'great' to his ears, the various settings of the tone arm and cartridge (VTF, etc.) are correctly set.

Right or wrong?

Thanks for your inputs.

Cheers, eagledriver

 

128x128eagledriver_22

Yes, leave it alone !    I am at the point where I am afraid to make any changes.....   really digging how everything sounds.   

@elliottbnewcombjr     Sorry, the obsession with low tracking weight ended decades ago.  Record wear is much exaggerated.  With MCs tracking at around 2.5g I have never heard it on any of my records.  We all accept stylus wear is inevitable and not much affected by an extra 0.4g of weight.

To start with always observe the manufacturer's advice on tracking weight. Set up with weight in the middle of his range.  If it doesn't track cleanly add weight 0.1g at a time until it does.  If it already does, lower it 0.1g at a time and see if it tracks securely.  Stop if you reach the bottom of his range.  If you hear the slightest mistracking, especially on high level, high frequency programme then add 0.2g back on and leave it.

Apart from poorer sound, more damage is done to records and stylus by mis-tracking at too light weight than by tracking at a few 0.1gs more.

Always use enough weight to track securely.

I know that if I took my car to a service center,paid good money for a service and was told that they did it by ’feel’. When they ’felt good’ about the intervention, that was all the car needed. I would feel ripped off.

 

If I went to catch a commercial jetliner and they said that the pilot didn’t learn how to fly. The new policy is that they abandon the instruments and do it by ’feel’. No training neccessary. I would never fly again.

 

If you aren’t serious about cartridge set up and want to do it by ’feel’. Go ahead. It is your property. Do what you wish.