Introducing the Phono Cartridge Measurement Library

[Jimi Floyd]

Hi Jimi

Thanks and good point!

I’m just outside London so posting to a uk tester is preferred.

Here’s my Technics operation:

https://www.decknics.co.uk/

A local tester who can pop over to the workshop is also welcome! Address is listed on the website.

Regarding the NOS V15 you’re not going to believe a guy in the uk came across 5 of them buying a whole audiophile haul from the deceased owners family and was selling them on eBay one at a time at random prices, i literally just managed to spot them on his last one! If you do a “sold search” on uk ebay you’ll see them! It only arrived today!

I like your site, the pile of 1200 boxes is impressive! I also found the ebay transaction: you struck gold!

 

[JP]

Audio Technica AT-VM95C

New at 2.0g. I did these for load measurements for someone on another forum as I had the cart mounted, so may as well add them here. It's a bit of a toss-up whether ~385pF or 485pF is better. The latter flattens out the response more at the cost of rolling-off sooner.

 

[Thomas_A]

Audio Technica AT-VM95C

New at 2.0g. I did these for load measurements for someone on another forum as I had the cart mounted, so may as well add them here. It's a bit of a toss-up whether ~385pF or 485pF is better. The latter flattens out the response more at the cost of rolling-off sooner.

View attachment 430295

View attachment 430296

Just curious, have you tried 150 pF/75k?

 

[JP]

Just curious, have you tried 150 pF/75k?

No, but changing Rl is the next logical step.

 

[JP]

Rl plot added.

 

[narud]

Audio Technica AT-ML150/OCC 1.3g

just picked this up as it was listed as nos. probably closer to lightly broken in than unused, but for the price, im not going to bother complaining. while the 540ml in this same setup needs the 0pf setting on the preamp, this cart looks like it can get away with a 100pf setting and still be pretty pleasant in the highs. looks like ill probably keep this one. the resonant frequency is at 8hz on the technics arm. the signet tk10ml i had briefly was down at 6hz and was no where near as neutral. i wonder what i would gain with the boron tube of the ml170?

 

[mackat]

Denon DL-301II

I bought this recently on USAM - seller said that it was purchased directly from Denon in October 2024 and had less than 5 hours of use.

I believe there was an azimuth change for the next 2 measurements.

The channel imbalance in the higher frequencies is disappointing, but it sounds good, and I wouldn't be able to detect this by ear.

It is otherwise pretty flat, especially for an MC.

The annoying thing is that an excessive amount of what I believe to be Barkhausen effect noise is produced when lifting the stylus from the record. It happens when lowering the stylus too, but of course you would only notice that with a stationary record.

I have only noticed it to this extent in a couple other cartridges, namely an Ortofon MC 20 Super SE and a Grado Blue.

 

[Balle Clorin]

How does one differentiate between Barkhausen noise and static?

I notice that after changing from metal to nylon screws I sometimes get a crackling sound when mi ATOC9MLii is lowered onto the record, but I believe my crackle comes before the record even touches the record, so it cannot be B then?

 

[narud]

Denon DL-301II

I bought this recently on USAM - seller said that it was purchased directly from Denon in October 2024 and had less than 5 hours of use.

View attachment 432607
I believe there was an azimuth change for the next 2 measurements.
View attachment 432608View attachment 432609
The channel imbalance in the higher frequencies is disappointing, but it sounds good, and I wouldn't be able to detect this by ear.

It is otherwise pretty flat, especially for an MC.

The annoying thing is that an excessive amount of what I believe to be Barkhausen effect noise is produced when lifting the stylus from the record. It happens when lowering the stylus too, but of course you would only notice that with a stationary record.

I have only noticed it to this extent in a couple other cartridges, namely an Ortofon MC 20 Super SE and a Grado Blue.

bummer its not available with a better stylus profile.

 

[mackat]

How does one differentiate between Barkhausen noise and static?

I notice that after changing from metal to nylon screws I sometimes get a crackling sound when mi ATOC9MLii is lowered onto the record, but I believe my crackle comes before the record even touches the record, so it cannot be B then?

This phenomenon creates noise specifically when the suspension is flexed. It’s especially obvious when using headphones. It creates a crackling noise which often continues be audible for a short time.

I believe I posted an audio file of it with the Ortofon back when I owned it, but I’m not sure where exactly.

You’re correct, that would be a different type of noise.

 

[JP]

Barkhausen effect noise

I had to look that up.

 

[Thomas_A]

sa

Denon DL-301II

I bought this recently on USAM - seller said that it was purchased directly from Denon in October 2024 and had less than 5 hours of use.

View attachment 432607
I believe there was an azimuth change for the next 2 measurements.
View attachment 432608View attachment 432609
The channel imbalance in the higher frequencies is disappointing, but it sounds good, and I wouldn't be able to detect this by ear.

It is otherwise pretty flat, especially for an MC.

The annoying thing is that an excessive amount of what I believe to be Barkhausen effect noise is produced when lifting the stylus from the record. It happens when lowering the stylus too, but of course you would only notice that with a stationary record.

I have only noticed it to this extent in a couple other cartridges, namely an Ortofon MC 20 Super SE and a Grado Blue.

Regading azimuth and cross-talk, also look at the phase.

 

[mackat]

sa

Regading azimuth and cross-talk, also look at the phase.

How do I do that?

 

[Thomas_A]

How do I do that?

Simplest way; look at the waveforms.

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

I usually look at 1 kHz. If you have more test records, it is advised to check the crosstalk of several and adjust for an average. There are a couple of tables from different records here:

Crosstalk measurement - Which record is best?

I want to start a new thread to discuss my findings and share some thoughts about crosstalk with you. There are some threads here dealing with crosstalk from time to time, but then the topic drifts away. For my measurements I used a linear tracker from Uher, the PS936. So I had not to deal with...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[mackat]

Denon DL-110

I can think of another cartridge with a very similar frequency response

Need to play around with azimuth a bit.

 

[mackat]

This is an interesting phenomenon which I have seen at least once before, with the Signet TK10ML.

Using the Ultimate Analogue Test LP with a Fozgometer, the DL-110 (unchanged from above) shows equal crosstalk of about -27.5 to -30 dB.

It seems that some cartridges don’t like the CA-TRS-1007 for measuring crosstalk.

 

[Balle Clorin]

I usually get above 30db on Ultimate record , often better than 35, but I use 40@hz high pass filter…CA TRS is never as good

 

[JP]

IIRC Ultimate is cut hotter than standard?

 

[Thomas_A]

Denon DL-110

View attachment 433651View attachment 433650
I can think of another cartridge with a very similar frequency response

Need to play around with azimuth a bit.

Thanks, have been curious about this one. A bit strange top end.

Odd that Denon only have the old DL110 and the 103/103R. Why not produce a cartridge with a better stylus?

 

[Balle Clorin]

Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML
Part 2: high-mass tonearm and DIN 45 543 crosstalk measurements
Click to increase size
View attachment 318013View attachment 318014
View attachment 318015
Notes

• Aside from the expected low frequency resonance stability the results pretty much match my prior Denon ones
• What is interesting is that my DIN 45 543 test record shows better crosstalk results
  • As seems to be typical with this test record, there is an improvement of around 5 dB
• This means that the crosstalk measurement for the cartridge at 1kHz is actually at least -27 dB!
  • Thus its biggest weakness is actually a non-issue
• It's also interesting that the DIN 45 543 FR is essentially the -1.0 to 1.0 dB curve
  • Channel balance is a little better too with channels switched
• How many cartridges perform better than spec?
• Should I make this test record measurement a part of my set from now on?

• Aside from the expected low frequency resonance stability the results pretty much match my prior Denon ones

can you please clarify what is expected.? Do you mean that the high mass tone arm is better or worse for this cartridge? I notice from your plots that the light arm (Denon 30LII?) gives a rise is bass at 20hz, while the more heavy arm seem to have a drop/irregularity below 40 hz or so

My Ortofon OM10 on Denon 21F shows som erratic behaviour below 50Hz too... is this a "light arm" problem? or..

• Info CA TRS-1007
• New OM10 stylus on OM10 1hr,
• Denon 21F
• CAMBRIDGE cp2 RIAA 220pF, cable 125pF, Tascam 144MK2

High distortion !!! Tracks OK 70um
The same body with original stylus was posted here

Introducing the Phono Cartridge Measurement Library

AT VM95C Notes Cartridge: Audio-Technica AT VM95C Stylus condition

audiosciencereview.com