Introducing the Phono Cartridge Measurement Library

[JP]

Y’all may want to give this a try.

 

[USER]

The index is now up-to-date. So many measurements in only 7 months! It is hard to imagine that there is a larger and more comprehensive phono cartridge catalog anywhere else. We have a majority of the essentials already but there are plenty of good ones to come.

Also, and perhaps most important, we are close to 100k views!!!

Great work everyone. You will leave your mark on the vinyl culture to come.

 

[Col. Panic]

Sumiko Oyster Rainier

I'm brand new to vinyl measurements and turntable tuning, so any guidance is appreciated. I've got a brand new Project Carbon Evo with the Rainier going into a Schitt Mani 2. Converters are MOTU 828 ES, recording software is Pro Tools Studio, and the test disc is CBS Labs STR100.

Setup:
Checked alignment with protractor
2 g tracking force

First measurement -

I think the poor L/R balance and crosstalk is due to vertical tracking angle misalignment, so make an adjustment -

Any suggestions for improved crosstalk, distortion or frequency response? Is there anything to do in the setup to minimize surface noise or is that mostly about cleaning?

 

[Balle Clorin]

Many thanks. Are you sure you adjusted VTA and not Azimuth to improve crosstalk? Azimuth normally has a much bigger impact on crosstalk than VTA( arm height adjustment) .
Distortion is a bit high (>-20)but that may be the record or diamond shape .The best test record for crosstalk is the Present Ortofon disc.

Your balance is very good at 1khz

 

[Col. Panic]

Many thanks. Are you sure you adjusted VTA and not Azimuth to improve crosstalk? Azimuth normally has a much bigger impact on crosstalk than VTA( arm height adjustment) .
Distortion is a bit high (>-20)but that may be the record or diamond shape .The best test record for crosstalk is the Present Ortofon disc.

Your balance is very good at 1khz

Yes, you are correct. That was an azimuth adjustment, not VTA. Thanks for catching that!

 

[Thomas_A]

Sumiko Oyster Rainier

I'm brand new to vinyl measurements and turntable tuning, so any guidance is appreciated. I've got a brand new Project Carbon Evo with the Rainier going into a Schitt Mani 2. Converters are MOTU 828 ES, recording software is Pro Tools Studio, and the test disc is CBS Labs STR100.

Setup:
Checked alignment with protractor
2 g tracking force

First measurement -
View attachment 351857


I think the poor L/R balance and crosstalk is due to vertical tracking angle misalignment, so make an adjustment -
View attachment 351858

View attachment 351859
Any suggestions for improved crosstalk, distortion or frequency response? Is there anything to do in the setup to minimize surface noise or is that mostly about cleaning?

My take of crosstalk adjustment is to use a good 1kHz test signal and leave it at that but that’s me. Various test LP gives different crosstalk and those giving the lowest values for both channels are probably the best ones to use. Among the test LPs I have the Ortofon gives the lowest values. Phase of the crosstalk signal is good to look at as well.

 

[USER]

I think that overall your results make a lot of sense for that type of Sumiko. Many thanks. Remember that the CBS STR-100 dips a bit so the results are in reality likely 0.5dB higher between 5-15kHz. Perhaps it still wants additional 50pF. If you can wait a week you can send me the files via PM and I can try to get you an unofficial "corrected to CA-TRS-1007" version should you want it.

The CBS STR-100 is severely limited in terms of crosstalk so you aren't going to see much better results even with adjustment. It's already telling you that it is at its limit. However, you may try to rotate the cartridge the tiniest bit clockwise if you are looking at it straight on. (I am talking about a sheet of paper's worth of difference--indeed you may want to put a sheet of paper between the cartridge and the headshell on the right side.) This could make the left and right channel frequency responses more parallel at the end.

If you want to fix the severe low end drop you are getting with one of the channels, experiment with cutting the track a little more at the start. That should fix it and you should get it to match the better one.

I was considering purchasing this cartridge for the measurement as it is a good one to have in the library so you saved me some money. Always great to get a cartridge on the want list checked-off. So double thanks to you.

 

[Col. Panic]

I think that overall your results make a lot of sense for that type of Sumiko. Many thanks. Remember that the CBS STR-100 dips a bit so the results are in reality likely 0.5dB higher between 5-15kHz. Perhaps it still wants additional 50pF. If you can wait a week you can send me the files via PM and I can try to get you an unofficial "corrected to CA-TRS-1007" version should you want it.

The CBS STR-100 is severely limited in terms of crosstalk so you aren't going to see much better results even with adjustment. It's already telling you that it is at its limit. However, you may try to rotate the cartridge the tiniest bit clockwise if you are looking at it straight on. (I am talking about a sheet of paper's worth of difference--indeed you may want to put a sheet of paper between the cartridge and the headshell on the right side.) This could make the left and right channel frequency responses more parallel at the end.

If you want to fix the severe low end drop you are getting with one of the channels, experiment with cutting the track a little more at the start. That should fix it and you should get it to match the better one.

I was considering purchasing this cartridge for the measurement as it is a good one to have in the library so you saved me some money. Always great to get a cartridge on the want list checked-off. So double thanks to you.

Wow! Thanks for the detailed feedback. I'll try your suggestion about the piece of paper. On a car alignment, I guess that'd be a slight toe-in and positive camber adjustment? Then I'll take another measurement incorporating your other various suggestions and PM you the files. Thanks so much for the kind offer! I'll try to get that done sometime this week.

 

[Balle Clorin]

B&K test record same sweep Hz, outer end inner track on test record
View attachment 304278

View attachment 304279

AUDIO TECHNICA AT33PTGII

DIN 45 543 TEST RECORD- Good for crosstalk, but a used non-mint record. The crosstalk track gives -33/-41.4

 

[morillon]

I never really dared to ask the question... but the crosstalk measurements are correlated to the level of your test signals...
how many are those of your different disk options...
3.54 or 5 or 6.5 or 8cm?
must be systematically clarified to sort things out...
I have never read this essential precision...


and it is the same for your observations of thd....

 

[Balle Clorin]

The sweep levels seem to be quite equal between test records

 

[morillon]

this needs to be verified...
and seems quite improbable to me...
(as a reminder the tracks you use were not generally intended for crosstalk measurements via sweep, or for thd)

 

[Thomas_A]

The Ortofon 1kHz is 5 cm/sec RMS.

 

[Balle Clorin]

The cartridge in the sweep above is tuned to the Ortofon 1khz at -30/31

 

[Thomas_A]

The cartridge in the sweep above is tuned to the Ortofon 1khz at -30/31

How did you measure? I usually use a HP filter at 400 Hz to remove noise and measure RMS level.

 

[Balle Clorin]

Me too,400hz high pass and 1800 low pass 40x to eliminate distortion difference
on the Ortofon record I use puffin 400hz lo cut. for some reason my Ortofon record does not give as good results as others get, -32 seems to be the limit in my case

 

[aaaakkkk]

Me too,400hz high pass and 1800 low pass 40x to eliminate distortion difference
on the Ortofon record I use puffin 400hz lo cut. for some reason my Ortofon record does not give as good results as others get, -32 seems to be the limit in my case

My copy of LP Ortofon, shows greater crosstalk with larger SRA, It seems to me optimal for this LP, SRA=96°.

 

[Thomas_A]

SRA is interesting given the Ortofon cutter. Better than -30 dB is fine IMO. I get around -35 with my current and rather old JICO SAS.

 

[VinyLuke]

Audio-Technica AT-OC9XML​

Notes:

• Cartridge is new - max 5hrs of use
• Turntable: Technics SL-1210GR with KAB Fluid Damper
• Headshell: Audio Technica AT-LH13H
• VTF: 2.00gr
• Phono stage: HusaRIAA v2 (http://tinyurl.com/45ke55cx)
  • Capacitance: ~105pF (set at 0pF)
  • Loading: 240Ω
• A/D: ASUS PRIME B660M-A Line In and Audacity
• Test record: Clearaudio CA-TRS-1007 side A

 

[Balle Clorin]

A nice cartridge ! Better than spec