[terance]

Well, I've been into vinyl for about a year.

I've built up quite a collection, around 60 different lps, not bad for a 20 year old!

I recently upgraded cartridges to a Grado Black. Not the best cartridge, but for a college student with loans and a car payment it fit my needs. The sound is great, there is a noticeable different from the Shure cartridge that it replaced.

The only problem is that the piece of plastic that holds the needle is rubbing up against the record and making a grinding noise when it makes contact. There is no sound degradation when this happens, and it's not audible unless I get my ear up next to the record.

I tried putting a piece of plastic between the headshell and the cartridge and to my surprise I got horrible sound degradation. After this I read the papers that came with the cartridge (should have done this first?) and it specifically states that I should not put anything to correct the VAT (I think that was the acronym).

I am worried that it is damaging my records, so I'd like to fix this ASAP.

I've enclosed a picture so you guys are not flying blind.

The area my pen is pointing to is the part that is rubbing up against the surface of the records.

I've tried messing with the anti-skating as well as the counter-weight and neither of that has worked.

Please Head-Fi. . .you are my only hope. . .

 

[nikongod]

have you checked your VTA?

when the cart is sitting on a record, is the top of the headshell level or tilted back? is the front face of the cart perpendicular to the surface of the disc (when viewed from the side)

if the VTA is set too low, the cart can drag and it can mess up your records.

edited: Im not 100% sold on setting VTA for every single record, but it needs to be in a reasonable range to work.

 

[jp11801]

how many grams of VTF do you have the cart set at I think the grados are a 1.5-2 grams of force? Also as previous mentioned the VTA could also be impacting this as well. Since it is a new cart the suspension should be good so that should not be an issue.

 

[terance]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif have you checked your VTA? when the cart is sitting on a record, is the top of the headshell level or tilted back? is the front face of the cart perpendicular to the surface of the disc (when viewed from the side) if the VTA is set too low, the cart can drag and it can mess up your records. edited: Im not 100% sold on setting VTA for every single record, but it needs to be in a reasonable range to work.

the bottom of the black part of the cartridge is NOT parallel to the record, but the cartridge and head shell do look angled in relation to the record.

that explains why the black part on the bottom is rubbing against the records, but what can I do to correct it?

Like the other poster said, the correct setting is 1.5 to 2.0 I've tried both.

Not sure how to correct for VTA either.

shoulda just kept my junky old shure

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terance /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not sure how to correct for VTA either. shoulda just kept my junky old shure

Technics SL-Q3 | Manual Free Download, Turntable owners,service,schematics,brochure | Vinyl Engine

You can download the instructions for your deck from here. Not sure if you can adjust the vertical tracking angle (VTA) as this is a pretty automatic model.

You should be able to adjust the azimuth of the cart though on a Technics arm by loosening the arm collar and gently twisting the headshell to get it aligned perfectly with the records playing surface. If it's only chafing on the one side as tyou decribe this could well be the problem.

If you can't make the Grado work then I'd advise you go back to the Shue and just get a new stylus for it as what you describe will cause undue wear to your records.
These guys Jico Phonograph Stylus : Shure do very good replacements at pretty reasonable prices if you can no longer get the orignal Shure replacement.

 

[883dave]

Please post a picture of the cartridge on the record - as if it is playing. Shoot it level with the record and the arm so as we can see the problem. Also shoot one with the arm raised above the record

I think either you VTA...vertical tracking angle has been messed up...check that the arm wand to Parallel to the record surface when que'd down

Or the cantilever is bent or has lost it's spring

 

[terance]

Here is a picture of the cartridge in action.

The body of the cartridge is much, much closer to the record than it ever was with my shure.

 

[TimJo]

Yeah, the tracking force should be 1.5 grams on all the Grados.

From what you describe, and from looking at the picture, it seems like the VTA adjustment.

To fix this, the tonearm bearing housing needs to be higher with relation to the table, so the plastic housing on the cartridge is parallel to the album. I'm not familiar with your turntable, so I'm not sure how to do this (or if that is an adjustment you can make on this turntable). Usually there are set screws that can be loosened and the bearing housing lifted, or in some cases, it requires shims below the base of bearing assembly.

If it is not adjustable, you could try replacing your platter mat with a thinner felt mat, which would in effect lower the height of the album relative to the tonearm.

If neither of those work sufficently, then you might have to go back to the Shure with a new stylus.

 

[TimJo]

One other thought, if the VTA is not adjustable and you want to stick with the Grado, you could see if there are some aftermarket headshells where the distance between the centerline of the tonearm and the underside of the headshell is greater. That would effectively raise the height of the cartridge relative to the album. One thing about Grado's is they are rather tall compared to many other makes.

Your location refers to the 636, which I'd assume means your in the St. Louis area? Are there any good audio shops around where you could get some help on this?

 

[terance]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimJo /img/forum/go_quote.gif One other thought, if the VTA is not adjustable and you want to stick with the Grado, you could see if there are some aftermarket headshells where the distance between the centerline of the tonearm and the underside of the headshell is greater. That would effectively raise the height of the cartridge relative to the album. One thing about Grado's is they are rather tall compared to many other makes. Your location refers to the 636, which I'd assume means your in the St. Louis area? Are there any good audio shops around where you could get some help on this?

There isn't anywhere in St. Louis that I know of that sells or repairs anything other than a few records shops, and they just sell the USB tables =/

Might just go back to the shure and try to return the grado to todd

 

[883dave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terance /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is a picture of the cartridge in action. The body of the cartridge is much, much closer to the record than it ever was with my shure.

Take a look at the distance of the stylus (tip of the cantilever) and note the distance it is away from the body of the cartridge when it is not on the record.
Lower the cartridge onto the record...does the distance from the stylus and cartridge body change if so how much?

On my TT there might be a 2mm gap from stylus to body when raised and 1.5mm gap when que'd onto the record (I am away so this is a guess, it might be 3mm raised and 2mm lowered)

From your picture it appears that the cantilever suspension may be shot. The cantilever and stylus maybe bottoming out.

If it was the VTA the arm wand and headshell would be at a much greater rake ie. you would see the arm from the bearing a lot lower than the headshell

Can you determine the tracking force?

Is the cartridge sitting in the headshell properly? ie. is it flush front and back?

 

[883dave]

From your first picture...is the cantilever bent or bowed?

 

[883dave]

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC00019.jpg

Here is a picture of my table, notice the distance from the cartridge to the record surface..

 

[terance]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 883dave /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC00019.jpg Here is a picture of my table, notice the distance from the cartridge to the record surface..

that is how it looked on my old cartridge.

I didn't think it could possibly be the cartridge since it was brand new, and I took incredible care trying to install it.

so maybe it isn't a VTA issue, maybe it's the cart?


your table looks gorgeous btw

 

[fran]

Are you sure that the downforce isn't set too high - you rebalanced the arm and reset the downforce when you put on the new cart right? If the downforce is too high then that would explain the issues you are having.


Fran