cartridge replacement

[chopchip]

what are some of the symptoms of a defective cartridge? i have an old m91ed and i get a lot of crackling when the volume of the music increases in particular at high frequencies i think. when a violin plays a high note and at a loud volume a crackling becomes very prominent. does this have to do with the cartridge?


thanks

[Joachim Gerhard]

After 1000 to 3000 hours the diamond is grinded and you need a replacement. Sometimes the suspension fails even faster.

[chopchip]

Originally Posted by Joachim Gerhard

After 1000 to 3000 hours the diamond is grinded and you need a replacement. Sometimes the suspension fails even faster.

the stylus is brand new. i just read that it might have something to do with tracking force.

[aardvarkash10]

or the input capacitor, or a frequency dependant location through the phono preamp...

By "volume of the music" do you mean the recorded volume, or when you turn your amplifier up?

Remember, the cart is a pretty simple device at heart - its a wire coil and a magnet. Not a lot to go wrong really.

[chopchip]

Originally Posted by aardvarkash10

or the input capacitor, or a frequency dependant location through the phono preamp...

By "volume of the music" do you mean the recorded volume, or when you turn your amplifier up?

Remember, the cart is a pretty simple device at heart - its a wire coil and a magnet. Not a lot to go wrong really.

dont watch that, watch this, this is the heavy heavy monster sound ...

i mean the recorded volume. input capacitor you say. ill have to dig up a schematic for this turn table. it's a technics slq202. i did replace a bunch of caps but they were of pretty low quality.

thanks for that wisdom about the cartridge

[aardvarkash10]

it ain't wisdom, just a hunch. Hunches are not good things for finding problems however.

The cart has a set of measureable values - I'd start with some good diagnostics. What you are saying is that at high frequencies and at high (relatively) output levels the crackle kicks in. Does it "replace" the sound of the instrument, or sit on top of the instrument?

Night Boat to Cairo was one of thier betters too.

[chopchip]

Originally Posted by aardvarkash10

The cart has a set of measureable values - I'd start with some good diagnostics. What you are saying is that at high frequencies and at high (relatively) output levels the crackle kicks in. Does it "replace" the sound of the instrument, or sit on top of the instrument?

it sits on top of the instrument.

baggy trousers dirty shirt pulling hair and eating dirt

[aardvarkash10]

ok then - we are talking PROBABLY about something that is superimposed on the signal the cart is generating rather than some thing the cart is making itself. No gaurantee, but more likely.

To confirm, replace with a known good cart OR inject a signal into the phono input on the amp from a good quality signal generator.

From this point (and one step beyond...) you need some test equipment and a bit of experience - got any?

[chopchip]

Originally Posted by aardvarkash10

ok then - we are talking PROBABLY about something that is superimposed on the signal the cart is generating rather than some thing the cart is making itself. No gaurantee, but more likely.

To confirm, replace with a known good cart OR inject a signal into the phono input on the amp from a good quality signal generator.

From this point (and one step beyond...) you need some test equipment and a bit of experience - got any?

i have a usb o'scope that has a signal generator. i have never really used it though. ill try messing with it tomorrow. im not sure what to look for, i guess if the output signal doesnt look a lot like the input one then it's distortion.

i used to like to listen to that one step beyond record a lot.

in the middle of the night he steals trough your garden gives your home a real fright and doesnt say "pardon"

[aardvarkash10]

remember, the signal into your phono section is VERY small, typically 5mV at 1khz. Don't go squirting 2vRMS down there!

Link to a typical specs sheet for your cart is here