Tracking Force Suggestions for Stanton 500.v3 Cartridge?, DJ cart with range of 2 - 5 grams. Using for hi-fi play Options

[Knowzy]

Supposing I've got a brand new Stanton T.92 USB turntable and I'm getting ready to produce some samples.

It comes with a pre-mounted (and presumably pre-aligned) Stanton 500.v3 cartridge. As a DJ cartridge, it has a wide range- 2 to 5 grams- and no specific recommendation within.

The tonearm is balanced and the counterweight dial zeroed. What tracking force do you think I should set?

Normally the consensus is to set the tracking force near the top of the range and I'm inclined to use 4.5 grams.

However, as a DJ cartridge, the top of the range is designed to ensure stability amidst violent scratching motions, which I won't be doing. Maybe 4.5 is overkill for trackability.

So, I'm throwing the question open to HA to see if we can't come to an agreement before I began sampling.

Balanced and Awaiting a Tracking Force Figure

This post has been edited by Knowzy: Jul 8 2010, 07:09

[Knowzy]

If you isolate the left channel and play it back you will hear a nice clear tone. If you isolate the right channel you will hear a sound at the same pitch as the left channel but instead of a pure tone it's accompanied by a sort of "buzz". That's the mistracking.

Yes, now that I'm listening to the old copy and new copy side-by-side, I do hear the difference.

I am going to try exchanging the new copy. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire batch is like this, though. I'll report back.

You're absolutely right that the sample from the older copy of HFN002 is not showing any audible signs of mistracking. Also you can see that the shape of the waveform is identical in both channels.

I think I'll just use my old copy to determine the proper VTF then. A couple lousy ceramic cartridges may have passed through its grooves before but it seems to be holding up.

I would expect to see this distinctly in the waveform. I don't.

You do! Every flat top sine wave you've shown is the needle leaving the groove wall. If it was still touching it, you'd get a proper smooth sine wave.

Although I do believe we're seeing a defect in the LP, it appears that you're saying that this is a good way of identifying mistracking.