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Compliance matching old cartridges to arms without a test record

Is there a way to empirically check the compliance match between a cartridge and a tonearm without a test record that is set up for that purpose?

If I could get compliance data on the cartridge and the effective mass or the arm, I could calculate a resonance frequency but this seems to have the following problems:
- Changes in compliance over time. I suspect that many older used or NOS cartridges will be quite different from when they were new.
- Variation in compliance of a particular cartridge from the published figure (I’ve never seen tolerances quoted)
- Published data often seems to be at an inappropriate frequency and often does not address any difference between horizontal and vertical compliance
- This method does not appear to address the influence of damping or lack thereof in either the cartridge or the arm.

If I had a test record, I could simply check the frequency but I’m too cheap to buy a new one of the net and I have not had any luck finding a second hand one locally that has the right test tracks.

Is there another way to check?
E.g.
- Are their some classical or other records that would make it obvious if the resonance was too high?
- Is there something to watch for that could be counted on to reveal that the resonance was too low?

David



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Topic - Compliance matching old cartridges to arms without a test record - energyandair 21:45:49 03/2/07 (0)


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