I am not sure what to think about this...

Posted by travisty (A) on October 2, 2010 at 01:55:34

In Reply to: What Abiut the debate over dampening material/suspension posted by Mister Pig on October 2, 2010 at 01:31:16:

I know it can be a problem - usually more of a damper problem than a suspension problem I think . I have had MC carts which I bought "as is" and which rode low, and then subsequently 'died'. I took the risk and paid prices commensurate with that risk. It is one reason why I am slightly hesitant to buy NOS. If I buy a cart which has been used/loved recently, I have a better feeling towards the likelihood it will continue to work once it gets to me. I have had many, many more GREAT old carts which have had zero problems with suspension or dampers - including the FR-7f, which is a real treat.

Given my experience with materials, I would expect MM carts with high compliance and low VTF to be MUCH more susceptible to suspensions/dampers giving way over time. That's just a guess.

Personally, I think that there were a lot of people trying interesting things in the heyday of cartridge-building. The FR-7 series, for example, has not been repeated to my knowledge (which I will happily admit has a positive first derivative), but it is an interesting technique. The XL-88 I mentioned before is also a very nice-sounding MC cart, again with an interesting technique. I'd love a really expensive My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent BC but I found I liked Matsudaira-san's way of making carts sound good because I listened to the Audiocraft AC-03 which he designed when he was chief engineer there a couple of decades ago. The MySonicLab stuff has just built on some of those ideas, and he is probably alone in building that kind of ultra-low impedance cart based on materials science.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Are vintage MC cartridges worth pursuing? - Mister Pig 22:25:07 10/1/10 (11)

RE: Are vintage MC cartridges worth pursuing? - rahman 03:40:51 10/2/10 (0)

The answer is a resounding YES - travisty 01:04:48 10/2/10 (9)

What Abiut the debate over dampening material/suspension - Mister Pig 01:31:16 10/2/10 (5)

Vintage carts have a better chance of retaining suspension !!!!!!!! - Interstage Tranny 07:41:19 10/2/10 (3)

RE: Vintage carts have a better chance of retaining suspension !!!!!!!! - Lew 09:53:49 10/2/10 (2)

RE: Vintage carts have a better chance of retaining suspension !!!!!!!! - spindoctor 06:04:49 10/3/10 (1)

It Really Depends On A Few Factors... - Interstage Tranny 08:27:18 10/3/10 (0)

I am not sure what to think about this... - travisty 10/2/1001:55:34 10/2/10 (0)

Nice FR-7f cart! - rich121 01:29:27 10/2/10 (2)

Yes, They R Nice ! - Interstage Tranny 09:27:43 10/2/10 (1)

Agreed they are not "warm and sweet" but... - travisty 04:18:07 10/3/10 (0)

Follow Ups

I am not sure what to think about this... - travisty 10/2/1001:55:34 10/2/10 (0)

I am not sure what to think about this...

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