Help with vtf and tonearm allowance (mismatch?)

I could use a little help from one or many of you audio brainiacs.

The weight of my cartridge is 4.8 g and the suggested range of cartridge weights for my tonearm is 5g-11g. Does it then follow that I should add .2 grams to the suggested vtf of 1.8 (thus giving me 2g)? Have I solved the problem? Or is my math and logic completely off and I should look for a new cartridge? I wonder also if this weight discrepancy is the reason why I get static with this particular cartridge. A mismatch perhaps.

 

The turntable arm may have a suggested cartridge weight range, but that does not take into account the desired tracking force of those cartridges, or tell you the actual force/weight compensation available.

There are many cartridges with a recommended tracking weight 1.25-1.5g, and that may be achievable with a 5 gram cartridge on the tonearm per manufacturer spec, making your cartridge also balance-able.

Is your cartridge tracking at 1.8 grams now, or does the counterweight hit the limit first? If the counterweight has a rotatable number dial on the front: to set the tracking weight, you want to first "zero" your tonearm's counterweight dial indicator after adjusting the weight position so the needle barely floats above the vinyl, and then turn the counterweight until 1.8g is indicated on the counterweight dial if it has one. Otherwise, get a cartridge scale and see if the tracking weight can be made within tolerance.

The total weight of the cartridge and the tonearm together is one factor that determines the tonearm resonance frequency, which is usually about 8-12Hz. If this frequency is too high, you might add additional weight to the arm. One creative way is to add some surgical tubing or heat shrink tubing over the shaft, as this also serves to dampen resonances.

 

Purchase an inexpensive tone arm scale if you have doubts.
You did not mention what the tonearm was.

 

Thanks. I know how to balance the tonearm, etc. My question is whether or not a cart range of 5-11g according to the turntable manual would mean 4.8 is simply noncompliant. It sounds like you’re saying I could compensate. But why would I use surgical tape rather than dialing up vtf by .2 g?

 

Here are the specs. I have a vintage Denon DP-1100 turntable. The manual specifies carts of 5g-11g. (A lower mass arm?). My cart is a Denon DL-110 and only measures 4.8g. What I’d like to know is whether dialing up vtf by .2 g will get me back in line.

 

NO. You could add a bit of weight to your headshell. A few headshells have accessory screw in weights for this and other purposes. You could also use longer screws to mount the cart and add a couple extra nuts to both screws to get that added weight. You would then balance the arm with that weight attached and the cart, and your dialed in VTF for the cart you are using would still be 1.8g.

But with a .2g difference there is probably nothing to worry about at all.

This could seem and look completely ridiculous, but it could be worth a test and proves the concept: A 1983 or later US penny weighs 2.5g. Tape one to your headshell above the cart. Then your arm will "think" the cart is 7.3g, within the arm's recommended range. Balance the arm. Set your VTF to the recommended 1.8g. Hear what happens.

 

Got it. Thanks!

 

Alright, I think I’ve got my answer. 4.8 was head shell weight without the additional tracking force. The total weight with 1.8 vtf is 5.6 (within the 5-11g compliance). I don’t know if you were sort of trolling (), but the extra penny weight made the needle skip on my Motörhead record from too much force. I really can’t imagine why anyone would need extra heavy weighing screws unless you are matching super low compliance to light tone arm. Just another case of overthinking. (I do that a lot.)

 

I was not trolling! After adding the extra penny weight, did you rebalance the arm to zero and floating? Then set VTF to 1.8g?
Adding the penny increases the apparent mass/weight of the cart. Your arm was designed for carts weighing 5g to 11g. The arm needs that much mass or weight of the cart for the arm to function correctly and dampen resonances, etc. A 4.8g cart is probably not a problem, but a 1g cart (if there was one) would be a problem.

 

Run it with no weight and find best sound by adjusting tracking force/antiskating/vta within the cart spec range.

Then add say 3 grams or so of weight and repeat the above.

Which one sounds best? That's what to go with.

If you had a test record that could give you resonant freq of your cart/arm combo that would be a good tool to tell you if more weight is needed or not.