Jico Seto-Hori MC cart popping with static electricity?

My ART-9 bit the dust and, while waiting for a replacement from AT, I decided to try a different flavor and settled on a JICO Seto-Hori HOMC. It sounds pretty good; I'm still running it in. The problem that I am encountering is that every so often the cart makes a plosive popping sound, kind of like when you make a popping sound with your mouth into a live microphone. None of my other carts do this, ever. It's occurring over the playback of several different albums, and is not replicable in the same passage when played again. In short, it's almost certainly not the table or the records.

I have never encountered something like this before, so I'm not sure how to address it. My thought is that maybe the stylus/cart is building up static electricity somehow... But it may be something else entirely.

Has anyone else come across this problem in the past? With a JICO cart or otherwise?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

If anyone is reading this with a similar problem, I did some reading and then swapped out my rubber/cork mat for a full cork mat and the static problem seems to have been resolved. Happy listening!

 

When installing a new cart it can take a day or so for an internal static charge to dissipate. The mat probably has nothing to do with it unless you can replicate the problem with the rubber again.

 

Interesting. I will swap the other mat back in over the weekend and report back with my observations.

 

AM Anti-Static Slipmat Turntable Record Mat - DJ City
I have not tried this as I no longer have any records, but used to have a similar Zerostat product (IIRC???) that worked well.

 

RCM should cure problems with Static
Jico is a bargain price for a microridge/boron hand built in Japan cartridge
JICO Seto Hori CartridgeJICO Seto Hori Cartridge - Positive Feedback

 

After hours of static-free play last night, the static is back today. I noticed that it looked like the wrapped sleeve around the cantilever might be touching the record as it plays, so I backed off from 2.0 grams tracking force to 1.8g. I also put my preferred rubber/cork mat back on as it no longer appears to present a problem. Listening now to see how the changes work out.

 

I've had exactly the same problem with a Dynavector XX2 mkII, a loud POP at random during play, sometimes 3 or 4 times during an LP side, sometimes nothing for several records in a row. In my case, only the right channel was affected. Probably static discharges, after 30-40 play hours the problem went away by itself and I am now running it since 1 year without those pops anymore. Maybe the cartridge was too clean and dry at first, then some dirt helped static electrons or ions drift to ground, I don't know, but I am glad it was only temporary.
Try a humidifier close to the TT, just in case air is too dry at your place.

 

Balancing humidity is definitely one of the more important aspects for controlling static. However its usually not so loud or consistent unless the climate is below 20% humidity.
@bloodlemons do you clean your records perhaps? If so, were these cleaned right before play?

 

I do, sometimes, clean my records, but these listening sessions have only been with record brush and Zero Dust stylus cleaner.

I am back to no pops after putting everything back to the way it was when I first noticed the popping initially. I guess I will just let the cartridge burn in for the next several days and see if the situation settles down. I don't know that we have particularly dry air, but I will try a humidifier next if it seems necessary.

 

Dont buy a humidifier first. Get a humidity meter. 10 bucks at a store. Good humidifiers that control the room properly are not too cheap so only consider it if it ever goes below 25%.

Try not using the brush for a while. Those tend to charge more static than they remove, especially when used improperly.