Cartridge

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karatestu
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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by karatestu »

The Lyra website is crap. My cart is discontinued.

I found the documentation that came with it. Hope this shows properly

Image

Of course they recommend their own SPT brush and liquid which is £45 a go :shock: The liquid only contains purified water and organic cleaning agents. Says not to touch the cantilever as it can wick up it to god knows where.

How are ageing men with unsteady hands and eyesight that is going down hill supposed to do that then ?
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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by karatestu »

I know this is from the manufacturer but here is what it says about cartridge life and suspension under exchange/rebuild. You may need to zoom in a bit.

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Geoff.R.G
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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

karatestu wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 3:02 pm I know this is from the manufacturer but here is what it says about cartridge life and suspension under exchange/rebuild. You may need to zoom in a bit.

Image
Pretty much says it all really.
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NSNO2021 (Tue Jan 17, 2023 3:57 pm)

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savvypaul
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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by savvypaul »

The best thing is to keep your records clean...
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karatestu (Tue Jan 17, 2023 4:56 pm)
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Company Name: NVA Hi-Fi
https://nvahifi.co.uk/

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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by NSNO2021 »

Copied directly from the Sumiko website, see https://sumikophonocartridges.com/what- ... cartridge/

So not theory but empirical and from a dedicated cartridge design and manufacturing company with 40 years experience of the subject matter. Hopefully thats enough evidence.


Suspension

A phono cartridge suspension is like the gatekeeper to success in a phono cartridge. The suspension is typically made with a compliant elastomer material that allows the cantilever to move freely in the dimensions the stylus requires, but also acts to damp resonance coming from the cantilever. It also to stave off micro jitters of stylus in the record groove, and holds the cantilever in its proper place relative to the generator. How much it moves is measure in ‘cu’ (compliance units). It is expressed as a number that looks like this: 10-6cm/dyne@100Hz, or in everyday speak, 10cu. The higher the first number, the more compliant the suspension. The lower the number, the stiffer the suspension (less compliant). The suspension is typically positioned along the cantilever so that it defines the pivot point of the cantilever assembly, and is located much closer to the generator than to the stylus. If designed incorrectly (too stiff, not stiff enough, too much rebound, too long a memory, or treated incorrectly), sound quality as well as stylus/record life will be negatively impacted. Tracking force and even room temperature are further considerations for a properly performing suspension. A correctly designed and applied suspension system perpetuates a stylus that can smoothly and effortlessly follow the record groove, allowing the moving structure at the opposite end of the stylus to interact with the generator in a uniform way. As the suspension is typically made from a variety of rubber, it is susceptible to degradation over time due to shear use, but also due to environmental conditions. A suspension system in a hot and humid environment will not last as long as one in a mild climate, just as a cartridge in a very hot and dry climate will also be adversely affected. If the turntable is in direct sunlight, it will shorten the life. Advances in materials over the years have provided more robust rubber compounds that hold up better, but the very small amount of material relative to the amount of vibrational energy it deals in makes for a very difficult design brief for engineers. In terms of performance, a consistent ambient temperature is the single greatest key to getting a consistently great result from a properly set up phono cartridge. Some audiophiles even place a lamp near the turntable to control the ambient temperature for the
cartridge, and many even keep a temperature gauge nearby. For practical purposes, a suspension too cold is not sufficiently compliant, a suspension too warm is excessively compliant.
These users thanked the author NSNO2021 for the post (total 2):
karatestu (Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:00 pm) • Geoff.R.G (Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:18 pm)
Modified Airlink BPS 3110S with LDA DC filter
TTs, Kenwood KD 8030 with AT OC9XSH, Opera Consonance Wax Engine mk2 with modified Apheta 2 MC cart, PT TOO awaiting restoration.
LDA MCJ3 phono,Schiit Freya plus pre amp, NAD M23, Audiolab 9000 CD transport, Denafrips Pontus 2 DAC, Mano Ultra2 streamer, Cisco switch, Audio Technica ATH 70 cans, Serhan Swift Mu2 mk2 speakers & NSNO W48.5 speaker cables

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karatestu
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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by karatestu »

NSNO2021 wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 3:56 pm Copied directly from the Sumiko website, see https://sumikophonocartridges.com/what- ... cartridge/

So not theory but empirical and from a dedicated cartridge design and manufacturing company with 40 years experience of the subject matter. Hopefully thats enough evidence.


Suspension

A phono cartridge suspension is like the gatekeeper to success in a phono cartridge. The suspension is typically made with a compliant elastomer material that allows the cantilever to move freely in the dimensions the stylus requires, but also acts to damp resonance coming from the cantilever. It also to stave off micro jitters of stylus in the record groove, and holds the cantilever in its proper place relative to the generator. How much it moves is measure in ‘cu’ (compliance units). It is expressed as a number that looks like this: 10-6cm/dyne@100Hz, or in everyday speak, 10cu. The higher the first number, the more compliant the suspension. The lower the number, the stiffer the suspension (less compliant). The suspension is typically positioned along the cantilever so that it defines the pivot point of the cantilever assembly, and is located much closer to the generator than to the stylus. If designed incorrectly (too stiff, not stiff enough, too much rebound, too long a memory, or treated incorrectly), sound quality as well as stylus/record life will be negatively impacted. Tracking force and even room temperature are further considerations for a properly performing suspension. A correctly designed and applied suspension system perpetuates a stylus that can smoothly and effortlessly follow the record groove, allowing the moving structure at the opposite end of the stylus to interact with the generator in a uniform way. As the suspension is typically made from a variety of rubber, it is susceptible to degradation over time due to shear use, but also due to environmental conditions. A suspension system in a hot and humid environment will not last as long as one in a mild climate, just as a cartridge in a very hot and dry climate will also be adversely affected. If the turntable is in direct sunlight, it will shorten the life. Advances in materials over the years have provided more robust rubber compounds that hold up better, but the very small amount of material relative to the amount of vibrational energy it deals in makes for a very difficult design brief for engineers. In terms of performance, a consistent ambient temperature is the single greatest key to getting a consistently great result from a properly set up phono cartridge. Some audiophiles even place a lamp near the turntable to control the ambient temperature for the
cartridge, and many even keep a temperature gauge nearby. For practical purposes, a suspension too cold is not sufficiently compliant, a suspension too warm is excessively compliant.
It mentions shorter lifespan in hot and humid and hot and dry climates. Mine has been stored in a cupboard in an unheated bedroom of a 16th century solid stone farmhouse which stayed remarkably cool in that 40 degree heat wd had in July. Even when i used it that was never in direct sunlight .
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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

karatestu wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:08 pm It mentions shorter lifespan in hot and humid and hot and dry climates. Mine has been stored in a cupboard in an unheated bedroom of a 16th century solid stone farmhouse which stayed remarkably cool in that 40 degree heat we had in July. Even when I used it that was never in direct sunlight .
Admittedly my tape machines weren’t kept in quite such stable conditions but the pinch wheel lasted around 15 years from when I got the machine and the belt around 30, before the deterioration was detected. I suspect that the suspension of your cartridge will be better for the consistent storage conditions but at 20 years old it is probably on borrowed time.

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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by NSNO2021 »

Stu I reckon you and your cartridge are as safe houses albeit, very old, cool houses :-)
Modified Airlink BPS 3110S with LDA DC filter
TTs, Kenwood KD 8030 with AT OC9XSH, Opera Consonance Wax Engine mk2 with modified Apheta 2 MC cart, PT TOO awaiting restoration.
LDA MCJ3 phono,Schiit Freya plus pre amp, NAD M23, Audiolab 9000 CD transport, Denafrips Pontus 2 DAC, Mano Ultra2 streamer, Cisco switch, Audio Technica ATH 70 cans, Serhan Swift Mu2 mk2 speakers & NSNO W48.5 speaker cables

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savvypaul
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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by savvypaul »

Cartridges can be replaced.

I'm not so sure about record collections...
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Geoff.R.G (Tue Jan 17, 2023 9:49 pm)
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Company Name: NVA Hi-Fi
https://nvahifi.co.uk/

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Re: Cartridge

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

savvypaul wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 7:07 pm Cartridges can be replaced.

I'm not so sure about record collections...
Agreed, I wouldn’t take the chance.

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