Since I am testing mainly for subsonic woofer pumping the sonic impressions may be less relevant, but the experience is clear and maybe interesting for some of you. Listening in "retrospective" to the Clavis DC, allthough it sounds good, I have two problems, one is the limited soundscape, the other is the harsh almost digital type of sound in dynamic parts of the music. But if I had known no better I would have loved this cartridge - and I did, fifteen years ago! The Titan i that I got ten years ago was clearly was a major step up, from the Clavis - and it sounds very good today also. The soundscape became much wider and bigger, more width and depth, refinement and detail. The Atlas is some steps above the Titan. The wider and deeper soundscape was present with the Titan, but the Atlas improves and tunes it better so it sounds more natural. No looking back...
Why are my woofers pumping?
The other day, with sunlight direct from the side, I noticed that the
woofers in my speakers are pumping in and out, much more than I was aware of,
when the stylus is in the groove, even between tracks (no music). I can see it, even if I don’t hear it. Why
does it happen? The woofers behave normally (no pumping) with digital music, and
when the stylus it lifted from the groove, so it is not the speakers, amps,
preamp or phono stage.
I’ve read that the typical reason for woofer pumping is that the cartridge / arm resonance is too low. I tested, with my Hifi News test record, and yes, the lateral test puts the resonance at 7 hz or so – too low (but I’ve seen some doubts about the results from that test record). It is strange, since the combo I use – Lyra Atlas cartridge and SME V arm (on a Hanss T-30 player) is supposed to work well. I tried to strip my arm of extras, cleaned the damping trough, etc – but it did not help much.
Anyone has an idea, why it happens, or what to do about it?
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- 168 posts total
- 168 posts total