I'm Very SCARED - Please advise, Cartridge Drop


I'm setting up a brand new Benz Ace Medium on a P3. As I was trying to measure Tracking Force on a digital scale I dropped (finger slipped off the "finger handle") the tonearm (stylus) onto the glass platter and the tonearm bounced up and down a couple of times.

Any cause for concern? The cart looks okay but I'm a little worried about "Pre-mature" wear on the cartridge's suspension.

I don't know much about design and was looking for a little re-assurment my new cart will still last its expected lifespan. So can cartridges handle this kind of abuse once in a while?

Thanks guys,
Bob
bobbybub1b59
If you've finished set up and it sounds fine I wouldn't worry about it. I suspect if you had caused any real damage you would hear it right away. Don't do it again! :-)
Nice moniker you got going there:

httpforum.audiogon.comcgi-binfr_memb.pleanlg1103228214membzzbobbybub@hotmail.com

I'll just call you:

htpfrm.agon.com-bin_memplg1214mbzbyb@hmail.com

For short.
I would be more concerned with a bent or twisted cantilever than i would damage to the suspension. If anything, the stress to the suspension may have "sped up" break-in time. The twisting or bending of the cantilever is another matter unto itself. Sean
>
Forget about it, the cartridge shouldn't have a problem with that. A severe lateral blow might be a different story but the cartridge is designed to allow the stylus to have vertical movement.
Thanks guys, I feel tons better now. You can imagine my paranoia though, brand new, out of the box and I slip like that. More pissed at myself than anything.

The funny thing was that what ever I was doing didn't need to be done. Checking Tracking force for like the 8th time. Jeeesh!

I feel a lot better now but, if the cantiliver suspension "bottomed out" when it hit the platter it wouldn't cause hidden or pre-mature wear on the suspension?

Just to be reassured. I appologize if I'm being repetitive, reduntant, repeating my self over and over and over again :)
You'll be fine. Relax. Get all that butter fingered practice in now, before you upgrade to the Ruby 3.

Cheers,
John
A minor incident.

Many of us have actually ripped the stylus or the cantilever right off the cartridge, by mistake, and sometimes with cartridges that cost a couple thousand bucks.
That gives you a really sick feeling when it happens. Everyone is human, and mistakes happen, sometimes costly ones. Yours was a very mild one, and I doubt it had any affect on your cartridge at all.
Yes... I accidentally ripped of my stylus and broke the cantilever beam on my $5000 catridge... it was obviously expensive to replace... So I never try to play LP when I'm too tired or not 100% awake : (
I wasn't going to admit it, but I've done it too. Thanks to the Audio Gods it was "only" a 103r. I'd shoot myself for 5 large!
I munch a cartridge before and it is the worste feeling. So I understand your consern, but it will last just fine.

Rob
Some additional advice based on my own near fiasco: never, ever, wear one of those sweaters with baggy sleeves while mucking about with your table while arm/cartridge is attached. I was checking my interconnects one night, and the arm/cartridge assembly somehow went up my sleeve. Needless to say I very nearly ripped the arm from the armboard - that would have been a shame.
I've knocked the cantilever off 2 cartridges,tore out the wire on 1 tonearm,knocked a pin off a pricey Telefunken tube,shattered a Oracle record clamp (I used a vice to try to get out a slight warp)blew up my TV (hooked a vintage integrated tube amp up to its audio outs) burned my bare foot on the top plate of a "smokin'" Pass Aleph-3
Im sure there's more.
Tom is very correct,its a sick feeling!