Difference in sound using different carts when digitizing vinyl record?

Sleepwalker

"The staircase effect"?


Since I don't understand, I went to my "Modern Dictionary of Electronics" where I discovered a "Staircase Generator" produces an output wave form that has the appearance of a staircase.

"Staircase signal" a wave form consisting of discrete steps resembling a staircase.

I don't see how either one of those is applicable; could you clarify this "Staircase effect".


In reality, I have a computer expert with a degree in computer science who I consult. When I ask him for an explanation, he gives me that look that says; "You wouldn't understand it even after I explained it; what is it you want to accomplish?"

Once the signal enters the computer domain, it has no left and right channel, did you know that?

Sleepwalker, what holds the stylus in place? How accurately can it be set? Will it hold its settings?

We can argue forever. But all three are important, plus isolation and plus tonearm cable.

Yes, you will hear a difference, but when you A-B the two digital files, you will be surprised at how minimal the differences are, and how difficult it is to determine which is "better".

@terry you can set up any cartridge perfectly on an average tonearm like Technics Sl1200mkII stock toneam with total cost of $150 (imagine), if you have $30 headshell with azimuth and overhand it's not a big deal to set up a cartridge. An overhand gauge (52mm) supplied by tonearm manufacturer, you can not go wrong with the settings, and it's $150 tonearm! Not a $1500 or $5000 tonearm. These type of cheap turntables works fine for 22 years for me, no problem with bearings or anything technically (definitely not the best turntable, just basic DD anyone can buy). I have much more expensive turntables and tonearms, but on cheap Technics (which is under $500 on used market) the cartridge is far more important that anything else! This is FIRST thing that user should change before changing anything else searching for a good sound from an average turntable with cheap tonearm.  

Many times i've brought some serious cartridge to a friends who owns SL1200mkII. They could not recognize it's still the same turntable, because the sound quality was like day and night even with cheap phono stages, even in the headsphones whatever. Cartridge is number one in analog chain, turntable just rotate the record.  

I've tried everything from $200 vintage MM to $5000 modern ZYX MC cartridge on Technics SL1200mkII just for curiosity. If a cartridge is well matched to whatever tonearm, then it is the biggest upgrade ever... Toneam, turntable, phono stage, some tweaks or even completely different turntable after all is next step.