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VTA and cartridge loading

I've been reading the various threads regarding VTA and how it affects what one hears. My understanding is that as VTA increases (arm is raised), there will be more emphasis on the higher frequencies and as it is decreased (arm is lowered), the lower frequencies will be more emphasized. A quicker, airier sound versus a richer, fuller sound.

Someone also told me that VTA is really an adjustment in the time domain, meaning that it affects how accurately transient information is reproduced. If it is too high, the leading edge becomes shrill and occurs too early in time thus becoming detached from the note's harmonics and if it is too low, the leading edge of a transient occurs too late and gets mixed in with the rest of the note and it becomes a bit muddy and poorly defined.

My understanding of the affects of proper cartridge loading is somewhat similar. That is, the higher the loading, the more life and dynamics one hears. The lower the loading, the fuller, richer the sound becomes.

Are these descriptions accurate and useful? Is there any relationship between VTA and cartridge loading? Which should be set first?
peterayer
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
I think that you have the VTA part, more or less, correct. But keep in mind that there is only one correct way for a stylus to meet the groove; this is not a tone control.

However all cartridges have a high frequency resonant peak. That peak usually falls at the top of the audible range (your audible range, not mine, I'm 53 years old). The impedance that the cartridge sees is, effectively, the damping of this primary resonance. Too little and the peak makes things too bright, and too much and the the sound is overdamped. Of course, all frequency response abberations have an effect in the time domain and you can see this resonance on square waves, as well as ringing in the impulse response. But the two issues, loading and VTA are completely independent and different.
drrsutliff
299 posts
 
Viridian is correct. They may seem coupled if you are using the loading to try and dampen a perceived increased peak due to misalignment of the SRA. Make sure the alignment including the VTA (actually SRA) is correct, then you can adjust the loading for the best performance.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Just to clarify a confusing sentence in my post.."Too little and the peak makes things too bright, and too much and the sound is overdamped." I was referring to damping, not impedance. The lower the impedance the greater the damping is. Almost counter intuitive, no?
samhar
1,034 posts
 
I owned the XOno and was amazed by how many choices it provided!!!! To make life easy I set the SRA of the PC-1 at aprox 92* and the VTF at 2.1gr (the VTF landed up at 2.2) then changed loading values until I settled at 240ohm. I make very slight adjustments to VTA by the record if necessary. As you know the PC-1 is very sensitive to the slightest adjustment of any type. I think it's a matter of knowing your system and when the sound doesn't "feel" right physically/emotionally making the proper adjustment(s) to whatever.
I can't imagine the confusion the fine adjustments of the XOno might make, I only have 315ohms then 100ohm on each side of 240ohm so it is more evident that I need a slight adjustment to VTA or VTF.
samhar
1,034 posts
 
Curious how cart setting has gone and what settings you've arrived at.
Thanks
Sam
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