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Tracking force and Unipivot tonearms

I have a Benz Glider and the "recommended" tracking force is 1.8 to 2.2 grams. I am tracking at about 2.4 or 2.5 just to keep it in the grooves during hot peaks on some records. A audiophile friend told me it is not uncommon especially with unipivots to set tracking force at 10 percent or higher than the recommended tracking force. The cart sounds much more full, less sibilant and a more solid sound at the sacrifice of a less air at this heavier tracking force.

Has anyone else found it absolutely necessary to set tracking forces much higher than the recommended force? My friend said it will not damage the cartridge or records at 2.4 or 2.5 grams. He said I should not get hung up on recommended tracking force as all tonearms are different and that it is just the "recommneded" tracking force
tzh21y
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I own a Benz Glider (on my Rega P5)
And I have owned unipivots in the past, and have one now on my Kuzma Stogi S arm.
If the downward force is a little high no problem.
You are well within a reasonable tracking force.
So do not worry about it.
As long as the cantilever of the Glider is not being pushed up too much when playing no problem (too much is just being able to see it really IS moving ( a millimeter) up when the stylus touches the Lp surface.)
You DO want the stylus to stay kind of centered in the cart body...
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,033 posts
 
I am tracking at about 2.4 or 2.5 just to keep it in the grooves during hot peaks on some records

Probably you should think about a better Playback System when this way is the only one which works well for you.
I use Graham Arms for more than 10 years now and I am always at the lower end. But I don't use rattling turntables ... :-)
actusreus
733 posts
 
Probably depends on the cartridge. I know that the Lyra Delos was designed to be tracked at 1.75 grams for the optimal SRA with the tonearm parallel to the record, but other cartridges might be designed differently and less prone to misalignment due to changes in VTF. I'd suggest to ask Benz and see what their opinion is.
markpao
403 posts
 
I would have to think something is wrong somewhere. I would want my setup to allow me to tweek the VTF up or down to fine tune the sound. I would start with your gauge. Are you certain it is acurate?
mab33
101 posts
 
On many arms tracking force will change with changes in vta. If your scale is not measuring at EXACTLY the same height as a record then you may not be getting an accurate reading of tracking force anyways. Changes of a few tenths of a gram can easily happen within a few millimeters of difference between a scale platform and actual record height. If the cart sounds better and is tracking better my experience would suggest you are may be at a more ideal tracking force than previously. If you were saying it sounded less dynamic and kind of thick/muffled/bass heavy I might be more worried. Scales seem simple, but they can be tricky. It's worth investigating...
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