Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Turntables?

I'm using a Shure 97 that I like quite a bit in my Technics... It's a pretty well-regarded cartridge...

As I was installing my new Shure the other day (great deal on Amazon BTW), I realized that the tonearm was way out of balance. Could be why my OM10 sounded so poorly. Oh well...still going to use the Shure anyways.

THEN I realized, years after buying this thing, that I had never installed the anti-skating weight. DOH! All set up and listened to this last night:

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/79243

(THE THELONIOUS MONK QUARTET WITH JOHN COLTRANE AT CARNEGIE HALL (200g MONO LP)

I've never gotten into the whole Monk/Coltrane/Miles thing, but I have to admit that this is an impressive recording for it's age. It sounds SO good on my setup, just gorgeous with the tubes.

I tried to give a listen on my Grado 325i's via the headphone out on the Rotel 1025. There was a loud, background hum that bugged me. Oddly, I don't hear it on the speakers.

Whoops It has to sound better now.

Hi,

Be sure and run your Shure M97 at the top of its recommended tracking-force range (probably around 2 grams) rather than at the lightest pressure. While doing the latter seems like it would be a good idea (less tracking force, less wear), it isn't advisable unless you are using a very sophisticated expensive low-mass tonearm. If you use too little tracking force in a typical arm, the cartridge may mis-track on heavily modulated (loud) passages, literally carving the distortion permanently into the vinyl. That can never be "erased" and you'll hear it every time you play the disc at the point where the stylus mistracked.

I'm sure you'll be pleased with the Shure's performance once it is set up properly.

Regards,
Alan

Ah, good suggestion. I will do that. I like the new 'toy', I even bought some new LPs on musicdirect.com yesterday. Hopefully, Xmas will come in the mail before Friday...