VTA And Heavy Pressings

[David Meek]

VTA. Vertical Tracking Angle. Defined by Jon Risch in a post on AudioAsylum in 1999 as:

VTA or vertical tracking angle is the angle the cantilever makes with the surface of the record.

With the VTA of a turntable/arm/cartridge zeroed for a "standard" thickness album (something less than 180 grams) would playing a heavier pressing (which is correspondingly thicker, thus changing the VTA) such as a 180 or 200 gram, cause the VTA to change enough to cause audible distortion?




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[Phil Rose]

Different weight discs (different thickness) will change the VTA of the cartridge. Whether or not you will be able to hear the difference depends on the cartridge in use and its sensitivity to VTA. Also, VTA is typically talked about in terms of affecting the frequecy balance of the cartridge output. In general, the best that you can do is to optimize the VTA for the majority of you collection unless you have an arm that you can easily adjust VTA on the fly.

[David Meek]

Phil, as to setting VTA on the fly, I don't think I have that capability. The arm in question is a Rega RB250, and the cartridge is a Grado Sonata.




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[Kevin_McC]

I've often wondered about this myself.

Have you detected a difference? I'd try an experiment to see if I could hear a difference, but I can't adjust the VTA on the cheap table I'm using.

I guess on the fly adjustable VTA should be something to look for in my next turntable?

[sattothestars]

The answer is yes and no to your queston regarding VTA.The general rule is,if you tilt the cartidge up from level,sibilance will increase.Titlting it down will usualy increase bass,also may screw up your highs.Experimentation is the best way to go.The Regas do not have VTA ajustment on the fly unlike Graham,SME to name a few.As said in previous posts the cartridge does have an effect ,on overall performance and sensitivity to VTA.




JLF sattothestars

[David Meek]

Just thinking aloud here. . . this sounds like a bad idea from the beginning, but being the curious type, I have to ask.

If you have a 200 gram pressing (very thick) on the platter, it will cause the arm/cartridge to angle upward from the pivot and towards the cartridge. Can you increase the tracking force (causing the cantilever to flex minimally) enough to compensate and return the VTA to parallel WITHOUT damaging the surface of the album or the stylus? Again, I'm pretty sure this is not do-able, but. . . .




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[sattothestars]

David.You are absolutely correct.It is a real bad idea,and more than likely you will damage your cantilever.




JLF sattothestars

[Phil Rose]

I can't adjust the VTA on the cheap table I'm using

You can change the VTA on a cartridge if you arm doesn't have an adjustment by adding small shims between the cartridge and the headshell. Add shims to the front to increase VTA and add shims to the back to decrease VTA. When you do this you will have to readjust, or at least check, the stylus over-hang. Follow the guidelines that Sattothestars gave for the sonic effects.