Review of the 'Quest 20' Ortofon/Digitrac
- Thread starter eteller
- Start date
The one I use (plasticine) is also I believe oil based... (petroleum jelly is one of the ingredients)
Why do you think this might be a problem? I've been using it to connect styli to cartridge bodies...
Also small amounts in headshells as a damper
Not to mention several kg inside the plinth of my JVC ....
Why do you think this might be a problem? I've been using it to connect styli to cartridge bodies...
Also small amounts in headshells as a damper
Not to mention several kg inside the plinth of my JVC ....
do you think it would be safe to use the E-Z tack? I have not placed the order for the blu-tack yet.
I don't recall reading what the table/arm is... so I am assuming a standard 1/2" mount with a p-mount adapter (the one that comes with the Digitrac cartridge).
Which also assumes adjustable VTF - so additional mass is not a huge problem.
I would take a small ball of E-Z Tack, and wedge it in the top corner of the adapter, where it can be wedged between the top of the adapter, the cartridge and the rear of the adapter.
That way there are two static surfaces and one which is possibly moving - the shear effect (which is part of how it damps) will be maximised by the two surfaces at 90 degrees - so you get horizontal and vertical vibrations...
The other way is to put a tiny ball on the cartridge in the middle between the 4 pins, and then tiny little rolls of it around the edge where it will get squished between cartridge and adapter as you insert it into place. This method adds negligible mass... and is theoretically just as effective - But ideally you want the locking screw in place for the cartridge as well... a tiny amount of EZTack just under the nut is good too, so as you tighten it, you wedge the Tack in under it....
Blue Tack is only very slightly oily - as it is designed to hold up posters... and the oil would stain the posters.
Using plasticine on paper/posters very quickly shows a stain... the higher oil content is perhaps why it is softer too...
Which also assumes adjustable VTF - so additional mass is not a huge problem.
I would take a small ball of E-Z Tack, and wedge it in the top corner of the adapter, where it can be wedged between the top of the adapter, the cartridge and the rear of the adapter.
That way there are two static surfaces and one which is possibly moving - the shear effect (which is part of how it damps) will be maximised by the two surfaces at 90 degrees - so you get horizontal and vertical vibrations...
The other way is to put a tiny ball on the cartridge in the middle between the 4 pins, and then tiny little rolls of it around the edge where it will get squished between cartridge and adapter as you insert it into place. This method adds negligible mass... and is theoretically just as effective - But ideally you want the locking screw in place for the cartridge as well... a tiny amount of EZTack just under the nut is good too, so as you tighten it, you wedge the Tack in under it....
Blue Tack is only very slightly oily - as it is designed to hold up posters... and the oil would stain the posters.
Using plasticine on paper/posters very quickly shows a stain... the higher oil content is perhaps why it is softer too...
I applied the E-Z tack, and the distortion was still present. I thought I would try the Shure MP94E I have, the distortion was still there. I reseated the RCA Interconnects, and now both cartridges sound fine. This is interesting, I thought the interconnects were in tight, but I guess I was wrong.
I am impressed with the sound of both cartridges. It is hard to decide which one to listen to. BTW david, this is my JVC QL-5 with a P-mount adapter. I like having this setup, because it is nice to just switch out a cartridge when I feel like it. I may have to get a replacement stylus for my Technics p24 P-mount cartridge. I am interested to hear how this one sounds.
I would like to thank all of you for your help.
I am impressed with the sound of both cartridges. It is hard to decide which one to listen to. BTW david, this is my JVC QL-5 with a P-mount adapter. I like having this setup, because it is nice to just switch out a cartridge when I feel like it. I may have to get a replacement stylus for my Technics p24 P-mount cartridge. I am interested to hear how this one sounds.
I would like to thank all of you for your help.
Hi Bill,
the JVC QL-5 is a very close relative to my rather more electronic QL-Y5F.
The arm effective mass (inertia) is around 12g, so it is theoretically best suited to a mid-compliance cartridge.
All the cartridges we have been discussing (Digitrac, Shure M94, Technics P24) are all high compliance .... so you are probably running with an effective total arm mass of around 17g (including cartridge and adapter)
That would put the resonance point with the M94 or P24 at around 7Hz, and with the Digitrac at 5Hz....
You may be finding that the turntable is VERY sensitive to footfall and vibrations, and you are having trouble with tracking on warped record?
The best way to mitigate this is to lighten the arm by purchasing the lightest possible headshell (under 6.5g... you can often find them on ebay but it may take a while to find the really light ones).
This will lower the arm mass by around 4 to 5g (the original JVC Headshells, depending on which one you have, were 10g or 11g)
You can also try to get a lighter Counterweight - the standard counterweight will be at its innermost limit of balancing the arm. It can balance down to 14.5g including headshell - if you have a 6g headshell, with 8g of adapter+cartridge the total is 14g... so if you are lucky enough to find a 5.5g headshell for example, you will need a slightly lighter CW.
If your arm uses the same stub diameter as mine (which is likely) then the standard Technics counterweights will fit, and they should be perfect for this purpose.
(if the lighter headshell is 6.5g, then you should be fine with the normal CW)
Also you might want to look into the various plinth damping mods for the QL-5... as with the JVC's plinth resonance is often a weakness - and this will get exacerbate with a high compliance cartridge.
Also TT platform isolation is another really important thing for this setup... Maple butchers blocks, sitting on anything from bubble wrap to mag-lev feet have been used for the various QL series tables. (I can detail my platform, but that would take another whole page...)
I have done ALL the above mods to my QL-Y5F... with noticeable improvements to sound across the board.
With regards to the M94 and the P24 cartridges.... both of these are excellent.
And both of these have superb upgrades available from Jico.
For the M94, you can use an N97xE stylus as well (either the normal Shure stylus, or the Jico SAS) - the damper brush helps to control the resonances caused by running a high compliance cart. in the heavier than ideal arm. (Very very good combo, especially with the excellent SAS)
If you are up to custom loading your cartridge (varying the resistive and capacitive load) - then you can even go for the Jico VN5MR or VN5MR-SAS stylus - they are designed for the V15VxMR but will work beautifully with the M94 if the loading is varied. (without loading variation to compensate for the M94's higher inductance, the high end will be too depressed and the cartridge will sound a little dull)
For the EPC-P24, there are Hypereliptical, Shibata and even the Jico SAS styli available....
The original Technics EPC-P202 was the exact same body, with a much better stylus fitted (boron tube cantilever)- the nearest current equivalent stylus is the SAS. (the styli are available from Turntableneedles, LPGear or Jico direct)
But the compliance will still be a bit too high for the arm (the Shure stylus with the brush has a distinct advantage for this setup!).
bye for now
David
the JVC QL-5 is a very close relative to my rather more electronic QL-Y5F.
The arm effective mass (inertia) is around 12g, so it is theoretically best suited to a mid-compliance cartridge.
All the cartridges we have been discussing (Digitrac, Shure M94, Technics P24) are all high compliance .... so you are probably running with an effective total arm mass of around 17g (including cartridge and adapter)
That would put the resonance point with the M94 or P24 at around 7Hz, and with the Digitrac at 5Hz....
You may be finding that the turntable is VERY sensitive to footfall and vibrations, and you are having trouble with tracking on warped record?
The best way to mitigate this is to lighten the arm by purchasing the lightest possible headshell (under 6.5g... you can often find them on ebay but it may take a while to find the really light ones).
This will lower the arm mass by around 4 to 5g (the original JVC Headshells, depending on which one you have, were 10g or 11g)
You can also try to get a lighter Counterweight - the standard counterweight will be at its innermost limit of balancing the arm. It can balance down to 14.5g including headshell - if you have a 6g headshell, with 8g of adapter+cartridge the total is 14g... so if you are lucky enough to find a 5.5g headshell for example, you will need a slightly lighter CW.
If your arm uses the same stub diameter as mine (which is likely) then the standard Technics counterweights will fit, and they should be perfect for this purpose.
(if the lighter headshell is 6.5g, then you should be fine with the normal CW)
Also you might want to look into the various plinth damping mods for the QL-5... as with the JVC's plinth resonance is often a weakness - and this will get exacerbate with a high compliance cartridge.
Also TT platform isolation is another really important thing for this setup... Maple butchers blocks, sitting on anything from bubble wrap to mag-lev feet have been used for the various QL series tables. (I can detail my platform, but that would take another whole page...)
I have done ALL the above mods to my QL-Y5F... with noticeable improvements to sound across the board.
With regards to the M94 and the P24 cartridges.... both of these are excellent.
And both of these have superb upgrades available from Jico.
For the M94, you can use an N97xE stylus as well (either the normal Shure stylus, or the Jico SAS) - the damper brush helps to control the resonances caused by running a high compliance cart. in the heavier than ideal arm. (Very very good combo, especially with the excellent SAS)
If you are up to custom loading your cartridge (varying the resistive and capacitive load) - then you can even go for the Jico VN5MR or VN5MR-SAS stylus - they are designed for the V15VxMR but will work beautifully with the M94 if the loading is varied. (without loading variation to compensate for the M94's higher inductance, the high end will be too depressed and the cartridge will sound a little dull)
For the EPC-P24, there are Hypereliptical, Shibata and even the Jico SAS styli available....
The original Technics EPC-P202 was the exact same body, with a much better stylus fitted (boron tube cantilever)- the nearest current equivalent stylus is the SAS. (the styli are available from Turntableneedles, LPGear or Jico direct)
But the compliance will still be a bit too high for the arm (the Shure stylus with the brush has a distinct advantage for this setup!).
bye for now
David
I won't say the distortion is completely gone from those two records, but it seems to be reduced. Maybe these records are just worn, or they were not mastered very well. I don't know, I don't have any answers. Other records I have tried don't have any distortion. It is just nice to know that the cartridges are fine.
Hi David, I will have to look in to getting one of the headshells you have mentioned. I was wondering if you could PM me your mods to the JVC? I have noticed when I lift the dust cover, I can hear it through my speakers. This does not happen on my Technics SL-Q30. I have not noticed any problems with footfalls. I have to stomp pretty hard in order to get the turntable to skip. I find that my Technics sL-q30 is more sensitive to footfalls than the JVC.
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With the JVC sounding as good as it does, I couldn't imagine changing anything right now. It is nice to know I did not ruin the stylus. I am a little nervous to use the magic eraser again. I have never had a stylus stick to it before. Is the brush that comes with the digi sufficient to clean the stylus until I can get one of the stylus brushes we have talked about?
