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In the Forum: Analog Playback
In the Thread: The Softer Side of a Hard-Tracing Cartridge

Post Subject: Windfeld QC issue(s)Posted by Axel on: 10/27/2009

Paul,
I can give you a first hand idea about the QC issues, since I personally experienced them.

A brand new Windfeld was from the start what I'd call 'very low riding'. It didn't perform badly though i.e. better then my Jubilee it replaced --- this in turn having been another QC issue with a skew cantilever and a split open body (between inner and outer body).
Yet again this Jubilee performed OK after the skew cantilever had been corrected by the factory (not the body split though).

Still with the Jubilee, the cantilever then once again started to go out of centre, plus given the unresolved split open body (could look through it from front to back), I ask for a replacement which was granted.

In comes the Windfeld (adding extra $$$) as a Jubilee replacement.

I decided after some time to measure it with a test record and oscilloscope and found out, it had gone way out of kilter in terms of channel separation mostly, but also other test parameters.

It was send back to the factory, which found it had an "VTA error" (call it a sagged cantilever). Recall, it was really down from the start.

A once again granted replacement is VERY differently looking in deed, riding higher by at least 1,5 - 2mm! Also the finish and fit of the sintered body is much improved and fits far better then was the case with the first item(s).

So, yes they did have some issues.

Greetings,
Axel

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