Can it be done?

My daily driver is a 1968 VM Changer with a "2g Microtouch" Tonearm - ceramic cartridge, new needle. It won't play anything pressed after approx 1980... according to Gary Stork's website this is pretty typical.

Is there any workaround for this, or do I have to get a different turntable if I want to play more modern records?

Thanks!

Mike

I love Gary Stork to death but...
Those VM changers should play any record IF the unit has been properly serviced.
I know
I've done many of them.

Can't put a different stylus in the cartridge?

Greg, the cartridge used in those models already has a dual stylus for microgroove & 78 rpm.
It's extremely compliant and tracks at 2-3 grams.
Of course, if it's faulty, it should be replaced, but that's rare unless it's been abused.

Yeah, I was thinking maybe it has a 1.0 instead of a .7 but it was a guess. Maybe it doesn't matter anyway.

It's not that it -won't- play the record, the needle just "skates" across the more modern records. Doesn't happen with older stuff.

Is this a tonearm adjustment issue? I am totally new to the world of record players. I re-lubed it a few months ago and changed the needle (but not the cartridge). The changer mechanism works perfectly.

Thanks! I would love to be able to play stuff made in the last 30 years...
Mike

Are you using the correct needle? There's usually a flip over needle in these cartridges with a larger sized tip for playing 78's and a smaller one for LP's and 45's. If you're on the 78 needle, you might get this skipping. But there's nothing intrinsically different between pre and post 1980 records, that would cause a problem like this. Also, sounds like a dumb question, but is there any dust sticking to the needle?
Regarding the VM changers in general, keep in mind that this design is strictly a workhorse record player design from the '50s. They track pretty heavy, have no anti-skate, and require a fair amount of side force to trip the auto shut-off. IOW, don't expect it to be easy on your records. Garage sale and used records-no problem, but I'd never play any of my cherished vinyl on one.

I disagree.
The VM designs for the Zenith Microtouch2G can track and trip comfortably at 2 grams.

I suspect the OP has either a bad needle - or is using the 78 stylus - or the changer has been improperly serviced/lubricated.

The 2g has a low mass arm on them oops too slow.

start by changing the stylus. By 1968 you are well into the streo era, so it should cope with everything.

It would be useful if you post a photo of the cartridge/underside of the arm so we can see what we are dealing with. It is not unknown for the rubber 'ears' in the cart. which support the stylus to harden with age. If in doubt, change the cart.

The next step is to check or adjust the tracking weight. For most ceramics, in general it should be between 2.5 and 8 grams. I'd be inclined to up it a little if in doubt, many people put too little weight on not realizing this is as bad if not worse than too much, as the stylus bumps about in the groove, damaging the groove wall.

It's always possible that your new needle doesn't have the nicest tip on it, I'd try another, perhaps from a different manufacturer.

If the suspension on a ceramic cartridge has hardened over time it will have a harder time tracking newer records. The grooves on later LPs are often more shallow and more complex.

Ken D.

Yes, they track at 2 grams in the sense that they won't jump out of the groove or skip, but trust me, they don't track heavily modulated grooves at that pressure very well at all. Out of curiosity, a long while back,I ran a fresh Microtouch 2G on a Shure trackability record, and it barely made it past the lowest modulation level without going into mis-tracking distortion. Of course, most of the sets these changers were used in were very limited in the high frequencies anyway, so much of the tracking distortion was masked. I know VM has a lot of fans here, so I should probably just shut up. But there's no question in my mind that these changers, while extremely reliable and easy to maintain, were nothing to write home about where performance was concerned. And like everyone else here who ever worked professionally as a repair technician, I serviced countless numbers of them.

Somewhere in my service literature on these Zeniths I believe the actual needle pressure adjustment was stated at being 2.8 grams.

The "2G" I'm sure is just a marketing thing - and all the 2G changers that came in my shop were set at 3-4 grams - factory.

That said, and the fact that those cartridges have an extremely long cantilever and soft rubber anchor, they should perform well on any decent record.

As I said before - there's something amiss with the OP's system.
Get it repaired by a reputable service tech, and eliminate all the guessing and fussing.

Sure, if it plays well at a 3 grams I'd call it good. Just as Magnavox advertised 1/10 of an ounce which comes out to 2.83 grams. I consider that great for a record changer, expecially with a ceramic cartridge.

Ken D.

Easy stuff first - I'm pretty sure I'm using the right side of the needle, but I'll flip it around and try some records tonight.

Mike

If you have a strong magnifying glass, look at the condition of the tip of the stylus. Maybe part of it is broken off or it's just shot. Just because it's still there doesn't mean it's any good. JMO.

A real inspection requires a microscope - at least a magnifier of 50X to inspect the very tip for wear.
The conical point should come to a perfect "ball-shaped" tip on the end of it, with no flat spots.
Unless you're educated on this, a tip is just a tip - even a worn stylus would look OK to an amateur.

jmsent, maybe the one you checked had hardened rubber, I too did the shure trackability test with a scope and the Zenith tracked all
cleanly except the last band, better than my $1,500 moving coil. Most of the ones I have checked from the factory were adjusted
between 2.5 and 3 grams. The top of the line models with the belt drive changer were always set exactly at 2 grams.

But these cartridges, designed in the 60's, were designed for the record cutting modulations used at that time. 80's records and beyond
(especially dance type) were cut with much stronger bass modulations and these ceramics were not designed for that. Magnetics that
tracked at 1.5 or 2 grams in the 60's wont track them either without upping the weight.

I have also observed very poor quality aftermarket replacement Zenith cartridges and styli (Arista and Zafira come to mind) that the rubber
yoke was so stiff that they would need 5 or 6 grams to track properly.

I installed an Ortofon magnetic in the 2g tonearm of my top of the line Zenith Y960 with belt drive changer and can track anything perfectly at 1.5 grams, very few console changers can do that.

One of the worst tracking fairly modern ceramics I have come accross was a mid 70's Magnavox micromatic, the tonearm would actually jump off the record with hot bass modulations, even at 5 grams.

The poster may have a poor quality stylus (or replacement cartridge), I would suggest trying another and if playing modern records, to
up the weight to four grams or so. Also be sure the yoke and surrounding areas of the cartridge are free of dust build up. I have
seen some of these cartridges so caked with dust buildup that they wouldn't track anything and after cleaning they performed ok.

Ok, curiosity got the better of me. I hauled out my 1968 Zenith Circle of Sound that I received for Christmas in 1968. It has the original
cartridge with a quality Jico replacement stylus. I have never used this to play newer records. It has the Micro touch VM changer that should be the same one the poster has.
I measured the weight, it was set at 2.7 grams. I played a couple of very hot cut 90's 45 rpm 12" dance singles, it played without skipping,
but was on the ragged edge, there was mistracking on the highs and the bass modulations were not clean. I upped the weight to 3.5
grams and now there was no audible mistracking of the highs and bass was clean.

I suggest the poster has a bad stylus, cartridge or set up problem.

The stylus to my old V-M changer will do that too sometimes, and it's usually after it inadvertently lands on the turntable instead of the record. What happens then is that the stylus is slightly disorientated. All I have to do in my case is to lightly tap on the stylus a couple of times with my finger, and it's again good to go.