MEASURED PERFORMANCE

Frequency response of the Ace rolled down slightly toward high frequencies. Tracing loss on inner grooves will result in a warm balance toward inner grooves. The Ace remains very accurate and smooth in its response though, as before.
Distortion levels were  very low,  due to vertical tracking angle measuring a correct 21 degrees. This resulted in just 1% vertical distortion.
Output was high at 0.8mV so hiss will not be a problem with most phono stages.
Benz suggest 1.8gms tracking force is ideal and a maximum of 2gms. Using this figure, tracking was fair but not up with the best, especially in the midband where the Ace managed 16cms/sec. It may well mistrack on strong vocals.
The Ace SL remains an accurate and well engineered moving coil cartridge measurement shows. Its tracking ability is a little limited though. NK

Tracking force    1.7-2gms
Weight    8.8gms
Vertical tracking angle    21degrees
Frequency response    20Hz - 20kHz
Channel separation    29dB
Tracking ability (300Hz)
lateral    65µm
vertical    45µm
lateral (1kHz)    16cms/sec.
Distortion (45µm)
lateral    1.1%
vertical    1%
Output (5cms/sec rms)    0.83mV

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Red - inner grooves