jd@umich.UUCP (Joseph B. Douds) (05/20/85)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR NEW CARTRIDGE *** I just bought a new cartridge, and I'm not sure how to balance the tone-arm of my turntable now. The salesman acted like he knew how, but he obviously didn't. I don't have my owner's manual either, so I'm stuck. Is there a generic method for balancing, or is this procedure really specific? The model is a Technics SL-B2. (I know I should really be worried about proper balance with a clunker like that) It has an S-arm, with two weights (one big, one small) opposite the cartridge. As far as I can remember, the big weight is adjusted until the arm just balances, then the anti-skate value is set to the reading of the smaller weight, which turns with the big one. Then the smaller weight is turned (independent of the big one) until its reading is zero. I tried this, but when cued, the tone-arm drifts off to the right. This is corrected when adding weight, but how far do I go? Please respond via E-mail, unless you think this would be beneficial to others. Thanks much. jd Joseph B. Douds University of Michigan Electrical & Computer Engineering ihnp4!umich!jd or, jd@umich
ben@moncol.UUCP (Bennett Broder) (05/21/85)
>I just bought a new cartridge, and I'm not sure how to balance the >tone-arm of my turntable now. The salesman acted like he knew how, >but he obviously didn't. I don't have my owner's manual either, so >I'm stuck. Is there a generic method for balancing, or is this >procedure really specific? > >As far as I can remember, the big weight is adjusted until the arm >just balances, then the anti-skate value is set to the reading of >the smaller weight, which turns with the big one. Then the smaller >weight is turned (independent of the big one) until its reading is zero. > >I tried this, but when cued, the tone-arm drifts off to the right. >This is corrected when adding weight, but how far do I go? The correct method of setting up a cartridge is both generic and straightforward. The first adjustment to set is cartridge overhang. This can be set with either a special protractor or with an alignment gauge supplied by the tonearm manufacturer. Basically it places the stylus in correct relation to the tonearm, so that tracking error is minimized. (I am amazed at the number of people who neglect this VERY important operation, degrading the performance of their new cartridge). If you can't get a hold of a protractor or the correct alignment gauge, Mobile Fidelity sells the "Geo-disk", which does the same thing. (One is also supplied with Telarc's Omnidisc). The next step is balancing the arm. Set the calibrated dial to zero. Also set the control on any antiskating system so no force is applied. Then move the main counterweight forward or backward until the arm is level and parallel to the platter. (The stylus gaurd should be removed during the entire operation, so be careful) After the arm is balanced, use the calibrated control to add the amount of tracking force recommended by the manufacturer. If the manufacturer specifies a range, select a value in the middle or slightly to the heavy side. Contrary to popular misconception, it is far worse for your records to track too light than to track a bit to heavy. If you have access to an accurate stylus force gauge, you might want to double check that the correct force is being applied. Next, set the antiskating. You can use the calibrated dial as an approximation (if your arm has one and your application is non-critical), just set the dial to match the amount of tracking force you previously applied; but for best results, use a test record. Telarc's Omnidisc has a band that is excellent for this. It has a pair of tones that grow progressively louder, at some point your cartridge will be unable to track them without distortion. If the distortion appears in the right channel first, increase antiskating; if it appears in the left channel first, decrease antiskating. If the tonearms drifts to the right when cued, do not be concerned. It is a fairly common problem, and one that has absoulutely no sonic impact on record playback. Finally, if you have a tonearm with a vertical tracking angle adjustment, set it. Start with the cartridge body parallel to the record. Then raise the arm to narrow the soundstage and make the sound brighter, lower it to spread the soundstage and make the sound duller. It will take a little experimentation to get it right. (Simple two mike recordings of piano music and very clean violin music are best for setting VTA) It may seem like a lot of effort, but remember that the hours you spend correctly setting up your new cartridge will be repaid with many hours of good listening. Ben Broder ..ihnp4!princeton!moncol!ben ..vax135!petsd!moncol!ben
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (05/21/85)
> The model is a Technics SL-B2. (I know I should really be worried > about proper balance with a clunker like that) It has an S-arm, > with two weights (one big, one small) opposite the cartridge. > > As far as I can remember, the big weight is adjusted until the arm > just balances, then the anti-skate value is set to the reading of > the smaller weight, which turns with the big one. Then the smaller > weight is turned (independent of the big one) until its reading is zero. > I used to have an SL-D1 which probably has the same tone arm. The little weight is not a weight at all, but a scale. Turn the rear weight until the tone arm balances. If your cartridge weighs less than 5 grams you may have to add weight to the headshell (KLUDGE but that's what it says in the manual). Then turn the small scale so that the 0 is up. Turn the weight (this will also turn the scale) until the desired tracking weight is up. People usually prefer .75 to 1.5 grams. Then, set the anti-skating control (small wheel not on the tone arm itself) to the same as the tracking weight. Esentially this is how you do any turntable. Some people will claim that the anti-skate <-> dial is not appropriate and you should actually do something to test the anti-skate setting. I don't bother. Some turntables have other methods of setting the weight after you get the tone arm balanced. The EMT broadcast turn table has a small lever that you move and the anti-skate is a little weight that pulls on the back of the tone arm through a little guide. My old Garrard sets the tracking weight by sliding a weight along the headshell end of the tone arm. The antiskate was a magnet that you adjusted a cover over. It also had a play counter. > I tried this, but when cued, the tone-arm drifts off to the right. > This is corrected when adding weight, but how far do I go? A properly adjusted tone arm will drift back to the start of the record when not in contact with the record. Anti-skating pulls outward. I use this to back up slightly while cueing by just actuating the cue button several times.