PDA

View Full Version : Tonearm Calibration



Will MaXimal
07-06-2012, 04:09 PM
Hey guys!


So its been forever since i have owned a vinyl deck and i was wondering if someone could refresh my memory about a few things.


1. Tone Arm Weight - I have heard to hit the "0" mark... you want to set the weight so the needle is just barley floating over the record then you are able to adjust from there.

2. Anti-Skate - Not really sure about how to set this one?

3. Tone arm height - Again not really sure about this one either...

I am guessing that these things are deck specific but also needle specific? Perhaps also when it comes to a DVS?

Will MaXimal
07-06-2012, 04:16 PM
http://www.turntabletech.com/tonearm.htm


1. Adjustment of Tonearm Horizontal Balance


Push the Cue Lever down
Turn Anti-Skate to "0"
Release the Tonearm Lock
Adjust the rear Balance Weight until the Tonearm floats in the air, and is approximately horizontal to the Turntable Chassis Body.
go to #2 Adjustment of Stylus Pressure


2. Adjustment of Stylus Pressure


Return the Tonearm to the Arm Rest and secure it with the Arm Lock
Hold the back portion of the Balance Weight and turn only the Number Scale untill it reads "0"
Adjust the Stylus Pressure by turning the entire Balance Weight Assembly Counterclockwise to increase the Pressure
Adjust this until the number scale reads the same as the recommended stylus pressure for your cartridge


Here are our recommended pressures settings for several popular cartridges:



Remember that the lower settings will cause less mechanical wear on your vinyl, not to mention your stylus diamond.
If you desire more Stylus Pressure you can take off the Tonearm Weight and flip it around and re-install it "backwards" to give a 2 g increase in pressure in the full counterclockwise position.

Ortofon Concorde 2.5 - 4.0 g
Stanton 500 / 505AL / DJ Craze 3.0 - 5.0 g
Stanton 680 HP & EL 2.5 - 4.5 g
Stanton Trackmaster 3.0 - 4.5 g
Shure M44 - 7 & G 1.5 - 3.5 g
Shure M35 X & S 2.0 - 4.0 g

3. Adjustment of Anti - Skating

While in normal forward rotation, the record spins Clockwise. The Spinning of the record naturally places extreme Centripetal force on the Stylus, causing the Tonearm to want to fly to the Inside of the record. This can also be the cause of record Skipping. An even larger and most often misunderstood phenomonon is an imbalance between the two Stereo channels, because when a record is pressed, Stereo information is placed along either side of the groove. When one side of the Groove is "Read" more haevily this causes a signal imbalance which must be corrected with master or channel balance controls.

Several reasons you need Anti-Skating to be set correctly

1. Potential for uneven Stylus Wear
2. Cheaply Manufactured Records
3. Incorrect Sytlus Pressure -
4. Vinyl Warps
5. To ensure Stereo playback with even channel distribution


The Anti - Skate mechanism allows the user to preset a specific amount of opposite force (measured in grams) which may be placed upon the Tonearm Assembly. to defeat the tendency of the Tonearm to want to "Fly: toward the center of a Record during playback.

Unfortunately, there is no "Magic" setting for this feature, because the spring which is enabled by the Anti-Skate knob is not of a uniform tension due to age and amount of use.

Therfore, every Turntable is different

If you want this to be set correctly, you need to bring us your decks as this is done as part of our "Maintainence Service".Please go to the "REHAB" section and check it out.
We have a special record disk designed to measure and adjust Anti - Skate, plus the experience to do it right.

4. Tonearm Height Adjustment


Release the Height Adjustment Lock Tab
Rest the Stylus on a Test Record and adjust theTonearm height Ring Adjuster until the Tomearm is parallel with the record surface.
Lock the Arm Tab after all adjustments have been made
If you know the height of your cartridge, then refer to the following information:


Cartridge height in Millimeters: Height Control Position:

17 0
18 1
19 2
20 3
21 4
22 5
23 6

notes:


If you desire somewhat better tracking ability then set the height up one (+ 1) from the recommended setting as this gives the stylus more leverage against the record surface
If you are setting up your turntables for scratch play, then set the height adjustment at the highest setting




Does that seem accurate?

negativejeff
07-06-2012, 04:32 PM
That's how I've been doing it for years. When I read your question I started second guessing myself. Wondered if over the years I have been doing it wrong. I lean to the max on the weight for scratching. One trick for the anti skate is use a white label record with nothing pressed on the B side and use the anti skate to keep the needle dead center. Someone may confirm if that's a wrong practice but that's how I was told to set the anti- skate. Thanks for this I'm sure it'll help a lot out.

Finnish_Fox
07-06-2012, 05:05 PM
That's how I've been doing it for years. When I read your question I started second guessing myself. Wondered if over the years I have been doing it wrong. I lean to the max on the weight for scratching. One trick for the anti skate is use a white label record with nothing pressed on the B side and use the anti skate to keep the needle dead center. Someone may confirm if that's a wrong practice but that's how I was told to set the anti- skate. Thanks for this I'm sure it'll help a lot out.

Yep, blank side of one-sided record will test the anti-skate. Typically, it is = to your counterweight.

Will MaXimal
07-06-2012, 05:14 PM
Yep, blank side of one-sided record will test the anti-skate. Typically, it is = to your counterweight.

Good to know!

Finnish_Fox
07-06-2012, 08:09 PM
No prob! Keep in mind anti-skate is controlled by a spring - ergo, each turntable is different and it will change with time and use due to stretching. While the anti-skate = counterweight is a good rule of thumb, the record trick helps fine tune it (particularly on an older deck).

DTR
07-07-2012, 02:12 AM
One trick for the anti skate is use a white label record with nothing pressed on the B side and use the anti skate to keep the needle dead center.

That's how I do it too

Manu
07-07-2012, 02:54 AM
I tend to set it by ear. Towards the second half of the record, the sound quality tends to get harsher if you have too much counterweight pushing the needle sideways. Though it becomes slightly irrelevant if you're using timecodes.

Andrew B
07-07-2012, 04:14 AM
That's how I do it too

Ditto.

I thought this:


If you want this to be set correctly, you need to bring us your decks as this is done as part of our "Maintainence Service". Please go to the "REHAB" section and check it out.
We have a special record disk designed to measure and adjust Anti - Skate, plus the experience to do it right.

...was hilarious. :lol: