Some turntable setup questions...

[earwicker7]

I set up my last two cartridges and did (IMO) a decent, but not perfect, job of it. I'm trying to nail it correctly this time, so I was hoping I could get a few tips regarding some specific areas.

1. In prior setups, I used erasers to immobilize the platter. They usually held in place for 90% of the time, and then they would pop out, leading to me having to start over on whatever step I was on. This time, I'm going to tape the platter down. Do you just use that blue painter's tape? I'd think you'd want something that isn't going to rip the paint off of the turntable.

2. When I use a test record to check anti-skating, I get confused as to what distortion in a certain channel means. If the left channel distorts, do you increase or decrease anti-skating (and vice versa)?

3. Should perfect tracking be the end-all, be-all of the test record? When I set up my last cartridge, the tracking tests didn't seem to work too well. My tracking force was set at 2g (manufacturers recommended is 1.8-2.2); after experimenting, I was only able to get near perfect tracking by raising it to over 3g. This led me to wonder if (given that I had to go so far out of the recommended range) I was sacrificing other things (bass, treble, dynamics, etc) by focusing on tracking.

Thanks!

 

[JadeEast]

I think misstracking is probably worse in terms of damage to the vinyl than a heavier weight. I'd track things on the heavier side but being out of spec seems like there is a mismatch going on, try adding a small bit of weight to the head shell and reducing tracking force. As far as antiskate goes the distortion happens when the the stylus looses traction with one side. The arm is naturally pulled to the inside and anti skate compensates for this. If it's distortion one the left channel it may indicate too much antiskate.

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. In prior setups, I used erasers to immobilize the platter. They usually held in place for 90% of the time, and then they would pop out, leading to me having to start over on whatever step I was on. This time, I'm going to tape the platter down. Do you just use that blue painter's tape? I'd think you'd want something that isn't going to rip the paint off of the turntable.

tape can work. jsut be careful of the finish.
Quote:

2. When I use a test record to check anti-skating, I get confused as to what distortion in a certain channel means. If the left channel distorts, do you increase or decrease anti-skating (and vice versa)?

distortion in one channel as opposed to the other can also be due to alignment. Quote:

3. Should perfect tracking be the end-all, be-all of the test record? When I set up my last cartridge, the tracking tests didn't seem to work too well. My tracking force was set at 2g (manufacturers recommended is 1.8-2.2); after experimenting, I was only able to get near perfect tracking by raising it to over 3g. This led me to wonder if (given that I had to go so far out of the recommended range) I was sacrificing other things (bass, treble, dynamics, etc) by focusing on tracking.

perfect tracking of an actual music record should be the goal

I also tend to track on the heavy side, but the specific cart does matter. I would avoid exceeding the MFR's recommended high value by more than about 10% though. VTF effects more than just the ability to track loud sections, because it loads the suspension of the cart it effects VTA as well.

Does your test record have several levels to test on? very few carts will track +12db. unless you are going to play "10min" LP's (usually well mixed dance singles - uses the WHOLE side for 10min of music, you wonder why DJ's track at more than 3g, or like a 1.5g headshell weight...) playing the +12db track is not the most important thing in the world. really a compromise must be struck between tooooo much VTF and not tracking truly hot records well.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif perfect tracking of an actual music record should be the goal I also tend to track on the heavy side, but the specific cart does matter. I would avoid exceeding the MFR's recommended high value by more than about 10% though. VTF effects more than just the ability to track loud sections, because it loads the suspension of the cart it effects VTA as well. Does your test record have several levels to test on? very few carts will track +12db. unless you are going to play "10min" LP's (usually well mixed dance singles - uses the WHOLE side for 10min of music, you wonder why DJ's track at more than 3g, or like a 1.5g headshell weight...) playing the +12db track is not the most important thing in the world. really a compromise must be struck between tooooo much VTF and not tracking truly hot records well.

I'm not at home right now, so I can't check the record itself, but I do remember that the last one is always referred to as "The Infamous Torture Track." It started to break apart on this one, although not as badly as I expected. It tracked pretty damn close to perfect on the one before it once I increased the tracking force. However, given that I'm going up to Dynavector's top of the line on the new cartridge, I'm hoping it might even track well on the torture track, although I think I recall reading somewhere that it's usually only top of the line MMs that can track it (apparently MCs don't track quite as well as MMs).

 

[JadeEast]

If your test record is the hi-fi news one I believe the torture tracks are cut beyond spec and are not what you would find on a commercial pressing. Setting up to clear the torture track could easily cause you to overcompensate when in reality everything may be fine.

 

[Brooklyn70]

when using two different kinds of phono stages what's the best way to ground your turntable.?