Turntable newbie needs some help

[banjobacon]

I just received a Thorens TD-160 yesterday. I've been trying to balance the tonearm. Whenever I move the tonearm over the platter, the tonearm moves away, stopping about an and inch and a half away from the end of the platter. Shouldn't the tonearm stay in place when I let go of it?

I hope to find a level soon so I can make sure the turntable is level. If it is, but the tonearm still moves, what can be the problem?

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjobacon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just received a Thorens TD-160 yesterday. I've been trying to balance the tonearm. Whenever I move the tonearm over the platter, the tonearm moves away, stopping about an and inch and a half away from the end of the platter. Shouldn't the tonearm stay in place when I let go of it? I hope to find a level soon so I can make sure the turntable is level. If it is, but the tonearm still moves, what can be the problem?

It's meant to do that. Just shows how well made Thorens decks are

You need to turn off the antiskating before zero balancing the tonearm.

There should be a calibrated dial which you need to reset to zero.

Once you done this then set the appropriate downforce and then fiddle with the antiskate.

 

[banjobacon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by memepool /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's meant to do that. Just shows how well made Thorens decks are You need to turn off the antiskating before zero balancing the tonearm. There should be a calibrated dial which you need to reset to zero. Once you done this then set the appropriate downforce and then fiddle with the antiskate.

I did that, or at least I think I did. The Thorens manual doesn't do a good job of labeling stuff.

This is what I see: http://www.theanalogdept.com/images/.../Manual/16.jpg

I think the dial above the tonearm is the force adjustment, and the one to the right is the anti-skating. Am I right? The anti-skate doesn't go to zero, though.

 

[banjobacon]

I used a level, and the turntable seems to be pretty level. Still wondering what this can be.

Another question, possibly related. What kind of damage can occur when a turntable is shipped with the counterweight attached to the tonearm? This counterweight was attached.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjobacon /img/forum/go_quote.gif IThis is what I see: http://www.theanalogdept.com/images/.../Manual/16.jpg I think the dial above the tonearm is the force adjustment, and the one to the right is the anti-skating. Am I right? The anti-skate doesn't go to zero, though.

Not familiar with that particular one. PM Lini he'll know.

I'd say set everything to zero and if arm is still well calibrated that will give you a free floating state. If no adjust all the dials on there until you can get it to do that. Do you have a Shure Stylus force gauge? this is the cheapest and best way to set downforce.

In answer to your question about the counterwight being attatched during shipping. It can damage the bearings in the arm. You can determine the status of these by gently holding the headshell as though hand cueing and shaking very gently to see if there is any feeling of looseness or rattling sounds.

 

[banjobacon]

So, with everything set to zero, the tonearm should float freely wherever I let go? I can get it to float freely in one spot, but if I move it elsewhere, it'll float back to that one spot (about an inch from the platter). Of course, this doesn't happen once I turn the tracking force to > 0.

 

[Black Stuart]

banjobacon,
have you had a look at the arm wiring as it exits the arm - is it snagging on anything. Also there could be a problem with the anti-skate and as memepool said, the counterweight should have been removed for shipping, such a simple thing to do but then there are so many idiots in the world.

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjobacon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the dial above the tonearm is the force adjustment, and the one to the right is the anti-skating. Am I right?

Yes, that's correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjobacon /img/forum/go_quote.gif The anti-skate doesn't go to zero, though.

It does - you just need to interpret the scales correctly: The four different markings are for spherical/conical & elliptical needles and wet & dry play. As you can imagine, wet play means less friction and hence requires less anti-skating - so don't be irritated about the upper two skales.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[banjobacon]

I bought a Shure M97xE cartridge, and it comes with its own screws. The Thorens manual says it should only use the screws provided with the turntable. Does it really matter which screws I use?

The only reason I really care is because the Shure cartridge comes with Phillips head screws and screwdriver. The screws on the Thorens require a slot head screwdriver. I don't know where I have a tiny slot headed screwdriver, so I'd rather just use the one that came with the Shure, if I can.

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjobacon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought a Shure M97xE cartridge, and it comes with its own screws. The Thorens manual says it should only use the screws provided with the turntable. Does it really matter which screws I use? The only reason I really care is because the Shure cartridge comes with Phillips head screws and screwdriver. The screws on the Thorens require a slot head screwdriver. I don't know where I have a tiny slot headed screwdriver, so I'd rather just use the one that came with the Shure, if I can.

You will have to use the M2 screws that come with the Thorens TP16 tonearm.

 

[banjobacon]

I was pretty busy when I I got this turntable, so I didn't have time to try and set it up. Then I got lazy and neglected it a few more weeks. Now that I got back to it, I still have questions.

1st: When I got the turntable, there was a white piece of plastic between the headshell and the cartridge, separating one from the other by about 5 mm (I haven't actually measured it). Do I have to keep it in place when I install the Shure cartridge, or is it part of the previous cartridge?

2nd: The screws that came with the turntable are too long. The Shure screws are too thick. Do I have to buy shorter screws?

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjobacon /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1st: When I got the turntable, there was a white piece of plastic between the headshell and the cartridge, separating one from the other by about 5 mm (I haven't actually measured it). Do I have to keep it in place when I install the Shure cartridge, or is it part of the previous cartridge?

http://www.turntablebasics.com/advice.html

The headshell and cartridge combination should have a certain overall depth, this affects the angle that the stylus cantilever makes with the record surface, it is called the vertical tracking angle I think?. On some turntables you can adjust for different sized cartridges by adjusting the height of the arm. If a cartridge is too small it can be made bigger by a spacer, which is what you have. Ideally the tonearm should be parallel to the record surface when it is playing. If the cartridge is too small the tonearm points down if it is too big the tonearm points up. There is some heated debate as to how critical this is http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/vta_e.html but for simplicity it is probably best to getr it right.

 

[bigshot]

The TD-160 has a weight on a string for anti skate, doesn't it?

See ya
Steve

 

[ssportclay]

The TP16 tonearm has a magnetic antiskate dial.(no gravity weight string).The screw length has to be perfect for the headshell for each cartridge mounted.Get extra bolts and grind them to length for each time you mount a new cartridge.I never liked the stock tonearm for this reason and there are better sounding tonearms with better wiring that can replace the stock arm.BTW,Origin Live engineers strings antiskate weights to all of their high end tonearms because magnetic and spring applications sound inferior.

 

[tbonner1]

I never liked the gimmicky magnetic anti-skate of the TP-16. It is major surgery to remove the tonearm on the TD-160 and get the sub chassis to isolate as it should.

The tonearm does not work well with high compliance cartidges such as the ADC XLM that are best with lower mass tonearms.