[earwicker7]

Just curious as to what methods people use to keep the platter still during setup. I've heard both to tape it down and to use rubber wedges. Which works best? If you use tape, what type, and is it messy (hard to clean off)?

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just curious as to what methods people use to keep the platter still during setup. I've heard both to tape it down and to use rubber wedges. Which works best? If you use tape, what type, and is it messy (hard to clean off)?

Rubber wegdes. Shure and Stanton actually supply these with their more expensive carts. You can make one by taking a sharp knife to a standard pencil eraser.

 

[nelamvr6]

I actually e-mailed Mikey Fremer to ask him if he knew of a source for rubber wedges since he recommended their use in his DVD.

He didn't. I'm still trying to find a source.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nelamvr6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually e-mailed Mikey Fremer to ask him if he knew of a source for rubber wedges since he recommended their use in his DVD. He didn't. I'm still trying to find a source.

You can use piano tuning wedge (Muting wedge). You can find them on evilBay. I bought a set for my piano, and they'd become more useful than I thought.

Actually, just a piece of rubber and a sharp knife will give the wedge of your choice.

 

[trains are bad]

Why are you trying to hold the platter still? Cartridge alignment with a protractor thing?

I was under the impression that I was supposed to rotate the platter a bit, between the two spots, on the guage I have.

Actually I have a technics so I just set my overhang and play records.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why are you trying to hold the platter still? Cartridge alignment with a protractor thing? I was under the impression that I was supposed to rotate the platter a bit, between the two spots, on the guage I have. Actually I have a technics so I just set my overhang and play records.

The platters on some direct drives and idler drives don't move when you touch them so easily. With belt drives there is generally no brake and if the platter is heavy a small movement can set it spinning easily so when you are trying to balance your stylus for instance it's useful to be able to wedge it temporarily.

 

[earwicker7]

Thanks for the replies, all. One more question--at what point during the process should the wedges be removed? Do you keep them in the entire time, ie, during vta setup, azimuth, anti-skating, etc, or is there a reason to remove them before the setup is finished?

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the replies, all. One more question--at what point during the process should the wedges be removed? Do you keep them in the entire time, ie, during vta setup, azimuth, anti-skating, etc, or is there a reason to remove them before the setup is finished?

Only while your aligning the cart on a protractor so it doesn't spin away and while you're setting the downforce with a gauge so you don't inadvertently knock it and damage the cantilever.
Antiskate is better set with the record spinning by cueing the arm up and down on a record and fine tuning whilst seeing which way the arm pulls as it drops. Ie pulling towards the centre means apply more antiskate and vice versa.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by memepool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Only while your aligning the cart on a protractor so it doesn't spin away and while you're setting the downforce with a gauge so you don't inadvertently knock it and damage the cantilever. Antiskate is better set with the record spinning by cueing the arm up and down on a record and fine tuning whilst seeing which way the arm pulls as it drops. Ie pulling towards the centre means apply more antiskate and vice versa.

The Scout doesn't have anti-skating, so I can skip that step. What about setting the azimuth? Since I don't need to set anti-skate, should I just keep the wedge in until the end?

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Scout doesn't have anti-skating, so I can skip that step. What about setting the azimuth? Since I don't need to set anti-skate, should I just keep the wedge in until the end?

The Scout has a unipivot tonearm so I doubt it has aziumth adjustment either

Unipivots are a totally different design to conventional tonearms so these guidlines don't really apply. You can remove the arm wand to fit the cart. Wegde the platter to set the downforce.

Doesn't it come with some kind of jig to align the cart once you've got it on there like the Graham arms?

If you are having problems setting it up I'd post again with the word "Scout" in the subject line as there are plenty of owners around these parts but sadly I've never had the pleasure of setting one up so I couldn't really tell you...

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by memepool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Doesn't it come with some kind of jig to align the cart once you've got it on there like the Graham arms? If you are having problems setting it up I'd post again with the word "Scout" in the subject line as there are plenty of owners around these parts but sadly I've never had the pleasure of setting one up so I couldn't really tell you...

It does come with that but I actually ordered a bunch of stuff from that Wally dude so that I can have a super anal tweaker level of adjustment. I haven't set it up yet as I'm still waiting for this stuff, so I can't say I've had problems; I'm just trying to understand everything before I set it up.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It does come with that but I actually ordered a bunch of stuff from that Wally dude so that I can have a super anal tweaker level of adjustment. I haven't set it up yet as I'm still waiting for this stuff, so I can't say I've had problems; I'm just trying to understand everything before I set it up.

Ah ok you can read about the principles behind unipivots here

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/armdesign_e.html

and here

http://www.sixmoons.com/audioreviews...k/hadcock.html

It's one of those things that sounds like it certainly shouldn't work but somehow does.

Amongst my collection of some 10 or more tonearms I'm ashamed to say I don't own a single unipivot but of course I'm tempted

Having just spent most of Sunday uninstalling and installing expensive and rare moving coil carts on a fixed headshell tonearm while trying to ignore a hangover, I can certainly see merit in the unipivot way of life...

 

[NightWoundsTime]

I just use blue painter's masking tape. It's designed to hold but not leave a mess afterwards. They had it at Walgreens so it's not hard to find.

What alignment protractor are you using?

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightWoundsTime /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just use blue painter's masking tape. It's designed to hold but not leave a mess afterwards. They had it at Walgreens so it's not hard to find. What alignment protractor are you using?

I'm using (as soon as it arrives) the WallyTractor. After watching 21st Century Vinyl, I bought (with the exception of the azimuth part, which was back-ordered by a month) the entire line of Wally gear. Damn you and your casual sales pitches, Michael Fremer

! But on a serious note, it's some cool stuff... based on your tone-arm, Wally uses a laser to cut the arc that your cartridge should make. Again, since I haven't yet received it (cough cough if you're reading, Wally

) I can't really give a review, but theoretically it should give you about as close an alignment as you can get.

 

[nelamvr6]

There in fact is an adjustment for azimuth on VPI unipivot arms, it is accomplished by rotating the counterweight slightly on the arm wand. It's all spelled out in the manual and on Mikey Fremer's DVD.