[FLCL]

The who and that what goes where? I'm new to vinyl and pretty confused. I bought a Technics SL-1950 (any review on it btw?) and am trying to figure out everything I need to know as far as taking care of the TT and vinyl to the setup. How do I know if it came with a cartidge already and all that? Are amp and receiver the same thing?

 What all do I need to set up a rig? Please note again, i'm a complete noob to vinyl. Here is a picture of what I have right now. And then the power cable and analog connectors in the back.
 

 

[Uncle Erik]

First, it doesn't have a cartridge. Second, you'll need a phono stage of some sort between the turntable and your amp. Records are equalized, so you have to have a phono stage to feed a normal signal to your amp.

For more information, try www.vinylengine.co.uk where you can get the manual and setup information for your deck. Also, read through the Vinyl Anachronist's articles (Google him) for plenty of information about vinyl. If you're looking for an inexpensive cartridge, the Grado Black is very good. You can also find reasonably priced phono stages and parts at Garage-a-Records. Good luck - there's a learning curve here, but vinyl is fun and very rewarding. I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of us!

 

[FLCL]

So..is the cartridge the part that holds the needle? I wish there was a diagram the pointed to all the parts lol. 

 

[Bones13]

I don't even see the head
shell, unless its in that taped up area.
 
There needs to be a metal/plastic part that attaches to the end of the tonearm.  The head shell has holes/slots to bolt the cartridge to the underside.  The cartridge has the needle on the bottom.  There are 4 wires that run from the cartridge up the arm, and to the analog connectors.  Usually you need to connect the wires (which should be on the head shell) to the cartridge, in the process of attaching it to the head shell.  I think the head shell has connectors that hook up to the arm as you attach it.
 
What are the parts in that taped up area? It all might be right there, and ready to put on the arm.
 
Getting the manual is ALWAYS a great idea.

 

[FLCL]

The taped up area had the cartridge with the needle if im correct. It has an entire small unit that slid into place on the tonearm and then a piece that locked it into place. Does this all look in order? Can't see the needle very well in this small version. The thing hanging is a very fine and small piece of lint or something i think, i barely caught a glimpse with the naked eye lol. 
From here I need to go phono stage > amp>speakers(im assuming lol)?

 

[Meliboeus]

That seems to be an Audio Technica cartridge, probably a Moving Magnet model, before being ready to go you should do the following:
 
- Try to find out what exact model your cart is, as you should know the optimal tracking force required...if you can't..around 1.8-2.0 grams should be fine.
- Check if the cartridge is properly aligned for example by printing a protractor like this one http://www.enjoythemusic.com/protractor4.pdf
- You should also check for needle azimuth if your arm allows you to adjust it.
- Rotate the counterweight till the arm is perfectly horizontal, then turn the dial using the scale printed on it as a reference to set the correct tracking force.
-  Set your antiskating to a force equal to the tracking force, as a general guideline, but you should check by ear for channel imbalance and distortion to find the correct setup.
- Obviously, adjust platter speed correctly.
 
Those are just some basic steps that should get you started.

 

[Uncle Erik]

^ Yes, exactly. A couple more things, though. First, you'll need a little scale to weigh the arm. Shure makes a nice little one that sells around $20. You'll need that to set the tracking force. Also, go get a level for a few dollars at the hardware store. You should be able to screw the table's feet in and out so you can get the deck perfectly level, which is important so the arm tracks correctly. Setting up a table is a bit of work, but keep at it. It'll pay off when you discover how good vinyl is!