quick turntable question

[jason171717]

Merry Christmas to all!

Hi everyone, hope you all did well this christmas! I recently got into vinyl and turntables but i have a question; i dont have a tracking force gauge nor do i know what the cartridge is on this table (the person that sold it said it was already setup) but when i walk by the table i can hear all of the high frequencies in the music being played by the cartridge. Is this normal?

Thanks for the help everyone!

Jason

[Æ]

Re: quick turntable question

Merry Christmas to all!

Hi everyone, hope you all did well this christmas! I recently got into vinyl and turntables but i have a question; i dont have a tracking force gauge nor do i know what the cartridge is on this table (the person that sold it said it was already setup) but when i walk by the table i can hear all of the high frequencies in the music being played by the cartridge. Is this normal?

Thanks for the help everyone!

Jason

Typically most tonearms have an adjustable counterweight that you need to adjust carefully. They typically have markings that allow you to set the tracking weight rather accurately. But of course you have to know the recommended tracking weight for the particular pickup/cartridge. You also have to "zero" the tonearm cartridge combination before setting the desired tracking weight.

I don't understand your high frequency question. Set the tracking weight correctly and you should be good to go.

[raiderone]

Re: quick turntable question

Yup, that's normal. I would not have been aware of that (microphonics) myself since I've been using a turntable for over 40 years, but my daughter once pointed this out to me. In the old days, they attached a horn (like a megaphone) to the stylus that would amplify the sound and that is what they listened to. Some/most older tts have dust covers that mute the sound.

[jason171717]

Re: quick turntable question

Typically most tonearms have an adjustable counterweight that is adjustable. They have markings that allow you to set the tracking weight rather accurately. But of course you have to know the recommended tracking weight for the particular pickup/cartridge. You also have to "zero" the tonearm cartridge combination before setting the desired tracking weight.

I don't understand your high frequency question. Set the tracking weight correctly and you should be good to go.

The main problem is that i have no specs on the cartridge and there are no markings/symbols on the cartridge for me to look it up it is completely ambiguous to the untrained eye :P

[jason171717]

Re: quick turntable question

Yup, that's normal. I would not have been aware of that (microphonics) myself since I've been using a turntable for over 40 years, but my daughter once pointed this out to me. In the old days, they attached a horn (like a megaphone) to the stylus that would amplify the sound and that is what they listened to. Some/most older tts have dust covers that mute the sound.

Oh good! I was worried thanks! I will be getting a tracking force gauge soon to check how heavy the stylus is tracking currently but until then i just dont want to prematurely wear out any records.

Jason H

[Æ]

Re: quick turntable question

Do you have the make and model number of the phono cartridge, who makes it? Is it moving magnet or moving coil? Maybe post a picture. Do you know how to balance and zero a tonearm?

[Chris Roemer]

Re: quick turntable question

Anyway, a general "guess" (for a magnetic cartridge) could be 1 gram? If it can't track, try 1.5 or 2.0?

[LongHorn64]

Re: quick turntable question

Merry Christmas to all!

Hi everyone, hope you all did well this christmas! I recently got into vinyl and turntables but i have a question; i dont have a tracking force gauge nor do i know what the cartridge is on this table (the person that sold it said it was already setup) but when i walk by the table i can hear all of the high frequencies in the music being played by the cartridge. Is this normal?

Thanks for the help everyone!

Jason

Hey Jason. The simple budget-audiophile way to do this is simply "float" the cartridge with zero weight. In other words, adjust the counterweight until the tone arm and stylus are perfectly horizontal at rest, "floating." Nothing moving. The turntable should not be on or running. At this point a FEATHER will move the arm up and down. Usually about in inch above the vinyl. Place a Penny on top of the cartridge. The arm will drop, obviously. Adjust the little counter weight until it floats again. Remove said penny, voila, almost exactly one gram tracking force. Fun huh, and simple.

If you really want to to get into vinyl and tables I cannot recommend Audio Advisor enough. I know P.E. won't get too torqued because they don't sell this stuff. The Rega entry level is steal at around 400 bucks. My own is a Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon. It's like five now. The upgrade to that is the -3 at like 750. These all can and do use MM cartridges. The Sumiko Bluepoint is a stunning piece of work all by itself. All the best, Happy New Year, Mike

[djg]

Re: quick turntable question

The old AR device.

[jason171717]

Re: quick turntable question

Do you have the make and model number of the phono cartridge, who makes it? Is it moving magnet or moving coil? Maybe post a picture. Do you know how to balance and zero a tonearm?

So here are the pictures of the cartridge, there are no identifying marks and the tonearms counterbalance's weight increment dial is just spinning freely so i dont know why that is! The cartridge is moving magnet found that one out through trial and error with my preamp. I dont know how to balance and zero a tone arm but i suspect that is why the weight dial moves independently of the weight.

Edit for some reason the image isnt uploading one second, on this computer i dont have any software to downscale my images so is there any chance i can just email them to you if so pm me your email.

Thanks,
Jason H

[jason171717]

Re: quick turntable question

Anyway, a general "guess" (for a magnetic cartridge) could be 1 gram? If it can't track, try 1.5 or 2.0?

okay i will try that thanks!

[jason171717]

Re: quick turntable question

Hey Jason. The simple budget-audiophile way to do this is simply "float" the cartridge with zero weight. In other words, adjust the counterweight until the tone arm and stylus are perfectly horizontal at rest, "floating." Nothing moving. The turntable should not be on or running. At this point a FEATHER will move the arm up and down. Usually about in inch above the vinyl. Place a Penny on top of the cartridge. The arm will drop, obviously. Adjust the little counter weight until it floats again. Remove said penny, voila, almost exactly one gram tracking force. Fun huh, and simple.

If you really want to to get into vinyl and tables I cannot recommend Audio Advisor enough. I know P.E. won't get too torqued because they don't sell this stuff. The Rega entry level is steal at around 400 bucks. My own is a Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon. It's like five now. The upgrade to that is the -3 at like 750. These all can and do use MM cartridges. The Sumiko Bluepoint is a stunning piece of work all by itself. All the best, Happy New Year, Mike

Thanks Mike, the only problem is now i have to tear the house apart to find a penny that the government has phased out! I will get back to you once i find one, Happy new year to you too!

Jason H

[mike15]

Re: quick turntable question

Most MM carts are about 1.5 grams. As long as the tonearm has good bearings you can "float" the arm. Also known as balancing. The arm should teater back and forth if lightly tapped and eventually settle at level. Once you find the balance point rotate the gauge on the weight itself to zero "0" then twist the weight carful not to move the scale until it reads 1.5 or whatever forces you need.

I can second the recommendation for Blue Point. I used a HOMC Blue Point Special EVO III. It's a very nice budget cart! You may want to look into vintage tables if the vinyl bug bites you.I'm a big fan of vintage turntables. My daily driver is a Sony PS-X800 liner tracker. The amount of technology in a table from 1978 is insane!!!! Manufacturers today would charge 50K for this level of technology.

Anything made from 1976 to about 82 was made during the height of vinyl. Most offerings in this period will offer great performance to price ratio. Of course this is almost 40 year old stuff so finding mint examples is getting hard. I typically replace all the electrolytics, clean EVERYTHING, and re-lube anything with grease or oil.

Happy Spinning. ;)

[jason171717]

Re: quick turntable question

Hey Jason. The simple budget-audiophile way to do this is simply "float" the cartridge with zero weight. In other words, adjust the counterweight until the tone arm and stylus are perfectly horizontal at rest, "floating." Nothing moving. The turntable should not be on or running. At this point a FEATHER will move the arm up and down. Usually about in inch above the vinyl. Place a Penny on top of the cartridge. The arm will drop, obviously. Adjust the little counter weight until it floats again. Remove said penny, voila, almost exactly one gram tracking force. Fun huh, and simple.

If you really want to to get into vinyl and tables I cannot recommend Audio Advisor enough. I know P.E. won't get too torqued because they don't sell this stuff. The Rega entry level is steal at around 400 bucks. My own is a Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon. It's like five now. The upgrade to that is the -3 at like 750. These all can and do use MM cartridges. The Sumiko Bluepoint is a stunning piece of work all by itself. All the best, Happy New Year, Mike

Uh oh, it didnt work the tonearm wont even come back down to the record now did i do something wrong, i floated the tonearm added the penny ontop of the cartridge (maybe i should have put it onto the counter weight?) then floated the cartridge with the penny on it and nothing happened the cartridge wouldnt come back down as the counter weight was weighted for an extra gram not a tracking gram maybe?

[jason171717]

Re: quick turntable question

Most MM carts are about 1.5 grams. As long as the tonearm has good bearings you can "float" the arm. Also known as balancing. The arm should teater back and forth if lightly tapped and eventually settle at level. Once you find the balance point rotate the gauge on the weight itself to zero "0" then twist the weight carful not to move the scale until it reads 1.5 or whatever forces you need.

I can second the recommendation for Blue Point. I used a HOMC Blue Point Special EVO III. It's a very nice budget cart! You may want to look into vintage tables if the vinyl bug bites you.I'm a big fan of vintage turntables. My daily driver is a Sony PS-X800 liner tracker. The amount of technology in a table from 1978 is insane!!!! Manufacturers today would charge 50K for this level of technology.

Anything made from 1976 to about 82 was made during the height of vinyl. Most offerings in this period will offer great performance to price ratio. Of course this is almost 40 year old stuff so finding mint examples is getting hard. I typically replace all the electrolytics, clean EVERYTHING, and re-lube anything with grease or oil.

Happy Spinning. ;)

Thanks so much, I am currently fiddling trying to get this to work we shall see how it plays! I am currently using a sony ps22 and this unknown cartridge LOL, i am going to have to wait until i get to my other computer to shrink the image and get it up here to see if it can be identified.

Jason H