10.31 How else do you adjust a tonearm/cartridge/stylus?
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This article is from the rec.audio.* FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Bob Neidorff others.
10.31 How else do you adjust a tonearm/cartridge/stylus?
There are a few other critical adjustments. Again, a good
high-end dealer may be your best resource. Your ear may
also be your best test instrument.
You need a level turntable. Use a quality carpenter's
level. Some people like the Shure stylus force gage for
setting stylus pressure accurately. Other tools which are
well recommended are the Geo-disk, a good protractor, and
above all, the Cart-Align, which uses a very precise
etched plastic mirror for cantilever alignment.
You'll also want to set the tracking angle. It CAN be
done by eyeball, but is best done with test instrumentation
and a record. There is also the cartridge angle, tonearm
height, etc. Read the instructions which came with your
tonearm for the best specific advice for that tonearm.
Tonearm cable is more critical than any cable anywhere else
in the signal chain. Cable capacitance directly sets the high
frequency characteristics of the cartridge. In addition, the
correct grounding of the shield is essential to minimize hum.
It may be necessary to change preamp input capacitors so that
the cable/preamp combination loads the cartridge with the
right overall capacitance. Replacing tonearm cable will have
a similar effect, but may be harder to change tonearm cable
than to change preamp input capacitors. Consult the
cartridge, tonearm, and preamp manuals for specific advice.
Also refer to 16.6 for more information on tonearm cable.
An excellent article on setting up a turntable is:
Stereophile, July 1990, Pages 62-85.
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