Tone arm / Cart set up help needed please

[zoidburg]

Hi all,

I've recently changed cartridge to a 2m black and seem to be struggling with getting it set up correctly with my Wand tonearm. After much faffing (all whist being super paranoid about damaging the cart!!) I have managed to get it playing reasonably well, however this is only without the hanging anti-skate weight. With the anti-skate weight added it seems like the arm is being pulled into the record and it appears to get stuck in the groove and wont move toward the centre of the record).

So I was wondering if anyone local to me (Liverpool outskirts) with some experience of arm & cartridge set up might be prepared to visit and give it a once over for me? I really feel like ive reached the end of my limited ability on this. It would be massively appreciated on my part as really want to be sure its set up (properly) and working at its best.

So is there anyone local who could help me out please? (Obviously as much biscuit's / coffee / tea as you can drink will be on offer as well as a beer or two).

thanks in advance.

cheers

Ben

 

[rockmeister]

just a quickie Ben, but, if you set the track weight to zero, so that the cart and arm float freely, and remove the anti bias totally, does the arm, with a very gentle push, move freely to the spindle and back...no sticky patches?

 

[zoidburg]

Hi John,

yep the arm seems to be stick free, I am going to check the anti-skate again just to make sure its not snagged at all.

 

[MrSammy]

Are you sure the deck is perfectly level? I'm sure it is but worth asking.

The Wand is a uni-pivot right? These are a pain to setup at the best of times. What are your options for adjusting the anti skate? I cannot see from the vendor's website how this part works.

How did you set the tracking force? Do you have a digital scale?

 

[rockmeister]

wandering around the internet. I read very mixed commennts abot the arm's anti bias set up, and a fair few seem to be NOT using it at all. I can only say that anti bias is def one of those 'magic art' things. Some arms die without it exactly spot on, others don't care if it's there or not it seems....so, lose no sleep. If it tracks without it and a test record shows minimal distortion, throw the bugger away and enjoy the music!

 

[zoidburg]

Hi Nick,

Yep the TT is level as I checked with a spirit level recently.

The wand is unipivot and anti-skate is via a weighted thread that hangs from the top of the arm and threads over the arm cradle / support.

Tracking force was set via a cheap digital cartridge scale bought from eBay recently, which I'm assuming should be fairly accurate...

I'm going to have another play wit it tonight to see if I can progress things any further.

 

[zoidburg]

Thanks for your comments too John,

Will be fiddling more with it later so will update the thread on my findings, fingers crossed.

Can you recommend a test disk I can buy pls?

 

[JD68]

Oldius off here is from Liverpool and he offered to help with my turntable so he might worth dropping a pm? (Can maybe see a Manchester / Liverpool bake off developing here)

 

[zoidburg]

Just pm'd Geoff and Yoda been in contact too so fingers crossed, thanks guys.

 

[rockmeister]

My fave test record is the HiFi News one. Just google 'HiFi News Test Record'. It has excellent phase, tracking and distortion tracks and clear insructions (including anti bias setting tracks!). Good luck.

 

[zoidburg]

I'd just like to say a huge thanks to Geoff (Oldius) for spending a couple of hours this evening checking and sorting out my arm & cartridge. It's now playing wonderfully and sounds superb. I had some problems with misstracking and it was deffinately sounding thin and harsh before and now, well it's sublime.

I'm sure he didn't expect it to take quite as long as it did but fair play he checked adjusted and rechecked until it was all sorted and I'm really pleased.

Thanks again Geoff.

Cheers.

Ben

 

[oldius]

It was a pleasure Ben. It did take a lot longer than anticipated; I'm unfamiliar with the arm and there were a few issues to sort.

If it sounds better then it is better and that constant skipping seemed to be rectified too.

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