Stylus issues...

[Necroblaster]

Hello everyone,
I'm new here, been using the forums for quick answers on my turntable related issues for about a year now, and you guys are great!!

I've built a custom turntable from a Rega RP1 body, using an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge ( not my favorite ).

I have an issue, and I was wondering if you all could help me;
I've aligned my cartridge/Cantilever without a shim, and on the protractor it looks great, however when I'm playing a record I'm noticing about 3/4 of the way in the cantilever is moving so close to the cartridge body ( like the record is pulling the needle toward the center ) that it's nearly bumping the side wall. Because of this, I'm hearing some slight distortion.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue before, and if it's something I can fix! I have a moderate understanding of alignment, but I'm no professional. I have an RB-100 on there, no VTA, and I prefer a slightly lower than 1.8g tracking weight.

if anyone could make some suggestions, have some thoughts on this, I'd be more than happy. Thanks!!

 

[SY]

Check your antiskate adjustment?

 

[Necroblaster]

Check your antiskate adjustment?

I've just checked it, it's set at .5 ( rega scale 0-2 ) I've noticed when i set this to 0 ( factory suggested ) even clean records skip.

Thanks SY

 

[indianajo]

Is your table level? Mine is not, and turntable orientation affects the anti-skate setting required.

 

[SY]

If the lack of antiskate causes skipping, you have a fundamental problem. Could be leveling, as ij suggests. Could also be pivot problems in your arm.

 

[Necroblaster]

Is your table level? Mine is not, and turntable orientation affects the anti-skate setting required.

It's so close to being perfectly level, I installed a spirit-level in the 2 critical points on the turntable. I like where your heads at though..

If the lack of antiskate causes skipping, you have a fundamental problem. Could be leveling, as ij suggests. Could also be pivot problems in your arm.

Now pivot could be the culprit, could installing my tonearm slightly off (1-3mm) of the factory pre-drilled tonearm 3-point holes have anything to do with it? I'm pretty sure I'm not that far off but man is it hard to align a tone-arm on a new non-factory DIY plinth..

 

[sreten]

Hi, check the arms lateral friction for stiction, rgds, sreten.

 

[AVWERK]

Is the compliance of the cartridge a match for the tonearm in mass?
Don,t assume all levels are accurate. Turn it around end for end (180 degrees) the bubble should be same in both directions if its good.
Pull the mat and place it on the platter if its a non suspended TT
On the tracking force issue, find some piano records and notice if you still have distorted notes on the louder transients. Some notes have very fast rise times that make the needle go crunch if not enough downforce is applied. If you can,t get it to track there, its time for a new cartridge.

Regards
David

 

[SY]

Put on the stylus guard, then set the tracking force to zero so the arm "floats." See if a puff of breath causes the arm to freely pivot to the inside.

 

[AVWERK]

Thats a good one SY.
We used to do a similiar test with the Grace 707 by zeroing out too balance and placing a corner of a dollar bill, just the 1 # placed on top of the headshell.
If it didn,t move, the bearings needed ajustment.
A 1/4 of a gram or something like that' can't remember.

 

[Necroblaster]

Put on the stylus guard, then set the tracking force to zero so the arm "floats." See if a puff of breath causes the arm to freely pivot to the inside.

Thats a good one SY.
We used to do a similiar test with the Grace 707 by zeroing out too balance and placing a corner of a dollar bill, just the 1 # placed on top of the headshell.
If it didn,t move, the bearings needed ajustment.
A 1/4 of a gram or something like that' can't remember.

Thanks! Just saw this, I'm going to try it when I get a minute and I'll update the thread when I do.

Thanks so much everyone!

 

[Necroblaster]

Thanks! Just saw this, I'm going to try it when I get a minute and I'll update the thread when I do.

Thanks so much everyone!

With the arm zero'd out, while floating, a puff of breath made it move substantially.

I'm going back to the cantilever, any good track to see if it's 90 degrees ( i don't think the cart is, in fact it always looks like it's dipping slightly lower on one side ( inside, toward the center )

 

[SY]

Not just substantially, it needs to move easily and smoothly all the way to the label area.

 

[Necroblaster]

Not just substantially, it needs to move easily and smoothly all the way to the label area.

It did, and subsequently bounced back equally as smooth

 

[SY]

OK, that's good, fixing bearings can be a... bear.