Recommend me a Cartridge

[gpi]

Anything to report on your cart setup d3molition?

 

[gpi]

Maybe we'll never know.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

Sorry for the slow response, been busy the past few days. Yes, I can confirm that the headshell uses an extra attachment that will allow me to use a standard cartridge with the turntable. It's a little attachment that the cartridge attaches to using the two screws as someone mentioned.

I have received the OM5e so I will get round to fitting it later on today. Do I keep the weight in or take it out when fitting it? As I'm not sure whether the weight is needed with my turntable (Dual CS 505-1).

Also, is there anything else I need to know before I fit my first ever cartridge? Or is it a simple process?

Thanks for your help.

 

[gregory]

There are many good guides on setting up a cartridge on the web, the Vinyl Engine is a great source or just type in cartridge set up on google and away you go, some recommend what tools to use but they are all much the same, just take your time and follow the instructions and you should be ok, if you have any problems come back but it's pretty straightforward.

 

[gpi]

You shouldn't have to use the supplied weight with that arm. Keep it though in case more downforce is required later on.

Basically, once the cart is attached parallel to the headshell (as square as possible at first) you have to set the counterweight to the correct vertical tracking force (VTF) for that cart, which is 1.75 g.

First, make sure the antiskate dial is set to zero and put the stylus guard on the cart. With the cueing bar in the down position, move the arm across to the space between the arm rest and the edge of the platter. The arm will now either move straight up or straight down so you have to adjust the arm's counterweight at the rear of the arm so that the arm balances out in that space and doesn't go up or down.

Once you are happy the arm is floating by minute turns on the counterweight either direction, put the arm back into its arm rest. Now, hold the counterweight still with one hand and with the other, turn the settings dial to zero. The final stage is then turning the counterweight together with the settings dial to the required setting, which in your case is 1.75 g. Each mark on the settings dial should represent 0.25 g. This sounds complicated but isn't really once you've done it once.

Finally, dial in the approprite antiskate on the dial. For that cart I would set it to 1.5g.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

Thanks for the explanation gpi. I have encountered a problem though. Basically the new cartridge is attached to the headshell (I have kept the weight attached). I needed new screws and bolts to attach it to the mount as the others weren't long enough.

But now, when I am trying to attach the mount (plus new cartridge) back onto the headshell, it's really wobbly. The cartridge isn't interfering, neither are the new screws. But when I use the tone arm lift to lock the cartridge and mount in place it's quite wobbly and then when I screw the locking screw for the cartridge that secures the whole thing in place, it pushes one side of the mounted cartridge down so it's uneven. Yet before with the old cartridge it was perfectly in place without wobbling etc. Yet nothing is interfering with it and I'm not missing any parts etc.

Does anyone know what the problem could be?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Anonymous]

Can you buy turntables that are ready to go out of the box? As this is really annoying me now and I'm about to loose patience with it. I just want to play records, not some rocket science. I'm considering just selling it and buying something that is ready to run with a good cartridge so I won't need to do anything with it apart from change the stylus. As this is driving me insane now.

 

[gpi]

Sorry, I don't know what you mean without looking at what you've done with the mounting. You shouldn't need any screws with that arm/headshell. Ignore the two holes in the Ortofon cart, those are for mounting on a 'normal' headshell. Sounds to me like you're trying to mount it twice.

Yes there are plenty of turntables that are shipped with a cart in place. Look at the ones from Pro-Ject and Rega.

 

[gregory]

Like i said earlier, if you go to the vinyl engine they have a Dual forum and library for your needs, it's all there. You will have to register but it's a fun place to visit, dont give up yet, just a thought though, unscrew the locking screw just enough for the whole assembly to come out unscrew cartridge from adaptor and take out weight, now align again to the adaptor and attach to the tonearm headshell via the locking screw, make sure it fits true then retighten, if that dont work take off the cartridge from the adaptor put adaptor back on headshell so its tight and try and attach cartridge to the adaptor whilst it's on the headshell, it's just a bit of patience needed.

 

[gpi]

That's good advice, cheers for stepping in. TBH I can't accurately recall what this headshell mount looks like so my advice is possibly inaccurate.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

Thanks for the responses.

I'm already signed up on the Vinyl Engine forum and have been for a few months now. It's a great website as you say Gregory.

I have just put the old cartridge back on the turntable for now but the cartridge mount is now loose with that cartridge so I'm assuming it's something to do with the cartridge
mount/headshell. The tonearm lift seems quite loose/wobbly so I'm
assuming it might have something to do with that. Is there any way I
can tighten the tonearm lift? And if it's not that, what do you think
the problem could be

Thanks for your help.

 

[gregory]

On the headshell you have a finger lift, you have to engage this in order to lock it into place but only do this when you have the little grub screw properly lined up, so unscrew the grub screw and push the finger lift away from you that should loosen the whole assembly, try not to unscerw all the way as the grub screw is tiny and very hard to find if you drop it, then line up bring it forward and retighten, the finger lift is a locking mechanism and maybe it's not engaging properly. To be honest i cant think of anything else it could be, i do hope you get it sorted, if your near London i could come have a look, i have set up many cartridges and TT's but having a hands on approach is better than giving advice, good luck.