Setting Downforce....

[admin_exported]

I'm new to vinyl and recently bought a Project Debut 3 which sounds great so far, but I'm a bit concerned that I have not set the counterweight correctly.

I put the counterweight on until it stopped the arm shooting up into the air, set the dial to 0 and then screwed the weight to 17.5 which is the weight suited to the cartridge...
Please could somebody tell me if this sounds correct? I'm not entirely sure what it means by he arm been "balanced", although I believe the desk I have the table on is slightly unlevel.

Thanks,
Lewis

 

[Andrew Everard]

If the support on which the turntable is sitting isn't level, adjust its levelling with some shims under the turntable feet – pieces of card, or even coins, would do – and check this with a spirit level, both side to side and front to back. You can get a cheap spirit level from a DIY store for not much more than a couple of pounds.

The arm should be then balanced – ie set until it's parallel to the record when it's off its rest – by adjusting the counterweight, and the downforce adjustment ring in front of the main wait then zero'd. Make sure the protective cap on the cartridge is removed when balancing it up, or it'll run too light.

Then dial in the appropriate downforce for the cartridge by rotating the counterweight, which assuming you're using the standard Ortofon is 17.5mN, or about 1.75g.

Finally, pass the thread on which the anti-skating weight hangs through the little 'shepherd's crook' thing from which it hangs, and slide the loop over the little stub above the counterweight mounting, fitting it into the middle of the three grooves on that stub.

All done.

 

[Anonymous]

I think the desk is possibly uneven, will have to get the spirit level out. Moving the counterweight forward does not appear to have any affect on the tonearm once I have stopped it shooting up

 

[Andrew Everard]

Once the arm is balanced up correctly, it should dip only very slightly when the tracking force is applied.

 

[Anonymous]

I just adjusted it again and had it "floating" parallel to the platter, then put the weight on. Seems to be it...

 

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure I have it somewhere in the ballpark now

Thanks!