Sony PS-X600 tone arm/tracking force adjustment

[admin_exported]

I was given this turntable at the weekend by my father. He remembers paying about £180 for it in the very early 1980's. I'd say that it's in near mint condition and didn't get too much use before being boxed up about 10-15 years ago. It certainly seems to be a weighty, well built piece of equipment.

After a bit of Googling I managed to find and download a copy of the instruction manual. Having followed the steps to carefully balance the tone arm and set the anti skating/tracking force recommended for the cartridge fitted (Sony XL 30), I found that the sound was a little distorted. The tracking force recommended was 1.5g but I have had to adjust this to the maximum (3g) to remove any distortion. I've had a look at the stylus using a magnifying glass and it looks very clean and in good condition. The turntable sounds very good playing some my old vinyl now but...

My concern is that I may cause damage to my vinyl and or the stylus at this setting. Should this always be adjusted to the listener's ear?. Also would anyone recommend I change the cartridge?

Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Sorry for the caps - had to get in quick.

The stylus is worn and it WILL be damaging your records. Get a new stylus (Mantra audio / needlesandspins.co.uk are good bets) and all will be fine at the correct tracking force!

It could also be that the balance weight is out. If you set it to zero, does the cartridge "float"? If it pops up v.quickly, then it's just a case of adjusting the weight until the stylus floats 5-10mm over the record, and then set the guage to zero....

But for the sake of ten or fifteen quid, I'd get a new one and be sure it isn't going to kill your lovely Vinyl...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply fatboyslimfast.

With the zero balance button "on", the tone arm appears to be completely horizontal and "floats", so I suspect that I have it balanced correctly.

The stylus that I'm using now is one that I fitted myself. The original one sounded terrible (and very quiet in the right channel too), so I fitted another one that looked clean like it had had very little use.

I will definitely take your advice and cough up the money for a new stylus...

 

[chebby]

I take it you are using an appropriate alignment protractor and have the correct overhang etc?

(The alignment diagram is actuallly on the back of the mat.)

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Very valid point Chebs - I fitted an AT91 to my pioneer, and even with a slight misalignment sounded pants - very rough.

Realigned it, and it's now singing...

 

[Anonymous]

Erm... mmm.

Thanks for that input Chebby, I will have to look into this one...

 

[fatboyslimfast]

It's not as complicated as it looks - basically you are making sure that 1) the cartridge is squarely mounted in the headshell, at two points in the arm's arc - given by the protractor (you can download and print these) and 2) that the cartridge is the right distance away from the arm's pivot (i.e. moved correctly forward or back in the headshell).

Google "cartridge alignment protractor" - you'll get a far better explanation than mine!

 

[chebby]

The 'protractor'/alignment diagram on the PS-X600 is actually on the back of the mat according to the instructions. (Embossed or printed I assume)

Flip the mat over and use that (like in the diagram above)

 

[Anonymous]

I was just about to ask if this is the same thing that is on the reverse of the flip mat as described by Chebby, thanks.

 

[chebby]

Could you post a photo of the diagram here with 'PS-X600' and 'alignment' typed in the post?

Then it will get into google search and google image search and other PS-X600 owners can find it in future.

(I only found this information by logging on at a vinyl related forum and downloading the PS-X600 instructions PDF and reading them. Others may not have membership to that particular forum and will not have access to the instructions and may never find the alignment diagram on the back of the mat.)

 

[chebby]

I have also found a complete Sony PS-X600 review by Gramophone magazine in March 1982.
You can open the full PDF pages (pages 120, 121 and a few lines on p122) in Acrobat after logging in to their site.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Chebby,

That's exactly how I found the information too. I will see what I can do about posting a photo...

The cartridge did need some adjustment and now it sounds very good indeed at the recommended anti skating force of 1.5g.

Thanks to yourself and fatboyslimfast for the help.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Result!

 

[matthewpiano]

If you really want to fine-tune your set-up, the Hi-Fi News Test LP is excellent. Its helped me get the best out of every turntable I've owned and I wouldn't be without it. Comes with a good alignment protractor as well with 3 different methods on it.

 

[gpi]

That's handy, having the alignment guide printed on the reverse of the mat. I see the arm must be a straight one as the cart mounts at an angle to it. Unlike the s-shaped arm on my pS-6750 in which the cart mounts square to the headshell. It makes no odds whichever design as long as the cart has the correct overhang and alignment. A tip - align the cantilever to the protractor, not the cart's body.

Crikey, I've just looked this deck up on the TVK site. You lucky chap, it's a biotracer and very desirable so look after it. 🙂

http://www.thevintageknob.org/SONY/sonyvault/PSX600/PSX600.html#

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks gpi, after doing some online research of this model I do feel a lucky chap indeed. As I mentioned in my original post, the turntable is in near mint condition as my father has always taken great care with his audio equipment and I will be doing the same. Now that I've made the necessary adjustment it sounds great too and it will definitely be getting some use.