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Hi-Fi cartridges - setup procedures

I N T R O D U C T I O N

G E N E R A L   C O M M E N T S

As we supply most makes of hi-fi cartridge we get asked questions from time to time about various issues regarding set up and care. To help newcomers to 
this area we have published the following notes. These guidelines are of a general nature - we publish them only to be of help and although widely accepted 
they are not formally authoritative - we cannot accept liability if you choose to use them and neither do we encourage the time consuming occupation of 
answering queries surrounding the procedures outlined - these are best referred to the manufacturer of your specific hi-fi cartridge.

For those new or inexperienced to fitting hi-fi cartridges we would state that this is NOT difficult and much of the detail and perfectionism outlined below 
is for those who like to experiment. We ourselves do not normally check azimuth, or vary tracking forces from the manufacturers recommendations - neither 
would we worry if the arm was up to 3mm away from the recommended distance from the spindle - although all these details are audible they are generally 
of a fairly low order, although tracking force and VTA are worth trying should you feel anything is lacking. If things seem complicated we would encourage 
you not to be put off as it all becomes clear once you get started.

Before fine-tuning the set up as described below you should allow the cartridge to “run in” properly - at least 40 hours for some cartridges.

I M P O R T A N C E   O F   C A R T R I D G E   S E T   U P

Hi-Fi cartridges travel like a bobsleigh through the grooves of a record only a few thousandths of an inch wide. You hear groove displacements of the order 
of a few millionths. (That’s like splitting a hair into one thousand pieces.) Every bit of motion or vibration allowed at this level can be heard enormously 
amplified through your speakers. For this reason it is good to set up the turntable and arm correctly so that the audio cartridge can do it’s job properly. For 
instance a turntable out of level can produce side forces on the pickup cartridge tip that will wear it more on one side than the other as well as have a slightly 
degrading effect on the wear of your records.

L E V E L N E S S

When a turntable goes out of level, the platter bearing performance and the arm’s dynamics, specifically anti-skate, are negatively affected. So be sure your 
turntable platter and tonearm mounting board are level - use a spirit level. If the platter is out of level, first adjust the surface that the deck stands on. The 
suspension (in the case of a suspended sub-chassis design) may also need levelling if it has subsided over time.

H I - F I   C A R T R I D G E S   A L I G N M E N T

Alignment for hi-fi cartridges needs to be optimised in three different planes. However, it cannot be perfect in all three planes, so it must be optimised for an 
overall best balance or compromise. The final authority should always be your ears and preferably over an extended period of listening time. Bear in mind 
that each record is cut slightly differently. Here again, optimise for an overall balance of good sound over a wide range of records. The three alignment planes 
are as follows. (Please note that it is the stylus, not the cartridge that is being aligned.)

 

Lateral tracking angle

Viewed from above, the hi-fi cartridges arcing movement across the record must maintain the stylus in the same relation to the groove as that of the 
cutting stylus’s straight-line tracking; this is Lateral Tracking Angle, or Tangency. Apart from linear tracking arms this is always a matter of the best 
compromise.

 

Azimuth

Viewed from head on, the stylus must be perpendicular in the groove so as not to favour one groove wall, and therefore one channel, over the other 
wall/channel; this is Azimuth.

 

Vertical tracking angle (VTA)

Viewed from the side, the stylus must sit correctly in the groove, at the same angle as the original cutter; this is Vertical Tracking/Stylus Rake Angle. 
VTA, however, varies from record to record. Therefore, this alignment must be set by ear, even more than is the case with the other adjustments).

Содержание AURORA GOLD

Страница 1: ...L E OWNERS MANUAL Read carefully and do not tighten bolts you may think are loose Latest version of Aurora Gold turntable shown with Origin Live upgrade mat which can be ordered as an optional extra to upgrade the deck Use belt on lower groove of pulley ...

Страница 2: ... com under general information then technical support from the drop down list The instructions are written for owners with no previous experience of turntables Some sections may therefore appear lengthy as they need to cater for all potential questions When reading the instructions refer to the various diagrams for part names and clarity The deck can take approximately 15 minutes to set up dependi...

Страница 3: ...ists between pod tube and edge of plinth outer ring CURVED DAMPER SUB CHASSIS PLATE BOTTOM SUB CHASSIS PLATE BEARING HOUSE PLINTH OUTER RING PLINTH INNER PLATE NOTES Trouble shooting notes on the sub chassis optional reading 1 The sub chassis is attached to the bottom sub chassis platee by one pivot bolt the two plates should be free to swivel and are loosely restrained by an anti rotate bolt this...

Страница 4: ...nd become more level Oil the bearing with the small oil bottle supplied run approx 10 drops of oil into the top of the bearing house Insert the spindle Wipe the platter spindle surface first to ensure that it is absolutely clean and very gently insert it into the bearing house If the oil does not overflow when the spindle touches the bottom then try 2 drops at a time till you achieve overflow wipe aw...

Страница 5: ...screws are accessible at the rear of the control box See diagram above To increase speed turn the 25 turn presets clockwise until the speed changes If the screw reaches the end of it s travel you can usually hear a faint clicking You will not damage the preset by over turning it as slippage occurs The pre set screw will not fall out and may need a fair number of turns to set the correct speed so k...

Страница 6: ...that absolute speed accuracy is easy to achieve at the expense of sound quality The ac motors common to most decks are not prone to speed drift however they do inject a great deal of vibration This sadly is never measured in technical reviews or people would be a lot wiser The subjective effect of vibration is highly detrimental to sound quality when compared to fractional speed drift For this rea...

Страница 7: ...around 2 4 days continuous running They are sometimes a little noisy to start with It is best to run in the motor on full power with the belt off Most importantly you can tune in the motor to give minimum noise by adjusting the tightness of the 3 small Phillips screws next to the motor pulley The best way to set their tension is to tighten the screws until they just nip tight Then back off all 3 s...

Страница 8: ...se note that the occasional rewired arm can make a slight rustling noise through the speakers when it is lifted across the record This should not be a cause for concern as it is only caused by microphony of the internal litz cable under normal playing conditions this is inaudible The earth lead should be connected to the earth of your pre amplifier or amplifier This earth lead is best separated slig...

Страница 9: ...in nylon filament line through the small gap of the wire eye to allow the ball weight to hang freely The adjustment ball is initially set at just under three quarters of the way out along the silver rod this is approx the correct position for most cartridges If you wish to increase the side bias force then unclamp the ball using a 1 5mm Allen key and the ball further outwards To decrease the side f...

Страница 10: ...rd collection You can increase the height of the lift lower arm rest by loosening the small allen screw in the side of the curved arm rest and raising it slightly finish by retightening it in position The sound of new arms and rewires will improve significantly over the first 2 weeks as items bed in and arm wires burn in Fit the cartridge to the arm using an alignment gauge and ensure the headshell w...

Страница 11: ...rrectly so that the audio cartridge can do it s job properly For instance a turntable out of level can produce side forces on the pickup cartridge tip that will wear it more on one side than the other as well as have a slightly degrading effect on the wear of your records L E V E L N E S S When a turntable goes out of level the platter bearing performance and the arm s dynamics specifically anti sk...

Страница 12: ... the stylus s safety cap in place Set tracking force at nominal then carry out the tangency alignment procedures then the azimuth Donotdeviatefromthissequenceaseachstepaffectsthesubsequent one change the order and the setup will be wrong T R A C K I N G F O R C E This adjustment is carried out on the counterbalance weight of the tonearm or spring dial if one is in place At this point use your trac...

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