The turntable that wouldn't track- help please!

[gd_81]

ive got an SL1200 with a stanton 500 cartridge on it

ive set it all up properly but it just refuses to track well, all i get is distortion. Put a 5cent coin on it and it goes away, but it should be able to track properly without the 5cent coin on it ffs!

the turntable has got a brand new tonearm, so it can't be that and the cartridge and stylus isnt that old either

when i set the arm to floating point and dial the counterweight to zero i cant add anything more than 2 grams onto the arm either, surely i should be able to add more weight to it than that?

any ideas? thanks in advance

[phunkdust]

you haven't got the extender screwed in to the weight-end of the tonearm have you?

[Portal]

In my experience, it's usually the screw on top of the tonearm, it's either too tight or loose.

If the tonearm is new, that means someone has messed with the screw.

[gd_81]

nah the extender screw is not on...........its unlikely that anybody could of fiddled with tonearm..... hmm might get a new cartridge and stylus and try that

[Tha Gooch]

when you are screwing the cartridge into the head, there are metal spacer pieces that must go inbtween, not sure what they are called but i have figured that if you take them out, and they do look like they dont need to be there..... you get the sorta trouble your speaking of...

[esseeayen]

have you got the tonearm on the correct height? and the cart screwed into the middle of the headshell? you balanced it with the plastic stylus protector off?

[gd_81]

when you are screwing the cartridge into the head, there are metal spacer pieces that must go inbtween, not sure what they are called but i have figured that if you take them out, and they do look like they dont need to be there..... you get the sorta trouble your speaking of...

yeah i think i know the metal spaces you are talking about, the little black ones right? i looked in the box that the cartridge came in and there weren't any in there, just more screws


have you got the tonearm on the correct height? and the cart screwed into the middle of the headshell? you balanced it with the plastic stylus protector off?

yep done all that, still no joy though. Can't get anymore than 2 grams of weight onto the arm

[Bracko]

so this is how it goes....

put cartridge on and counter weight on.

screw in counter weight so cart is floating over record

tone arm is now floating.

center tonearm number dial to the top so it reads 0 gram

rotate to 2 gram and counter weight is fully screwed in.


:stroke: if that's the case I'd take it back to whoever did the arms.

[gd_81]

so this is how it goes....

put cartridge on and counter weight on.

screw in counter weight so cart is floating over record

tone arm is now floating.

center tonearm number dial to the top so it reads 0 gram

rotate to 2 gram and counter weight is fully screwed in.


:stroke: if that's the case I'd take it back to whoever did the arms.

yeah ive done that.....its floating ok.....


i did the tonarm myself, and it definetly seems ok....it doesnt have any absolute antiskate bias(the tonarm sits halfway between the edge of the platter and spindle when floating and moves back freely when the antiskate dial is wound up)

it actually tracks ok on some records, i can even scratch with it no probs...its just on some vinyl that it does track well at all....i know it can't be the vinyl because when i drop a 5 cent coin onto the headshell the distortion goes away...

im at a loss here....... im going to buy a shure M44G cartridge and stylus and see how that goes...

[Bracko]

if the counterweight is fully screwed in at 2 gram with a stanton 500 then you've got issues that aren't related to the carts. buying 44G's won't solve it.

[BOKSOFROX]

i know it can't be the vinyl because when i drop a 5 cent coin onto the headshell the distortion goes away...

Did you try the records that don't track properly on a player that you know is configured properly?

[gd_81]

if the counterweight is fully screwed in at 2 gram with a stanton 500 then you've got issues that aren't related to the carts. buying 44G's won't solve it.


how much weight should you be able to put onto a stanton 500? And we are talking about the cartridge and stylus installed onto the headshell with no additional counterweights or anything right?

If the arm won;t float until there is a reasonable amount of weight on it , then it can only mean one thing: there is not enough weight down at the cartridge end of the tonearm which means 1) the cartridge isnt heavy enough (impossible) or 2) the pivots on the tonearm are wrecked (impossible as its brand new and shows no sign of negative or positive absolute antiskate)


i just dont understand what else it could be....brand new tonearm, fairly new cartridge and stylus, both are set up properly and on a level and stable surface :?

Did you try the records that don't track properly on a player that you know is configured properly?


nah i havent yet.....ive searched the net far and wide to find out if other people had tracking issues with those particular tunes and ive not come across any yet so im assuming the pressings are ok

[gd_81]

if the counterweight is fully screwed in at 2 gram with a stanton 500 then you've got issues that aren't related to the carts. buying 44G's won't solve it.


ive just some good advice that the 500's are balls and will never track properly without the additional 3g weight on the headshell. Apparently its a common problem.


44G's here i come :)

[AnthonyE]

yeah i have a pair of 500's.. used to never track properly.. but now they do for sum reason.. :S

[Body Language]

I think the 500s should track fine. I had some for years, ran about 1.5 to 2 grams (with no extra weights) and they tracked really well. The little 'spacer' thing which fits between the cart and the headshell i think is pretty crucial though. From memory it comes with the headshell/turntable originally and not with carts. You could get a cart premounted on a headshell or possibly even buy a new headshell- seems a lot just to get that damn spacer though...

[gd_81]

I think the 500s should track fine. I had some for years, ran about 1.5 to 2 grams (with no extra weights) and they tracked really well. The little 'spacer' thing which fits between the cart and the headshell i think is pretty crucial though. From memory it comes with the headshell/turntable originally and not with carts. You could get a cart premounted on a headshell or possibly even buy a new headshell- seems a lot just to get that damn spacer though...

yeah i think i know the one you are talking about.....ive checked my stylus box and its not in there so i guess it must come with something else..


did you use the spacer with your 500's?

[Body Language]

yeah i think i know the one you are talking about.....ive checked my stylus box and its not in there so i guess it must come with something else..


did you use the spacer with your 500's?

Yeah i did mate, and a friend of mine used 500s without the weight and had issues backcueing and stuff. Does the needle jump especially on records with widely spaced grooves and heavy bass? (i.e like about 6-7 minutes of music spaced out over a whole 12")

Just had a look at the spacer on mine- it'd probably weigh about the same as a five cent piece- so that should be ok for weight- i'm just not sure how crucial the 'spacing' aspect of it is. It seems to be only about 1.5 to 2 mm so shouldn't change the angle of the cantilever/stylus relative to the vinyl...

If you know some dudes that use Ortofons or Whitelabels they might have a complete headshell lying around?

[gd_81]

Yeah i did mate, and a friend of mine used 500s without the weight and had issues backcueing and stuff. Does the needle jump especially on records with widely spaced grooves and heavy bass? (i.e like about 6-7 minutes of music spaced out over a whole 12")


yep thats the problem im getting- some records track ok but bass heavy records just sound distorted...same with records with wide spaced grooves- it just skips

i think i'll either get the counterweight or buy a new stylus


thanks for your replies :)