SETTING UP A PICKUP ARM

Here is the proper way to adjust stylus force on a phonograph pickup arm:

Stylus Force:

There are five different kinds of pickup arm:

1. Spring counterbalance
2. Spring counterbalance with fixed counterweight
3. Moving weight counterbalance
4. Fully balanced arm (Moving counterweight and spring force application)
5. Tracking pad and pivoted cartridge

Note that the arm will need to be set up again each time you change cartridges, plug-in heads, or the stylus force.

You will need a stylus force gage.

Always find out the specifications of the cartridge/stylus combination before making these adjustments and stay within these limits.

Finding the Pickup Arm Adjustments

Here are the adjustments on a pickup arm:

• The counterweight is obvious. There is a large weight at the back of the arm (upper right in sample photo).
• A spring counterbalance usually has a dial, or it is hidden inside the arm (not used in the arm in this photo).
• The force application spring usually has a dial or a slide on the arm (center of photo).
• The antiskate usually has a dial or slide not on the arm (lower right of photo). Sometimes it is on the arm.
• The pickup arm raising height adjustment can be in many places (screw at upper left in photo)
• The pickup arm setdown location adjustment can be in many places (not visible in photo)
• The large screw head at an odd angle to the left of the force dial is the vertical arm motion pivot. Do not mess with it. Parts may fall out of the arm that can't be put back correctly without special equipment. Messing with it could also damage the force application spring.

  Too many amateurs take the arm bearings apart, and then find out that they can't put them back together again. This is usually a mistake. Unless there is something wrong with the arm bearing itself, taking it apart does not provide any access to cure other problems.

Here are the methods for each type of arm:

Adjusting the Stylus Force:

1. Spring Counterbalance

   The spring reduces the weight of the arm and cartridge down to the tracking force.

   Use this procedure:

   • Install the cartridge. Install the plug-in head onto the arm (if used).
   • Using the stylus force gage, adjust the counterbalance spring for the correct stylus force. Increase spring tension to reduce the force.
2. Spring counterbalance with fixed counterweight

   The spring and counterweight reduce the weight of the arm and cartridge down to the tracking force.

   Use this procedure:

   • Install the cartridge. Install the plug-in head onto the arm (if used).
   • Using the stylus force gage, adjust the counterbalance spring for the correct stylus force. Increase spring tension to reduce the force.
3. Moving weight counterbalance

   The counterweight reduces the weight of the arm and cartridge down to the tracking force. A second weight (A) can be used to apply tracking force.

   Use this procedure:

   • Install the cartridge. Install the plug-in head onto the arm (if used).
   • If weight A exists, move it to the zero mark.
   • Adjust the counterweight so that the arm is perfectly horizontal, so the cartridge does not try to move either up or down.
   • If the counterweight turns on a large screw and has a plastic ring with tracking force numbers, turn just the plastic ring so 0 is up. Then turn the counterweight and ring together so the desired force is up.
   • If weight A exists, move it to the desired tracking force.
   • Otherwise, use the stylus force gage to adjust the counterweight for the correct stylus force. Move it toward the arm pivot to increase the force.
4. Fully balanced arm (Moving counterweight and spring force application)

   The counterweight balances out the weight of the arm and cartridge down to zero.

   The spring applies the exact tracking force.

   Use this procedure:

   • Install the cartridge. Install the plug-in head onto the arm (if used).
   • Adjust the counterweight so that the arm is perfectly horizontal, so the cartridge does not try to move either up or down.
   • Using the stylus force gage, adjust the force application spring for the correct stylus force. Increase spring tension to increase the force.
5. Tracking pad and pivoted cartridge

   The pad rides the record surface and holds up the entire weight of the arm.

   The weight of the cartridge applies the tracking force.

   This system usually cannot be adjusted. It is set for the correct force when the correct cartridge is installed.

   Usually the stylus force gage also can't be used in the usual way.

   The problem is what to do if the correct cartridge becomes unavailable:

   • Leave the old cartridge installed.
   • Propping up the arm pad with a ruler, set the stylus on the force gage. Do not let the ruler or arm pad touch the force gage.
   • Slowly moving the ruler up and down, note the force gage reading in the middle of the motion range. This is the correct force for the arm.
   • Install the new cartridge. Make sure that it is mounted so it freely pivots like the old cartridge.
   • Propping up the arm pad with a ruler, set the stylus on the force gage. Do not let the ruler or arm pad touch the force gage.
   • Moving the ruler up and down, note the force gage reading in the middle of the motion range. This is force applied by the new cartridge.
   • Try to adjust the force to match the cartridge. To increase the force, add a small weight to the top of the cartridge. It is very difficult to reduce the force.

Antiskating:

There are seven different kinds of antiskate:

1. None
2. Thread and weight
3. Fixed weight and lever
4. Calibrated weight and lever
5. Calibrated knob spring
6. Tracking pad antiskating
7. Linear tracking arm

The actual antiskate force is about 1/10 the tracking force, but varies with stylus type.

If there is a calibrated scale, it is in units of stylus force, not antiskating force. Set it to the same value as the tracking force (and it does the math of setting the antiskate force).

If there are 2 or 3 scales, the first one is for conical styli, the second is for elliptical styli, and the third (if any) is for Shibata styli. Follow the instructions in the manual.

The elliptical antiskating force is about 1.125 times the conical antiskating force, and the Shibata antiskating force is about 1.28 times the conical force.

Record material also affects skating forces. Shellac has less skating force than vinyl. Polystyrene has more skating force than vinyl.

Adjusting the Antiskating:

1. None

   Since there is no antiskate, it cannot be adjusted.

2. Thread and weight

   There are several slots in the holder the thread is looped over. Selecting the slot adjusts the antiskate.

3. Fixed weight and lever

   Since the antiskate is fixed, it cannot be adjusted.

4. Calibrated weight and lever

   Adjusting the weight adjusts the antiskate.

5. Calibrated spring and knob

   Adjusting the spring adjusts the antiskate.

6. Tracking pad antiskating

   The antiskate compensates for the skating of the tracking pad, so it is fixed. The pickup follows the tracking pad.

7. Linear tracking arm

   Since a linear tracking arm does not skate, it needs no antiskate.

If you have no instructions or there are no marks on the antiskate, a good guide is the centering of the stylus on the cartridge. If it deviates toward the spindle or toward the record rim when the stylus sets down in the groove, the antiskate is out of adjustment.

Overhang and Offset Angle:

There are three different kinds of overhang and offset angle adjustments:

1. Fixed position
2. Slots for overhang adjustment
3. Adjustment for both overhang and offset angle
4. Linear tracking arm

Adjusting Overhang and Offset Angle:

1. Fixed position

   When there is no adjustment for overhang or offset angle, the judgment of the people who designed the arm and the cartridge must be trusted.

2. Slots for overhang adjustment

   Usually the marker of the arm provides a plastic overhang guide to use to adjust the overhang.

3. Adjustment for both overhang and offset angle

   If the arm has both the overhang and offset angle adjustments or is mounted separately, the math for the adjustments and a diagram may be provided.

4. Linear tracking arm

   The overhang on a linear tracking arm is always zero.

Check the tracking force adjustments after adjusting overhang or offset angle.

Cartridge Vertical Angle:

There are several different places adjustment for vertical angle can be found:

1. None
2. The base of the arm (changes the height of the arm pivots)
3. Shims in the cartridge mount
4. A control knob on the headshell

Adjusting Vertical Angle:

• None

  There is no adjustment. The vertical angle is set by the cartridge mount.

• Base of the arm

  Adjust the height of the pivots so the vertical angle is correct.

  On the Dual 1229, a lever has two positions for vertical angle, one for a single record and one for a stack of records.

• Shims in the cartridge mount

  Shims can be used to space the pickup closer or farther from the top of the arm, and to tilt it forward or back.

• A control knob on the headshell

  Perpetuum Ebner had an adjustment knob on the headshell for vertical angle. It was set to 1 for a single record, or to half the number of records in a stack.

Check the tracking force adjustments after changing shims.

Arm Raising Height:

There are several different places where the arm raising height adjustments can be found:

1. Top of the arm
2. Under the top of the arm
3. Back end of the arm
4. Somewhere on the plinth
5. On the mechanism under the plinth.

Adjusting Arm Raising Height:

• Separate arm

  The adjustment may not exist. If it does, adjust it so the stylus can lower enough to play the record.

• Ordinary record changer

  Adjust the height so the arm will lower enough to play the record, and so the arm does not hit the bottom of the stack when changing records.

• Collaro and other changers where the pickup arm scans the side of the stack for exact size

  Adjust the height so the arm will lower enough to play the record, so the arm does not hit the bottom of the stack when swinging out, and so the arm feeler touches the side of the stack for record size.

• ELAC and Triotrack changers where the pickup arm scans the underside of the stack for size

  Adjust the height so the arm will lower enough to play the record, and so the arm feeler touches the underside of the stack to scan for record size.

Arm Setdown Position:

There are several different places where the arm setdown position adjustments can be found. It is usually in the form of a screw or a cam:

1. Either side of the arm
2. Under the top of the arm
3. Back end of the arm
4. At the pickup head
5. Somewhere on the plinth
6. On the mechanism under the plinth.
7. On the change cycle cam (accessed through hole in turntable when out of cycle).

Adjusting one size will affect all sizes equally.

Adjusting Arm Setdown Position:

• Separate arm or manual arm

  This adjustment does not exist.

• Ordinary record changer

  Adjust the setdown for any one record size. Repeatedly check and adjust it until it is correct. Then check the other sizes.

• Collaro and other changers where the pickup arm scans the stack for exact record size

  Adjust the setdown with one record until it is correct. Then check it with other sizes.

• Dual 1003 through 1006 and Thorens TD-224

  The screw in the headshell adjusts the position of the feeler. Adjust the screw so the stylus sets in the proper place on the record.