Cartridge fitting
- Thread starter spengenuk
- Start date
daytona600
Registered User
Get a broken one or cheap as chips new cartridge & have a go yourself if you mess up will cost nothing
simple on a rega with no bias , azimuth & VTA to adjust unlike every other arm unless you want to muck about with shims & spacers
all you need is rega protractor & test LP
simple on a rega with no bias , azimuth & VTA to adjust unlike every other arm unless you want to muck about with shims & spacers
all you need is rega protractor & test LP
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
You'll need a screwdriver or allen wrench, and a pair of needle nose pliers too...
What's the reason behind ?
It's a good idea to check real life frequency resonance also frequency response or test tones would give some sort of idea if there is something wrong , channel orientation helps to make sure wiring is ok , left/right 1kHz track helps with azimuth , etc..
I'm curious about this statement, too, ..... Like slawekt I find the test tracks useful to check that all is well, particularly tracking and azimuth.
chartz
If it’s broke fix it!
I have my favourite torture records. No test LP.
I know when the cart position, VTF and antiskate are optimal when these play fine.
If not, they distort horribly, and the end-of-side tracks are unlistenable.
As simple as the kids shouting in The Wall or Nabucco’s slave choir, or Songbird. And many others.
I know when the cart position, VTF and antiskate are optimal when these play fine.
If not, they distort horribly, and the end-of-side tracks are unlistenable.
As simple as the kids shouting in The Wall or Nabucco’s slave choir, or Songbird. And many others.
crimsondonkey
pfm Member
Do not wear a woolly jumper.
If one is serious about cartridge setup needs to use test record , few essential tracks:
3.15 kHz to set speed, measure wow&flutter
1kHz for azimuth, signal phase and channel balance
lateral and vertical low frequency tracks for frequency resonance
frequency sweep , pink noise for frequency response
3.15 kHz to set speed, measure wow&flutter
1kHz for azimuth, signal phase and channel balance
lateral and vertical low frequency tracks for frequency resonance
frequency sweep , pink noise for frequency response
YNWOAN
100% Analogue
If you are a hobbyist there is no point in measuring wow and flutter as there is no way of adjusting for it. Also, unless you happen to own very expensive professional test records the results will be largely worthless. There are ways of testing wow and flutter that are much better than a test record but, in any case, the whole issue is irrelevant to cartridge setup.
There’s no point in using a test record for azimuth either as Rega arms have no azimuth adjustment. Even if you did you really need an oscilloscope to do it properly and and the pressing of test records is notorious for being variable.
A test record can be handy for knowing left from right and absolute phase but I would suggest that if you need a test record to tell you this you’ve got larger issues. In the case of fitting a cartridge, just follow the colour coding on the pins and arm leads and you will be fine.
Using a 3.15 KHz test tone is one way of checking speed but you will also need a laptop and some digital software. Alternatively you could just use a strobe. None of this is relevant to cartridge setup though, or a Rega RP6 as the OP has.
In the majority of cases there is no need to check for lateral and vertical resonance as it will be fine - if in doubt a quick check of the charts on Vinyl Engine will tell you if there is likely to be any issue - but there won’t be for the OP unless he’s planning to fit something very unusual to his Rega.
Frequency sweeps may be useful for speaker setup but such sweeps are better done from digital files and laptops - they are quite worthless for cartridges unless you designing one.
Torture tracks to test tracking will just confirm that most cartridges can’t track the really hard stuff, particularly so with many expensive ones. However, such tracks are a great way of making you unhappy. What they are good for is being a practical proof that records are easily damaged by a mistracking cartridge!
I’m afraid that, if you are “serious about cartridge setup” test records are notorious for being good for nothing other than encouraging paranoia and audionervosa. There are some good test records out there but you need to couple them with a laptop and custom software and they are expensive. All you really need is a few normal records you know well.
There’s no point in using a test record for azimuth either as Rega arms have no azimuth adjustment. Even if you did you really need an oscilloscope to do it properly and and the pressing of test records is notorious for being variable.
A test record can be handy for knowing left from right and absolute phase but I would suggest that if you need a test record to tell you this you’ve got larger issues. In the case of fitting a cartridge, just follow the colour coding on the pins and arm leads and you will be fine.
Using a 3.15 KHz test tone is one way of checking speed but you will also need a laptop and some digital software. Alternatively you could just use a strobe. None of this is relevant to cartridge setup though, or a Rega RP6 as the OP has.
In the majority of cases there is no need to check for lateral and vertical resonance as it will be fine - if in doubt a quick check of the charts on Vinyl Engine will tell you if there is likely to be any issue - but there won’t be for the OP unless he’s planning to fit something very unusual to his Rega.
Frequency sweeps may be useful for speaker setup but such sweeps are better done from digital files and laptops - they are quite worthless for cartridges unless you designing one.
Torture tracks to test tracking will just confirm that most cartridges can’t track the really hard stuff, particularly so with many expensive ones. However, such tracks are a great way of making you unhappy. What they are good for is being a practical proof that records are easily damaged by a mistracking cartridge!
I’m afraid that, if you are “serious about cartridge setup” test records are notorious for being good for nothing other than encouraging paranoia and audionervosa. There are some good test records out there but you need to couple them with a laptop and custom software and they are expensive. All you really need is a few normal records you know well.
Very well said. Cartridge fitting really doesn't need to be as complex as some make it out to be.
Certainly you’ve missed word “serious“ , my comment was about turntable setup in general , partly about Rega in question.
But back to your post , yes I do own few test records mainly from 60’s and couple recent ones and I also use different software, oscilloscope , frequency counters , etc ... , in my opinion or you try to do something right or don’t do it at all.
Obviously you need to make sure test record has to be accurate and have more than one as they wear down , as a rule of thumb good manufacturers replace test record after taking maximum 20 samples.
Speed check I cannot see any other way than reference tone played on the turntable as you need to do it real life with cartridge drag taken into account , some manufacturers like SME set speed bit higher to account for it .
Wow and flutter you’re correct no need to change it but is good to know if turntable is worth setting up at all .
Azimuth /phase , very much overlooked by everyone but not rightly so , yes you need oscilloscope or some sort of software and yes it could be changed with spacers between headshell and cartridge , best way to put spacer in the centre of cartridge and adjust azimuth with mounting screws , sort of Ortofon Cadenza way.
Always you need to check frequency resonance as cartridges vary from sample to sample and compliance wise , I had to send one back as was way out , it gives bit of info about suspension.
Frequency sweeps are important with any bit of audio equipment, how do you know if your setup is right , I know what you’re going to say -you trust your ears as you’ve been into hifi for so many years let’s just leave things this way
But back to your post , yes I do own few test records mainly from 60’s and couple recent ones and I also use different software, oscilloscope , frequency counters , etc ... , in my opinion or you try to do something right or don’t do it at all.
Obviously you need to make sure test record has to be accurate and have more than one as they wear down , as a rule of thumb good manufacturers replace test record after taking maximum 20 samples.
Speed check I cannot see any other way than reference tone played on the turntable as you need to do it real life with cartridge drag taken into account , some manufacturers like SME set speed bit higher to account for it .
Wow and flutter you’re correct no need to change it but is good to know if turntable is worth setting up at all .
Azimuth /phase , very much overlooked by everyone but not rightly so , yes you need oscilloscope or some sort of software and yes it could be changed with spacers between headshell and cartridge , best way to put spacer in the centre of cartridge and adjust azimuth with mounting screws , sort of Ortofon Cadenza way.
Always you need to check frequency resonance as cartridges vary from sample to sample and compliance wise , I had to send one back as was way out , it gives bit of info about suspension.
Frequency sweeps are important with any bit of audio equipment, how do you know if your setup is right , I know what you’re going to say -you trust your ears as you’ve been into hifi for so many years let’s just leave things this way
YNWOAN
100% Analogue
But the thread is about fitting a new cartridge to a Rega RP6.
“Speed check I cannot see any other way than reference tone played on the turntable as you need to do it real life with cartridge drag taken into account , some manufacturers like SME set speed bit higher to account for it .”
Stylus drag is a very contentious issue. I would put forward that any turntable drive system that slows under stylus drag is improperly designed. I have looked into the whole subject in depth and made many measurements (including using test records). It is certainly not a given that platter speed varies under load.
However, if you use a 12” strobe disc and a 10” EP record it is possible to use a strobe whilst a record is playing - I have done this but I have also used test tones and Audacity and a scope etc.
———-
I actually have a bunch of test records that I have acquired over the years. However, I still adhere to the belief that, for the vast majority of enthusiasts, they are of no real value.
“Speed check I cannot see any other way than reference tone played on the turntable as you need to do it real life with cartridge drag taken into account , some manufacturers like SME set speed bit higher to account for it .”
Stylus drag is a very contentious issue. I would put forward that any turntable drive system that slows under stylus drag is improperly designed. I have looked into the whole subject in depth and made many measurements (including using test records). It is certainly not a given that platter speed varies under load.
However, if you use a 12” strobe disc and a 10” EP record it is possible to use a strobe whilst a record is playing - I have done this but I have also used test tones and Audacity and a scope etc.
———-
I actually have a bunch of test records that I have acquired over the years. However, I still adhere to the belief that, for the vast majority of enthusiasts, they are of no real value.
Chris
pfm Member
I used to hate all this cartridge fitting business and then worryung about azymuth etc. so I followed the lead of others and bought a Linn Troika to fit in my Ittok and the 3 bolt fitting takes away all the worrying, a retip every so often and job done. Why not do the same with a Rega cartridge in your Rega arm. Some will say it´s not 100% accurate and they may be right but who cares.
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Can't say I've ever been bothered by azimuth, but having had fixed headshell arms for donkey's years, I guess it should be within acceptable parameters. I have used the mirror test in the past, which is a foolproof way of seeing if anything is really amiss. Matter on interest, what are the audible effects of incorrect azimuth; a volume bias towards L or R ?
colasblue
pfm Member
In most decks I can't see that azimuth could ever easily be wrong if the plinth, platter and headshell are true. Hence the Ortofon mechanism for adjusting it probably causes more to be wrong than right. The only deck I'm aware of where it requires any particular attention is the Orbe since the clamp bends the record surface downwards from the centre to make a very short cone. Best get an arm or cart with some sort of adjustment if you have one of those (and I do), otherwise what's the issue?
Rockmeister
pfm Member
People who like HiFi and don't own the Linn mythologly?