hlov Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 Hi guys? Does anyone know if they exist? I have replaced the arm on my Thorens and it’s quite high. So I’m stocking mats to keep the arm parallel to the platter but the records are almost outside the spindle on the sweet spot.
Wimbo Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 (edited) Surely you can adjust the VTA on that Project arm. Also, your counter weight seems a long way away from your arm bearing. What gives? Also, your arm looks low at the back. Edited March 26, 2020 by Wimbo
andyr Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 You appear to have too many mats (so the arm is up at the cart end). Do you have a protractor which enables you to get your arm horizontal? Andy
hlov Posted March 26, 2020 Author Posted March 26, 2020 5 minutes ago, Wimbo said: Surely you can adjust the VTA on that Project arm. Also, your counter weight seems a long way away from your arm bearing. What gives? Also, your arm looks low at the back. Thanks mate, VTA is at the minimum, it can’t go lower because of the arm board that was used on the Table. The counterweight is set to 1.7 grams, one of the recommended settings for the 2M black, if I move it forward it goes over 3 grams
hlov Posted March 26, 2020 Author Posted March 26, 2020 5 minutes ago, andyr said: You appear to have too many mats (so the arm is up at the cart end). Do you have a protractor which enables you to get your arm horizontal? Andy Yes, I’m using several mats as want to make the arm parallel to the platter as the arm is too high because of the arm board (black square block) that was used on the Thorens
andyr Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 1 minute ago, hlov said: Yes, I’m using several mats as want to make the arm parallel to the platter as the arm is too high because of the arm board (black square block) that was used on the Thorens The pic you supplied doesn't indicate that the arm is horizontal. So I repeat - do you have a protractor which enables you to get your arm horizontal? Andy
hlov Posted March 26, 2020 Author Posted March 26, 2020 2 minutes ago, andyr said: The pic you supplied doesn't indicate that the arm is horizontal. So I repeat - do you have a protractor which enables you to get your arm horizontal? Andy No, I don’t have a protractor. The tonearm is too high so I was adding mats until at my eyes it was almost parallel. Based on the picture, is the arm to high or too low? H
hlov Posted March 26, 2020 Author Posted March 26, 2020 5 minutes ago, Peter_F said: Install a thinner armboard? that will be the next mod, guess the Thorens square block will need to be trimmed to allow the round Project arm base to go under the top plate
Peter_F Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 Is the suspension on the deck correctly set, ie not too low? The armboard already looks lower/thinner than the standard Thorens armboard so not sure if the arm is compatible with the deck to be fully optimised? 1
rocky500 Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 (edited) You could try headshell spacers to lower the cartridge a bit. Something like this LINK Edited March 26, 2020 by rocky500 1
Bill125812 Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 What about this https://lencomotion.com/2014/01/04/spindle-extension-for-stacked-platters/
andyr Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 11 hours ago, hlov said: Based on the picture, is the arm to high or too low? H Too low - i.o.w, you have too many mats. Andy 1
Hergest Posted March 26, 2020 Posted March 26, 2020 31 minutes ago, andyr said: Too low - i.o.w, you have too many mats. Andy Confusion reigns I think. I agree there are too many mats which judging from the photo to my eyes makes the arm too high at the cartridge end rather than too low. 1
wartman Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 Get a piece of notepad paper with lines on it. Stand it on end on the platter and a record and next to the tonearm. Adjust till the lines on the paper are level with the tonearm. Hope this makes sense. 1
mloutfie Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 like the others said looks like you use too many matt. I found using this is easiest to check VTA https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Acrylic-Tonearm-VTA-Cartridge-Azimuth-Ruler-Tool-With-PU-Case-72x45x10mm-AU/333540070427?hash=item4da889941b:g:0aEAAOSwxD1eZeb1 1
Colin Rutter Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 13 hours ago, hlov said: Thanks mate, VTA is at the minimum, it can’t go lower because of the arm board that was used on the Table. The counterweight is set to 1.7 grams, one of the recommended settings for the 2M black, if I move it forward it goes over 3 grams Your arm needs to be raised not lowered because of the mat thickness. Having it that low will usually cause bass heaviness
andyr Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 1 hour ago, Hergest said: Confusion reigns I think. I agree there are too many mats which judging from the photo to my eyes makes the arm too high at the cartridge end rather than too low. Correct H - I was thinking of the pivot end. Apologies to all for my unclear post. Andy
hlov Posted March 27, 2020 Author Posted March 27, 2020 Thanks guys, I’ll try to get one of the tools that it has been recommended. In the meantime I have removed some mats and tried to different combinations. I still believe that the arm is a bit low any thoughts?
Juzbear Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 A couple of things: that arm has a couple of different counterweight options, and a heavier cart like the 2m might be better with the heavier weight (though it is working with the current one, just a bit wound out). For those who thought the arm looked to be angled down, as well as being hard to tell from the angle, it has a dropped rear counterweight which exaggerates to appearance. Can I suggest placing the stylus on the lead in groove ( with the player off), and then take a photo from about a metre away, directly to the side of the cartridge, trying to keep the closest and furthest edges of the record in the same plane (ie. directly behind each other). If you do this, then zoom in and have a look at the top edge of the cartridge to see if it is parallel to the record, as well as whether the arm is (some arms taper, so you can’t use them to check flatness). cheers Justin
Juzbear Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 (edited) The other thing you can do with an iPhone or similar is just take a photo of the cart as I have done and aim to get the lower part of the cart parallel with the record. For those perfectionists out there, this is my swap on cartridge and it is not parallel! Do as I say, not as I do! if you prefer and know the best stylus rake angle (SRA) for your cartridge, you can get hold of a protractor, enlarge the photo and read off the angle the stylus makes to the record surface, because it is this that is important, not the angle of the tone arm. Justin Edited March 27, 2020 by Juzbear Spelling
08Boss302 Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 I think (If i am following things correctly) as mentioned above, because you have raised the platter height with multiple mats you actually now should or need to rebalance your tone arm - you might find in doing this you will actually need to increase your tonearm height to level it to your platter. If you levelled your tonearm and then subsequently added the mats to get the arm at playing level flat you are not working on the same initial set up parameters you created. The other aim might be as also suggested above is to get the base of the cart or the top of the cart parallel with the record. This is the main forcus for me after levelling the tonearm. The card idea above is great too, draw some lines along it and sit it straight behind the tonearm when you are balancing it. IME, depending on the cartrige, the tonearm may eventually not be perfectly parallel once you apply VTF but you should aim that the cart is or find a point that "sounds" best to you! Do Ortofon have a suggestion on this? Usually the cart manufacturer will have a diagram or sorts detailing their considered best set up. I just found this on the ortofon website... https://www.ortofon.com/support/support-hifi/faq-installation/ 2.4. Tonearm level, Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA) Cartridges are constructed so that cantilever angle corresponds to the 20 deg. record cutting angle, when the cartridge is loaded with recommended tracking force and the cartridge base is parallel with the tonearm and this again is parallel to the record surface. I use one of these for the tonearm balancing and cart set up and love it. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tonearm-VTA-Cartridge-Azimuth-Alignment-Ruler-Headshell-Alignment-Block-10mm/223741924239?hash=item34180ed38f:g:qScAAOSwgqpdpsX5 I dont own that table or the cartridge, but I think you'll get it. Chances are its a simple change somewhere, walk away, come back to it in an hour or so, it might all fall into place.
Guest jakeyb77 Posted March 27, 2020 Posted March 27, 2020 I wouldn’t have used the Project. The Rega mounts are much easier for Thorens. You’ll need to adjust the mount and get rid of all the mats.
hlov Posted March 27, 2020 Author Posted March 27, 2020 Does anyone know if I can buy that little tool local? Or is anyone keen to sell it? H
08Boss302 Posted March 28, 2020 Posted March 28, 2020 I haven't seen it locally. Postage is pretty quick tho
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