Twist or not

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Gregv

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 4
Twist or not
« on: 5 Jul 2015, 03:56 pm »
My history: I've had an original Well Tempered Turntable since buying it used in 1992. The WTT, with its many mods - Well Damped Clamp and LP Lab arm, black platter, etc. - works flawlessly. Last year I resurrected a Neat Shield MO-19 idler from near dumpster death and modified an original WT arm (left over from the LP Lab upgrade) to the Simplex esthetic with pillar, suspension arm and rubber grommet and mounted it in the rear position of the table. I then built my version of a WT Simplex 12" for the table's primary position. Recently, I stumbled upon a WTRP (Transparent era) which I've repaired and am having a thread belt DC motor built for. The WTRP is getting there - I upgraded the platter to the black one as well and am waiting for the new motor.

My Neat's self-made arms have 3/4" d pillars and originally had 3/8"d suspension arms. With a partial clockwise twist in the fishing line and a partial clockwise twist of the golf ball, I got the rear arm tracking well. I've since adapted 1/4" d stainless steel rods into the 3/8"d holes after feeling that the 3/8"id grommet diameter were providing too much anti skate. This more closely corresponds to what I see done with the Simplex. Here's where I'm befuddled... for every Simplex or Amadeus set up I see in web searches with a partial twist in the fishing line I see an equal number of full twists, including pics from the well tempered lab site itself (http://www.welltemperedlab.net/welltemperedlab/products/simplex/). If I give the fishing line a partial twist, there's simply too much anti skate - the arm still moves quickly inside to outside on a black lp side. If I give the line a full overlapping twist, the arm drops straight down... does this now mean there's no anti skate? Would this be tempered with additional silicone in the pot?

Previously, I set up the arm with partial twist and angled the cartridge properly but had significant tracking error, distortion and one or two skips with every side I played - my vinyl sounded old and worn. When I gave the line a full twist and set the arm up using underhang and the cartridge parallel to the arm tube, the arm plays great with no skips and no distortion to my ear. I would have thought that, if the Simplex uses a partial twist in it's fishing line, my emulating it's rod and grommet diameters would yield the same result, but I still get too fast an anti skate movement inside to outside. Any ideas? Are yiou other WT owners using a partial or full twist in your lines?

Gregv

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Twist or not
« Reply #1 on: 15 Jul 2015, 12:48 pm »
I rewired my arm and added my new headshell. As I suspected, the arm tracks better in overhang with the reduction of the suspension arm diameter but there's still a bit too much antiskate. If you look at the cantilever from the front, it's pulling at and angle from the groove toward the outside, not sitting perpendicular. A clockwise rotation of the golf ball will help this as it did with my other arm. At least eh arm tracks thru a vinyl side without mistracking or skipping backward once a side as it was previously when run under overhang.

phoner

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Re: Twist or not
« Reply #2 on: 19 Feb 2016, 06:50 pm »
sounds interesting, make a photo?

Gregv

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Twist or not
« Reply #3 on: 28 Jul 2017, 11:48 pm »
Here's the finished table and arms. I was not twisting the monofilament enough, causing too much antiskate. I have since updated a WTRP and a WT Simplex.



mick wolfe

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Re: Twist or not
« Reply #4 on: 29 Jul 2017, 04:23 pm »
That's a fine looking set-up. Having two arms/cartridges would be a vinyl lover's paradise......maintenance and set-up issues aside of course. Looks like you're also using an XTC countweight on one of the arms. I've used these for a few years now. As far as "twists" are concerned, I've never deviated from the basic twist recommended in the Amadeus set-up manual. Looks like your set-ups are somewhat different though and may require a litle experimentation. FWIW, WT "twists " have been discussed here at length, so you may want to do a search.

/mp

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 240
Re: Twist or not
« Reply #5 on: 1 Aug 2017, 02:10 pm »
How does the diameter of the post affect anti-skating?