Procedure for shortening the nylon bridle of my Amadeus tonearm?

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pisabell

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 2
Hello all,

I recently installed a new cartridge (Dyna XV1s) on my Amadeus and I found that I could not raise the arm pillar high enough to obtain the proper VTA. The pillar would need to go above the range where its retaining screw will operate correctly.

There is a rather terse explanation in the Instruction Manual about how to fix that problem. In my version this is a note at the bottom of p. 13.

Here is how I interpret what is said there. I should pull out one of the two nylon tubes that are inserted into the golf ball and through which the nylon bridle that attaches the ball to the arm suspension enters the ball. Once that tube is pulled out, I should then insert an additional length of the bridle into the ball so as to shorten the portion that remains outside the ball. Then, when I will reinsert the nylon tube into its hole, the tube will somehow prevent the newly inserted segment from coming out. As a result, the bridle will be shorter and it will no longer be necessary to lift the pillar out of its normal range in order to get my correct VTA.

Can you tell me if my understanding is correct? I would not want to try applying an incorrectly understood procedure.

Thanks for your responses,

  Pierre

SteevA

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 185
That is more or less correct.  Once you remove one of the tubes push some more of the thread through it (i.e. shorten the loop over the top of the ball).  When you pull out the tube you will see that the thread has been folded round the inside end of the tube so that the end of the thread gets trapped in place between the tube and the wall of the hole.  After you push (or pull) more thread through the tube fold it back along the outside of the tube and then put the tube back in the hole, locking the thread at a new, shorter, length.

Be very careful when removing the tube as it crushes easily.  Don't just grab it with a pair of pliers.  I have found a gentle rotation of the tube as you try to extract it helps.

Also remember that if you want to lift the arm by, say, 5mm you will have to push something around 7 to 8mm of thread through the tube.

IMO each arm should come with a couple of spare lengths of tube since not damaging the tube when you remove it is quite hard to accomplish.

Steve

pisabell

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 2
Hello Steve,

This is very clear and extremely useful.

Thanks a lot!

  Pierre

threadkiller

I'm always technically challenged, yet there was absolutely no problems- or differences- attaching my XV1s.  So I'm not sure what you're up to here.
Consult your dealer...

Charlie

SteevA

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 185
I'm always technically challenged, yet there was absolutely no problems- or differences- attaching my XV1s.  So I'm not sure what you're up to here.
Consult your dealer...

Charlie
Quite possible. The problem is that the threads are not all the same length. The one I was given to replace my arm, but never installed, would have hung nearly a cm lower without the thread being shortened. One I have seen down at the dealer is about 5 mm the other way.

Thinking of the XV1s myself.

Steve

mick wolfe

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1243
I'm always technically challenged, yet there was absolutely no problems- or differences- attaching my XV1s.  So I'm not sure what you're up to here.
Consult your dealer...

Charlie

Agreed......I've got big plump Denon 103R on my Amadeus and there's still 1/2" of column protruding below the bottom of the table. Don't know how you'd ever not have enough adjustment unless way too much poly thread has been pulled thru the tubes in the golf ball. Check out the pictures of a typical Amadeus set up. The top of the golf ball/ arm attachment piece  and the bottom of the azimuth adjustment "wheel" should only be 3/4"- 1" apart.

threadkiller

I was told that there can be various string sizes, although not by much.  So that's not the issue.  Probably the pillar or cup aren't at the right height.
That's all I got.

mick wolfe

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1243
I was told that there can be various string sizes, although not by much.  So that's not the issue.  Probably the pillar or cup aren't at the right height.
That's all I got.

The Amadeus manual gives reference stating points  for both pillar and cup. The top of pillar being 3.8" above the top surface of the turntable.....the top of cup 1.6". I don't totally match those numbers, but I do match the difference or 1.2" almost spot on. No cartridge I'm aware of will deviate a great deal from these starting points. The pillar and cup are plenty long enough for setting VTA unless the suspending filament is way too long for some reason. I'm baffled too.

SteevA

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 185
The pillar and cup are plenty long enough for setting VTA unless the suspending filament is way too long for some reason. I'm baffled too.
That is precisely what I have seen.

When I was supplied a new arm to replace my current arm it looked a bit different so I took some measurements.  Below is what I recorded at the time.



You will note that this arm also has the position of the small tubes lowered down the golfball.

Steve

ADiG

prospects seem published: Versalex (left) and Symplex (right)

...or maybe it's just my impression...

threadkiller

Why the Y in Simplex?  More of the nouveau marketing? Or just a down under thing....

ADiG

Why the Y in Simplex?  More of the nouveau marketing? Or just a down under thing....

write error  :green:

threadkiller

Thanks for the clarification.....:)

mick wolfe

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1243
That is precisely what I have seen.

When I was supplied a new arm to replace my current arm it looked a bit different so I took some measurements.  Below is what I recorded at the time.



You will note that this arm also has the position of the small tubes lowered down the golfball.

Steve

Nice diagram. 20 mm is significant for sure. I guess one's only option is to lower the vat leaving about 1/2" top of table to top of vat. Regardless, the arm pillar would pretty much stay put as it's controlling VTA. As to the the OP, I'm still baffled. The arm pillar is roughly 5 1/4" long. Unless he got short changed in this regard, he should have more than enough adjustment for any cart. I'm aware of. As I've said, I have a fairly stout Denon 103R on my WTA and the "tightening screw" hits the arm pillar a full 1 1/8 " from the pillar's end leaving roughly 1/2 ' protruding from the bottom of the table.

SteevA

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 185
While there is no mention of changing the thread length in the Versalex manual I have seen it covered elsewhere.  I have come to the conclusion that the best option when setting up a deck is to assume that the arm support string length is not necessarily going to be where it needs to be so set up the arm dry and adjust the string length well before you get to add the goo.

I am advised that I am now due to receive one of those 1/2 golfball new arms to replace my one (which has damaged wires due to hitting the cup) and I intend to spend as much time as necessary, with the whole arm mounted on the workbench, getting the string length set right before I remount it on the Versalex. 

Getting one of these new arms is also partly due to suggesting, many months ago, that they move the wire exit point at the back either to the top or the side due to the risk of damage by the cup edge and being told that they would experiment and, if they took up my idea, give me a new arm. 

Steve

threadkiller

Nice going, Steve....report back....I just wonder if this new "ball" sounds any better....

watercourse

Seems to me the longer the distance from the grommet to the tubes, the less overall antiskate force there will be with one twist in the thread. Might be useful for lighter trackers.

SteevA

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 185
Nice going, Steve....report back....I just wonder if this new "ball" sounds any better....
It is does I imagine it will be more to do with moving the thread mounting points than anything else.

Steve

SteevA

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 185
I have come to the conclusion that the best option when setting up a deck is to assume that the arm support string length is not necessarily going to be where it needs to be so set up the arm dry and adjust the string length well before you get to add the goo.

This proved not to be a practical solution.  We tried to do this down at the dealer but the tubes are effectively impossible to remove without being crushed and even with spare tubes on hand it is extremely difficult to get the thread length correct.

So, one arm later, I/we went back to using a 3mm spacer under the vertical support tower.  This change back to the geometry I was using previously made it all come together perfectly - so in celebration I have ordered an XV1-s for myself.

Steve

SteevA

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 185
Double Post