thanks for the cartridge suggestions from my earlier post.
how difficult is it to change the cartridge on the LP12. It seem I'm interested in product other than what the local dealer sells.
I would assume that I would need an alignment tool. Is the Mobile Fidelity Geo disc adequate? I have read that I need to remove the arm to mount the cartridge. Any tips would be helpful.I had the turntable setup a year ago when i bought the Adikt.
Or, do I have the dealer install my cartridge and pay labor? Thanks
Hi scotty,
Sorry (not trying to be rude, just helpful!
) but reading your post it seems you need "TT setup 101"?
The LP12 is a TT ... it's whatever arm you have which is the critical factor in terms of changing the cartridge (which sits on the headshell at the end of the arm).
You haven't specified what arm you have so I can't comment on how easy it might be to change cartridges but, typically, you certainly
don't have to remove the arm to mount a cartridge.
However, some arms (like mine
) have removable arm wands which makes it easier to mount a cartridge.
To set any cart in any arm optimally, IMO you need an alignment tool. And I would never go to the dealer to set a new cartridge up ... it's not a difficult thing to do, just takes some time and a logical process. There are many cartridge protractors available - there's a good free one from "
www.enjoythemusic.com" for instance - but I personally only use the Wallytractor these days. But before I bought the Wallytractor, I used a MoFi Geodisc ... so that's not bad IMO!
I suggest you need to search the archives here and also Vinyl Asylum and Vinyl Engine for info on how to set up your cartridge. There are several factors you need to get right ... and basically, with some of them, you start off from a so-called "ideal point" and then adjust by ear.
For instance:
* alignment - for this you need the Geodisc or another alignment protractor. If you don't get this pretty right, you won't get good sound ... for
excellent sound, you need to get it absolf'inglutely spot on!!
Your ears will probably tell you whether you've got it right or not but this is not something you can tweak by ear!
* VTF ... vertical tracking force - ie. the downward force of the stylus on the groove, set by a dial on your arm or simply moving the counterweight in or out, which needs a weighing scale to measure the result. Start off with the VTF set to the middle of the cartridge mfr's specified range and see how it sounds as you go up a bit at a time (but generally don't go past the upper limit specifed by the mfr).
* bias (anti-skating). Your arm should have a recommended bias setting for each VTF. You can play around with this with a Test Record like the "HFNRR Test LP", but ultimately, your ears will tell you when it's right. Search the Vinyl Asylum archives for many posts on bias setting.
* azimuth ... how the cartridge is positioned - vertically in the groove (looked at from the front) or stylus tilted towards the spindle or outwards. Most arms have no ability to adjust azimuth - in which case, don't stress about it!! If yours does then I've found a "good enough" setting is obtained by resting the stylus on a mirror surface (the underside of a CD is a good thing here!) and making sure the stylus and its reflection in the mirror form a straight line. There is a more "scientific" method for setting azimuth but I've had mixed results with this ... tweaking azimuth and listening to the height of the soundstage in each speaker is a better method of getting it perfect, IMO.
And yes, good thing to "be interested in product other than what the local dealer sells"!!
Most LP12 dealers seem to be forced by Linn to have a very restricted range of other cartridges ... so you don't get a good choice!
I use a Graham 2.2 arm and a Benz Ebony LP on my LP12 - certainly nothing that a Linn dealer would have access to!
Regards,
Andy
