[notaclue]

I just purchased a used Philips AF-829 (cosmetically in great shape for $25, good deal?) and am having some troubles. It came with a very old cartridge (Sonus Silver), which I don't know if it's working properly or not.

I have the AF-829 connected to a HK 335. I know that I need a phono preamp because the music is too quiet; I just haven't made that purchase yet.


1) Has anyone owned this turntable? and if so would you happen to know where I can get an electronic copy of the manual? I've scoured the net but haven't been able to find one.

2) The amount of pressure the cartridge places on the record seems to be too light. There are passages where the music disappears. The turntable itself has a "Stylus Force Meter" which is always at zero when the stylus is engadged with the record. Is this normal? Is there some sort of adjustment I can make to increase the pressure the stylus makes with the record?

3) If I choose to purchase a new cartridge, my understanding of MM vs. MC is simply the 10x difference in the output achieved. Is it true that I can put a MM *or* a MC on any turntable? Or do some turntables require a particular type. If so, do you happen to know what type the AF-829 would require?

I appreciate your patience and your help. If this is the wrong forum for this question, please direct me to the appropriate one.

[WGH]

I would stay with a MM cartridge, a Grado or Audio Technica come to mind.
What speakers are you using?

I found some pics of your table

[stevenkelby]

I'm no expert but I'll try and help.

I have the AF-829 connected to a HK 335. I know that I need a phono preamp because the music is too quiet; I just haven't made that purchase yet.

Does the back of your amp look like this:

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/AVR335-3.jpg

If so, I don't see phono inputs, you can't listen to music without an external phono stage then. The phono stage is needed to equalize the output from the turntable, which has heaps of treble and no bass, due to the physical restraints of the size of the grooves. A phono stage equalizes the sound back to normal, and amplifies the signal.

Here's some info on phono stages:

http://www.furious.com/perfect/vinyl43.html

And a great cheap one:

http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Outboard-Audiophile-Phono-Silver/dp/B001052KDE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1212976378&sr=8-5

Thats MM only, the 640P does MC too. I recommend you stick with MM.

I just purchased a used Philips AF-829 (cosmetically in great shape for $25, good deal?) and am having some troubles. It came with a very old cartridge (Sonus Silver), which I don't know if it's working properly or not. 1) Has anyone owned this turntable? and if so would you happen to know where I can get an electronic copy of the manual? I've scoured the net but haven't been able to find one.

I know nothing about it, but that's cheap!

2) The amount of pressure the cartridge places on the record seems to be too light. There are passages where the music disappears. The turntable itself has a "Stylus Force Meter" which is always at zero when the stylus is engadged with the record. Is this normal? Is there some sort of adjustment I can make to increase the pressure the stylus makes with the record?

It sounds like your VTA, vertical tracking force, is set to zero. The weight it needs is determined my your cartridge but it should be between 1 and 2 grams, try for 1.5 and play with it. Turn that silver knob with the ridges on it on the end of the tone arm to move it in or out which will affect the tracking force by moving it (the counter weight) in or out. Move it a bit then sit the needle on a record with the motor turned off and read that little gauge, try again till you get it right. Ideally you would use a force gauge like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SFG-2-Stylus-Tracking-Force/dp/B00006I5SD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1212976685&sr=8-1

They can be had cheaper elsewhere, try ebay.

3) If I choose to purchase a new cartridge, my understanding of MM vs. MC is simply the 10x difference in the output achieved. Is it true that I can put a MM *or* a MC on any turntable? Or do some turntables require a particular type. If so, do you happen to know what type the AF-829 would require?

MM and MC can have the same output level, if it's a high output MC and a low output MM. Generally though, MC is much lower in output. You can put either on any table but need a phono stage to suit, unless you use a high output MC, then you can use a MM phono stage, but don't do that.

Here's some info:

http://www.needledoctor.com/core/media/media.nl?id=2701&c=ACCT106601&h=192e59a68f2e49fdd1f8&_xt=.html

If your headshell looks like this, with 2 bolts holding the cart on:



You can fit any cart out there more or less. I recommend this for a great cheapy:

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=ATC95E&Category_Code=A3

But play with your old one first, it may be ok. If it's damaged though, it could scratch records so be careful.

Good luck!

[notaclue]

Thank you very much to both of you for your replies.

[AliG]

why is LPgear selling everything at half of MSRP price?? What's the catch?

[stevenkelby]

why is LPgear selling everything at half of MSRP price?? What's the catch?

Dunno but I've bought a few times from them in the past and it's all been perfect, reasonable shipping etc.

Maybe they do big volumes or something but the carts and things I bought (ATOC9) are new and perfect.

[cwall99]

I've had an AF-829 since 1981 (though, until two weeks ago, it had spent about 99.99 % of the time in its original box).

You've probably already figured most of this stuff out, but...

The force gauge on the turntable measures the pressure the stylus is using on the disk you're playing (d-uh). To read it properly, put the tone arm in its home (non-playing position) and leave it unclamped. Then read the pressure on the green tracking force meter.

To increase your tracking force, twist the tone arm's counterweight clockwise (dialing it in closer to the fulcrum). If you're watching the green tracking force meter, and if it's not already solid green, you'll gradually see the meter turning green with the end of the green bar indicating your tracking force.

Obviously, twisting the counterweight counterclockwise will move the weight away from the tone arm's fulcrum point and reduce your tracking force (and you'll see the green tracking force meter moving toward zero (the position it's in when the tone arm is in the playing position).

The thin needle that sticks up through the post in the tone arm brack (that you lock the turntable into) is the sensor for this pressure gauge.

I use a Shure M97XE, and it has a carbon fiber brush that exerts a 0.5 gram upward force on the turntable, so I set my tracking force to about 1.625 grams for a net tracking force of 1.125 grams. I have to subtract that 0.5 push up from the brush to get my actual tracking force.

I love this turntable, though the bottom of it bowed out shortly after I got. Since the rubber feet are very low profile, I just got some thick rubber pads and put them under the feet.

[cwall99]

I did a couple of really basic mods for this turntable. Not really mods in the sense that I made any kind of mechanical or electronic modification, but, okay, I accessorized the table.

I bought a Mission platform that has these four rubber feet on it that are supposed to absorb or dampen all vibration coming up through the floor. The material the platform is made from is also suppose to dissipate incoming vibration. I also bought a new turntable mat from Mission made from the same rubber as the platform's feet, and to top it all off, I bought a simple turntable clamp that clamps down on the record by gripping the turntable's spindle.

If I'm correct (and this gear is all vintage 1981), I've done a pretty decent job of dampening out all the room's vibration - it doesn't hurt things much that my listening room is the only room in my house that's on a concrete slab.

Great photos of this turntable, by the way.