[rcag_ils]

I read all the tonearms and cartridges instructions that I can get my hands on thanks for vinylengine.com.

Basically, the tonearm (SME and others) need to be parallel with the record during play, and the cartridge body needs to be perpendicular and form a 90 degree angle with the record plane (in the case of Grado), then you have Mike Fremer's SRA, VTA stuff.......

I've decided to forget all that. Empire tonearm can never be parallel with the record during play if it has a grado on it, because it'll never clear the record when move the tonearm over it.

Now I adjust the tonearm by ear, lowering the tonearm gives you more bass, and raising it gives you more treble, I adjust the arm when the sound is balanced, and neutral, of course I use my reference record (Nautilus Joan Baez Diamond and Rust) for this adjustment.

The result of this method is far more satisfactory than measuring and peeking at here and there.

[Wayner]

I've decided to forget all that. Empire tonearm can never be parallel with the record during play if it has a grado on it, because it'll never clear the record when move the tonearm over it.

Shims/spacers under tone arm? I'm assuming you have the older 208/298 Empire as the 598/698 arms can easily be raised or lowered for proper clearance.

Wayner

[rcag_ils]

It's the cueing in the Empire tonearm that doesn't raise the arm high enough to clear the record when it's adjusted to be paralled with the record surface while playing. So the arm needs to be ajusted higher to clear the record, but then it won't be parallel with the record during play.

(But maybe Empire was thinking about that 92 degrees, so it was designed in such a way purposely, I can't confirm, however).

[Wayner]

What cartridge do you have in it?

W

[rcag_ils]

I now have a Sumiko Oyster, but I tried Grado and old Pickering before, they have similar height.

PS.Also a little thing I've found is, the original feet of the Empire is very small, and the tonearm cable is very stiff and has to come out at the very bottom of the base. Sometimes the cable gets caught there and pushes the platter upward and making the platter unleveled. Empire owner beware.

[Wayner]

Drill a .75 diameter hole in the wood cabinet about 1 1/4 inches from wood edge to center of hole, at the tone arm location. Pass the interconnect cable thru the hole. It will relieve pressure on the suspension and solve that problem. Don't drill into your tonearm or the cable.

The Empire 698 is actually modified like this to relieve pressure from the cable on the suspension.

Wayner

[rcag_ils]

Thanks for the advice Wayne, but I prefer to keep all my vintage stuff unmolested, just a personal preference.

[Wayner]

OK, I understand that. Then you could put the table on a small butcherblock cutting board, then put 3 to 4 hockey pucks under the board and drill a hole directly under the tone arm for the cable. It can go down the hole and come out from under the table, from the space made by the hockey pucks. This will also free up the suspension. The table will be quieter if you do this (if you want).

Wayner

[rcag_ils]

I had to lower the empire tonearm until the stylus to record distance's only 1/4" when the cueing is up, in order to get optimal sound, and the tonearm is not quite, but close to parallel to the record surface. But it sounds so wonderful now.