Origin Live All non dual pivot arms - Manual (Page 6)

Page6
Alignment for hi-fi cartridges needs to be optimised in three
different planes. However, it cannot be perfect in all three planes,
so it must be optimised for an overall best balance or compromise.
The fi nal authority should always be your ears and preferably over
an extended period of listening. Bear in mind that each record is
cut slightly differently. Here again, optimise for an overall balance
of good sound over a wide range of records. The three alignment
planes are as follows. (Please note that it is the stylus, not the
cartridge that is being aligned.)
Lateral tracking angle
Viewed from above, the hi-fi cartridges arcing movement across
the record must maintain the stylus in the same relation to the
groove as that of the cutting stylus’s straight-line tracking; this is
Lateral Tracking Angle, or Tangency. Apart from linear tracking
arms this is always a matter of the best compromise.
Azimuth
Viewed from head on, the stylus must be perpendicular in the
groove so as not to favour one groove wall, and therefore one
channel, over the other wall/channel; this is Azimuth.
Vertical tracking angle (VTA)
Viewed from the side, the stylus must sit correctly in the groove, at
the same angle as the original cutter; this is Vertical Tracking/Stylus
Rake Angle. (VTA, however, varies from record to record due to
their varying thicknesses. Therefore, this alignment must be set by
ear, even more than is the case with the other adjustments).
HI-FI CARTRIDGE ALIGNING TOOLS
Tools required are an alignment gauge, a ruler, a tracking force
gauge, a FLAT record, a screwdriver or Allen keys of the right size
(usually 2mm), a good light may also be helpful. Small needle-nose
pliers and a magnifying glass all help. It also helps to have the hi-fi
news test record. Treat the arm with care as some parts are fragile.
To this end ensure that tightening of any bolts is carried out gently
and without causing undue strain.
Tonearm wiring uses a standard color code for channel and polarity
identifi cation: White = L Hot, Blue = L Ground, Red = R Hot,
and Green = R Ground. If the cartridge pins aren’t color-coded
the same way, they will have letter identifi cations next to them.
Make sure that the arm’s wires, wire clips, and solder joints are
in very good condition. At minimum, clean the contact between
cartridge pins and wire clips by removing and replacing each clip.
Holding the clips with needle-nose pliers can make this easier, but
be careful that you don’t strain the wires where they join the clip.
Check the clips for a proper fi t on the cartridge pins, and adjust
them if necessary. “Proper” means snug but not tight. To check
clip size, hold the cartridge tail-up close to the head wires, grasp
a clip fi rmly right behind its tubular part with the tweezers, line
it up with the cartridge pin, and press. If it does not slide on with
moderate force, the clip needs opening-up. If it slides on easily but
fl ops around when attached, it needs tightening. Re-sizing is the
operation most likely to detach a clip. The trick is to avoid bending
the wire at its attachment point or putting too much tension on
it. To avoid either, always hold the clip with its wire slightly slack-
looped behind it while adjusting. For opening a clip, hold it fi rmly
with the tweezers or needle-noses, right behind its tubular section,
and press the tip of the jeweler’s screwdriver into the open end of its
longitudinal slot until you see this widen very slightly. (Here’s where
you’ll probably need the headband magnifi er or reading glasses.)
You’re dealing with thousandths of an inch here, so a barely visible
spreading may be all that’s needed. Try it for fi t, and repeat until it
does. For tightening a clip, press a toothpick inside it as far as it will
go, then use the needle-nose pliers to gently squeeze together the
sides of the clip near its free end, while watching the slot for any
change. (Attempting to squeeze a clip without the toothpick inside
it will fl atten its sides.) Try it for size, and resqueeze if necessary
until the fi t is correct. When it is, close up the middle section of the
tube to match the end
Proper care and maintenance
of Hi-Fi cartridges & records
C A R E O F C A R T R I D G E S C A R E O F C A R T R I D G E S
Replace your cartridge when due - hi-fi cartridges have a lifespan
for their cantilever suspensions and stylus needles. This will vary
from manufacturer and type of cartridge as well as other factors
like the cleanliness of your record and the care you take of the
cartridge. It is wise to enquire on the expected life of your cartridge
to the manufacturer so that when the time comes it is replaced
accordingly - most importantly this will preserve your records as
well as enable you to enjoy the best performance.
If there is a build-up of dust and dirt where the needle enters the
cartridge body you should use a small soft brush to brush the debris
out. Always brush from the direction of the cantilever to the stylus
or you may do damage.
Care of stylus - One well known method of cleaning stylus is the
Linn green stuff which is a very fi ne abrasive paper - this may just
be OK on some cartridges which do not have fi ne stylus tips and
fragile cantilever mechanisms. However there is a danger of causing
fractures or chips on your diamond stylus on certain fi neline tips.
This method can also strain the cantilever mechanism.
There are a number of fl uids on the market that increase stylus
life and help to clean gunge from the needle - a word of caution
though - some of these can loosen the stylus glue on the cantilever
over time - some fl uids can also attack the cantilever or coil material
itself or harden the suspension - consult your cartridge manufacturer
over this. One key factor is to use the liquid very sparingly on a
cotton bud such that it is just damp (not running with fl uid) - this
minimises the fl uid which can run up inside the cartridge.
RECORD CARE AND CLEANING
The stylus itself does a pretty good job of cleaning the grooves and
should itself therefore be kept clean. The proprietary brushes etc.
for cleaning records will often do little more than brush dirt deeper
into the record grooves and are best avoided if possible. Also keep
records in high quality non-scratch record sleeves - preferably good
ones.
A record cleaning machine is really the only answer for cleaning
records properly as they suck out the debris and dust in the record
grooves using a powerful vacuum. Tests using a microscope prove
that this does the job with 100% success. The performance
improvement is also very noticeable when it comes to even new
records being played. We supply and highly recommend the Moth
record cleaning machine as this is very effective from personal
experience and comes with many glowing endorsements – see our
web site for details and reviews.