InsideTheDJBooth.com

Sep

24th

Tone Arm Set-Up For Vinyl Turntables

This weeks article we will focus on the basic settings for your tone arm and its counter parts!

Tone Arm-

On tables that allow you to adjust the height of the tone arm, you want to set the height so that the tone arm is completely horizontal when the needle is on the record. This gives the most contact between the needle and the vinyl giving a better pick up and making the needle more stable, this will also increase the life of the needle. Some scratch DJ’s like to have this set all the way up so the needle fits in the groove of the record better, but this does cause a lot of wear on the needle and record.

Counter Weight-

1 Put the counter-weight on the rear end of the tone-arm with the numbers facing the front end of the tone-arm that holds the cartridge

2 Release the clamp and lift the tone-arm of its rest

3 Turn the counter-weight clockwise or counter clockwise as needed to balance the tone-arm and cartridge, Turning the counter-weight clockwise will cause the cartridge end of the tone-arm to be lowered, Turning the
counter-weight counter clockwise will cause the cartridge end of the tone arm to be raised

4 The tone-arm should float with out either end higher or lower than the other, It should be perfectly horizontal

5 Return the tone-arm to its rest

6 While holding the counter-weight still, turn the number dial (not the entire counter-weight) just the number dial, until “0” is lined up on top with the centerline marked on the tone-arm

7 Take the tone-arm back off the rest to insure it is still equally balanced and the counter weight wasn’t moved while turning the number dial

8 Now you need to adjust the actual weight or “Stylus Pressure” applied to your cartridge, This is done by turning the counter-weight counter clockwise to the setting that is recommended by the manufacture of your cartridge

9 The average is between 1.5 and 4 grams, but once again check to see what the manufacture of your cartridge suggests

Anti-Skate-

There are several different settings depending on your own preferences and style of DJing when setting the Anti-Skate.

If you are a primarily a mixing DJ set it to equal the counter-weight setting. This setting will provide maximum sound quality and the least record wear.

If you are heavy handed while cueing, which makes the record skip, try putting the anti-skate a level lower than the counter-weight. This will cause less skipping when back-cueing a record, but you may lose some quality and records may wear faster.

If you are a Scratch-DJ set the anti-skate to “0”. This will mean that the record won't skip while you pull it backwards, but you will lose sound quality and your records will endure a lot of wear.

Rubber Mats-

The rubber mats still need to be removed and replaced with slip mats. Even though you're not intrested in scratching now, you will still be doing minor scratching " baby scratch" while back cueing and over all beat mixing if your one to make adjustments by hand instead of just using the pitch control. However if you find your self later wanting to put all your wonderful vinly on to CD, you would want to put the rubber mats back on so that you can get the best possible sound with out the record sliding around.