cartridges & Needles.

[upstateface]

And this is sort of different for an Ortofon? No need for a headshell?

Where is the cost, is it in the cartridge or the needle?

Ortofon has a headshell integrated into the cartridge. Do not get them as they fuck up your vinyls. But cartridges come with a needle.

[tz2010]

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

[nowaysj]

And this is sort of different for an Ortofon? No need for a headshell?

Where is the cost, is it in the cartridge or the needle?

Ortofon has a headshell integrated into the cartridge. Do not get them as they fuck up your vinyls. But cartridges come with a needle.

I'm looking to buy a used 1200 with a blue ortofon cartridge, but it needs a stylus... hmm.

[upstateface]

And this is sort of different for an Ortofon? No need for a headshell?

Where is the cost, is it in the cartridge or the needle?

Ortofon has a headshell integrated into the cartridge. Do not get them as they fuck up your vinyls. But cartridges come with a needle.

I'm looking to buy a used 1200 with a blue ortofon cartridge, but it needs a stylus... hmm.

Don't do it ortofon styluses are $$$, and they are bad for your vinyls anyways.

[nowaysj]

Maybe homie can hook me up w/ a stanton, thanks for the help, brodrick.

[sebjx]

Don't do it ortofon styluses are $$$, and they are bad for your vinyls anyways.

The ortofon headshell/cartridge set up or the OMs too? I'm thinking about getting OMs. So confusing tho as someone earlier in the thread mentioned that 447s can ruin your record too!

[staticcast]

Don't do it ortofon styluses are $$$, and they are bad for your vinyls anyways.

The ortofon headshell/cartridge set up or the OMs too? I'm thinking about getting OMs. So confusing tho as someone earlier in the thread mentioned that 447s can ruin your record too!

It tends to depend more on tracking weight and stylus shape than brand of cartridge. As I understand it, elliptical styli contact more of the surface of the (V-shaped) groove and offer higher fidelity, but cause more wear. Spherical styli only contact two points of the groove and cause ostensibly less wear, but this wear is more uneven. There are diagrams on the web somewhere, maybe the Ortofon site.

Poorly set up cartridges cause more wear - so if you have anything other than 1210s, get the OM mounting so that you can adjust the angle of the cartridge on the headshell. AFAIK all of the Ortofon DJ cartridges are available as either OM or Concorde. The OMs are actually cheaper if you already have a headshell.

[sebjx]

once again, thanks a lot. done some more reading and found out loads more

[Sharmaji]

i have the ortofon elektro's-- indestructible.

though the definitely eat up acetates.

were i buying needs/carts right now, i'd definitely go shure, either m83's (i think that's it? the non-scratching ones) or the white labels.

never upset when i see white labels in a club.

[nowaysj]

Bit embarrassing here but I cannot figure out the tone arm setup for the stanton 680HP.

I've searched the shit out of google, and am just turning up GARBAGE. Any one know:

Anti-skate, Tone Arm Height, and Counterweight settings for a 1200 m3d?

[abZ]

Bit embarrassing here but I cannot figure out the tone arm setup for the stanton 680HP.

I've searched the shit out of google, and am just turning up GARBAGE. Any one know:

Anti-skate, Tone Arm Height, and Counterweight settings for a 1200 m3d?

I could propably sort you out bu I'm at the bar right now pm and I'll get at you tomorrow I you can wait.

[staticcast]

Bit embarrassing here but I cannot figure out the tone arm setup for the stanton 680HP.

I've searched the shit out of google, and am just turning up GARBAGE. Any one know:

Anti-skate, Tone Arm Height, and Counterweight settings for a 1200 m3d?

Anti-skate is needle independent. When you're using an S-shaped tone arm (like a 1210), the force of the record pulling the needle forward is off-axis to the centre of rotation of the tone arm, so the tone arm is pulled in towards the centre of the record slightly. Anti-skate counteracts this, AFAIK by tilting the arm slightly. You set it by playing a blank record (eg a one sided pressing) and adjusting until the needle don't skate no more. Usually this is 3-4ish. If you scratch, set it to zero.

Tone arm height is usually set so that the tone arm is horizontal.

Counterweight settings depend on the needle, can't help you here. Should say in the manual. Or google "stanton 680hp tracking force" or something.

[nowaysj]

Yeah, am turning up garbage trying to find the right counter weight for this cartridge. Bought it used so no manual. Best I can find says 2-5 grams of tracking force... but... I don't know how much the headshell weighs. But check it: I've been following this protocol: I balance the arm so it hangs flat by adjusting the back part of the counter weight. The need balances and hangs over the record. Then I try to set the proper tracking force... this is where I go wrong, any setting from there from 0 - 4, the max on the 1200, the needle just doesn't track at all.

[staticcast]

Yeah, am turning up garbage trying to find the right counter weight for this cartridge. Bought it used so no manual. Best I can find says 2-5 grams of tracking force... but... I don't know how much the headshell weighs. But check it: I've been following this protocol: I balance the arm so it hangs flat by adjusting the back part of the counter weight. The need balances and hangs over the record. Then I try to set the proper tracking force... this is where I go wrong, any setting from there from 0 - 4, the max on the 1200, the needle just doesn't track at all.

If you set the weight to zero first with the tonearm balancing, then the headshell weight doesn't matter. Tracking force is "weight over balancing point". You can exceed 4 grams on 1210s, the scale just doesn't go up that high. If you're bottoming out the counterweight, stick a penny on the headshell (obviously you'll need to re-zero the weight) or turn the counterweight around so the dial is on the outside.

My 680V3 carts want 2-5 grams so I'd guess that the older 680s want something similar.

[nowaysj]

ah so....



The gram dial keeps going past 4... okay, now we're getting somewhere.

Okay, so just had it balanced, at 0, turned the gram dial past 3.5 and then past 0 all the way to 1 (which is now 5) and the needle is just barely touching the record?

[staticcast]

ah so....



The gram dial keeps going past 4... okay, now we're getting somewhere.

Okay, so just had it balanced, at 0, turned the gram dial past 3.5 and then past 0 all the way to 1 (which is now 5) and the needle is just barely touching the record?

Ok, uh, you *have* lowered the needle with the little lever by the tonearm mounting, right? Failing that, sounds like your tonearm assembly needs lowering (unlock and turn the big round thing on which it's mounted).

[nowaysj]

hahaha, good call, when dealing with an idiot, mention the obvious. Unfortunately, yes, I've dropped the needle .

Yeah, lower the tone arm. Lemme check that out. THX

Edit, nope, still skipping.

[staticcast]

hahaha, good call, when dealing with an idiot, mention the obvious. Unfortunately, yes, I've dropped the needle .

Yeah, lower the tone arm. Lemme check that out. THX

Edit, nope, still skipping.

While we're on mentioning the obvious, just checking you're setting the counterweight dial to zero when the thing is just balancing, right? So your reading of "5" or whatever is "balancing plus 5"?

Tonearm should be horizontal when lowered onto the record.

Other things to check, off the top of my head:

- Make sure the cartridge is aligned to the record; the needle should be tangential to the groove. Fix it with the two little screws. More often than not if it's aligned with the headshell it's aligned with the record but not necessarily.

- Make sure the tonearm isn't twisted (probably the wrong word, but hopefully you get me). If you look at the needle head on while it's on the record, the bottom of the cartridge shouldn't be rolling one way or another. If it is, try a minimal amount of brute force, usually that helps unless the thing's been dropped upside down or something

- Make sure the cartridge isn't bottoming out. The bottom of the cartridge might be very close to the record but it shouldn't be touching

- Umm.... make sure the needle hasn't gathered loads of fluff and the record is clean

- Try another record?

[nowaysj]

I was doing something so stupid... I don't even know how to explain this. Maybe I'll leave it at this: I got this fixed. Thanks for all of the help.