Question How to install a new cartridge

A question.

Rockchild

Formerly Radiant Red 🎶
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I think this might be a frequently used topic.
What are the correct steps? What tools are needed?
Any good online movies that guide you through the process perhaps?
I did suggest a vinyl section in the suggestion pages to be introduced for this very reason amongst others but it never got replied to so I deleted it.
So many times these questions get asked. It would have saved a lot of time.
 

rabski

Everything in moderation
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Lots of members suggested a separate vinyl section made no sense, as there are already possibly too many sub-sections, and anyway, a lot of topics cross over. Most of it sensibly belongs in 2-channel and the idea of the section here, is to bring tohether and have a home for all the 'frequently asked questions'.
 

Rockchild

Formerly Radiant Red 🎶
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Jonathan
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  1. No
Lots of members suggested a separate vinyl section made no sense, as there are already possibly too many sub-sections, and anyway, a lot of topics cross over. Most of it sensibly belongs in 2-channel and the idea of the section here, is to bring tohether and have a home for all the 'frequently asked questions'.
It would certainly be more popular than Headphones! Agree about too many subsections but having the most popular subjects would make more sense.
 
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Jules_S

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Tool no. 1 should be a steady hand! Fitting a cartridge can be quite a fiddly job, especially for those of us who don't do it that often, and of course the mental pressure to not damage anything increases exponentially with the price of the cartridge.... 😁

Other tips -
  • DO NOT WEAR A JUMPER OR OTHER LONG-SLEEVED CLOTHING when fitting or aligning a cartridge!
  • Be sober and not hung-over when you attempt it (seriously, accuracy is all when doing this stuff)
  • If you are fitting an MM cartridge then it can help reduce the risk of damage if you remove the stylus from the cartridge body to begin with and store it somewhere safe, at least until the body is physically fitted and connected. Obviously you'll need it put back in place before alignment
  • Tools I'd suggest to add to the collection are:
    • a pair of good tweezers for plugging or unplugging the cartridge tags. Tiny pliers can work but it's easy to apply too much pressure and squash the tags so tweezers are probably a safer bet
    • small Allen keys (often supplied with the cartridge along with a spanner)
    • a set of tiny (jewellers or hobby) screwdrivers
    • a good quality magnifying glass or jeweller's loupe and a small LED torch or lamp that you can position and angle to get a good spread of light around & under the cartridge
    • a cartridge alignment gauge of your choice (everyone seems to have a favourite, from a printed card disc you put on the platter, to one of the Dr. Feickert / Pro-Ject Align-It / Brinkmann / Clearaudio type tools
    • A VTA / azimuth alignment block (usually a lump of acrylic with etched parallel lines you can use to align the tonearm or cart / headshell)
    • a test disc (like the Hi Fi News one) can be useful for checking the results but don't get too hung up on things like the tracking ability tests - as I've found out personally. Easy to think your cartridge is a terrible tracker, then find out that in the real world of actual music LPs it's fine. The channel orientation and phase tests are useful though, as are the vertical and horizontal resonant frequency tests
    • a decent VTF (downforce) gauge. Simple ones like the Ortofon balance scales avoid potential issues with electronic ones but I find it a bit fiddly to use and not so easy to get a very accurate downforce. Electronic scales work well but be cautious about purchase, some members have found that what looks like an identical model actually has a ferrous plate to rest the stylus on and interaction with the cartridge magnet can affect the results
    • a knackered old LP is useful to plonk on the platter to help with VTA alignment so you can approximate playing height
Keep the work area immediately around the end of the arm clear so you minimise the risk of accidentally knocking a tool into the cartridge. Keep tools to hand but not right next to the cart.

As a number of people including @Lurch have mentioned in other threads, avoid the assumption that the cartridge body and the cantilever are in perfect alignment with each other. Not always the case, and hence alignment should be referenced to the cantilever and not the body to minimise tracking errors

When fitting the cartridge to the headshell initially, just hand-tighten the bolts so that the body doesn't move around on its own, but just loose enough that it can be repositioned by hand. Once you have eventually confirmed alignment you can "nip" them up to ensure the cartridge is fixed (being careful that the cartridge doesn't move as you tighten the bolts - do it alternately and just a little bit at a time, back and forth between them). Don't over-tighten the bolts

I find this guide from the Origin Live website to be really useful for setting out the steps involved and showing some useful photos:

https://www.originlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Cartridge-Set-up-instructions-general.pdf
 
Last edited:

MVJ

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Apr 9, 2020
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Tool no. 1 should be a steady hand! Fitting a cartridge can be quite a fiddly job, especially for those of us who don't do it that often, and of course the mental pressure to not damage anything increases exponentially with the price of the cartridge.... 😁

Other tips -
  • DO NOT WEAR A JUMPER OR OTHER LONG-SLEEVED CLOTHING when fitting or aligning a cartridge!
  • Be sober and not hung-over when you attempt it (seriously, accuracy is all when doing this stuff)
  • If you are fitting an MM cartridge then it can help reduce the risk of damage if you remove the stylus from the cartridge body to begin with and store it somewhere safe, at least until the body is physically fitted and connected. Obviously you'll need it put back in place before alignment
  • Tools I'd suggest to add to the collection are:
    • a pair of good tweezers for plugging or unplugging the cartridge tags. Tiny pliers can work but it's easy to apply too much pressure and squash the tags so pliers are probably a safer bet
    • small Allen keys (often supplied with the cartridge along with a spanner)
    • a set of tiny (jewellers or hobby) screwdrivers
    • a good quality magnifying glass or jeweller's loupe and a small LED torch or lamp that you can position and angle to get a good spread of light around & under the cartridge
    • a cartridge alignment gauge of your choice (everyone seems to have a favourite, from a printed card disc you put on the platter, to one of the Dr. Feickert / Pro-Ject Align-It / Brinkmann / Clearaudio type tools
    • A VTA / azimuth alignment block (usually a lump of acrylic with etched parallel lines you can use to align the tonearm or cart / headshell)
    • a test disc (like the Hi Fi News one) can be useful for checking the results but don't get too hung up on things like the tracking ability tests - as I've found out personally. Easy to think your cartridge is a terrible tracker, then find out that in the real world of actual music LPs it's fine. The channel orientation and phase tests are useful though, as are the vertical and horizontal resonant frequency tests
    • a decent VTF (downforce) gauge. Simple ones like the Ortofon balance scales avoid potential issues with electronic ones but I find it a bit fiddly to use and not so easy to get a very accurate downforce. Electronic scales work well but be cautious about purchase, some members have found that what looks like an identical model actually has a ferrous plate to rest the stylus on and interaction with the cartridge magnet can affect the results
    • a knackered old LP is useful to plonk on the platter to help with VTA alignment so you can approximate playing height
Keep the work area immediately around the end of the arm clear so you minimise the risk of accidentally knocking a tool into the cartridge. Keep tools to hand but not right next to the cart.

As a number of people including @Lurch have mentioned in other threads, avoid the assumption that the cartridge body and the cantilever are in perfect alignment with each other. Not always the case, and hence alignment should be referenced to the cantilever and not the body to minimise tracking errors

When fitting the cartridge to the headshell initially, just hand-tighten the bolts so that the body doesn't move around on its own, but just loose enough that it can be repositioned by hand. Once you have eventually confirmed alignment you can "nip" them up to ensure the cartridge is fixed (being careful that the cartridge doesn't move as you tighten the bolts - do it alternately and just a little bit at a time, back and forth between them). Don't over-tighten the bolts

I find this guide from the Origin Live website to be really useful for setting out the steps involved and showing some useful photos:

https://www.originlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Cartridge-Set-up-instructions-general.pdf
Tool no.1 (that'll be me then😝) Seriously thats why I sold my Michell Oddessy and invested the money in a Technics TT as I could remove the headshell to fit the cart.

I could'nt fit one to my SME V tonearm With my numb fingers I had some close calls I can tell you😱😱
 

lostwin

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They're good, but better still get the similar one that has a stand, unless you are endowed with three arms and hands, they're a godsend.
Fair enough, I feel the handheld gives a lot more flexibility for the task in hand, particularly cart set up. Happy to accept each as their own though, as in much of this hobby.
 

John (big)

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I use a pair of artery forceps/hemostat with a slight curve about 6" long, in use by me held on thumb & little finger guided/supported by the index finger as surgeons sometimes do, though any finger works except index finger. I take glove size 11 with thick fingers not the most dexterous hands, the forceps help, I have used them for years when fishing.
I also use an illuminated "helping hand" my wife bought me I also have multi lense illuminated magnifying glasses. I also find not breathing & praying helps.

1665832402757.jpeg
 
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Beobloke

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Fitting a cartridge is a doddle. The steps are as follows:

(1) Remove cartridge from box
(2) Push into socket at end of arm. Use fingernail carefully to flip stylus guard up.
(3) Zero balance arm
(4) Set tracking force to recommended value - usually 1.2g
(5) Play records.

DISCLAIMER
This method works perfectly for all B&O turntables using MMCx series cartridges. Other turntables and cartridges may need one or two additional steps.

:)
 

FunkyMonkey

The Directwave
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Nov 28, 2016
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Derek
HiFi Trade?
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Fitting a cartridge is a doddle. The steps are as follows:

(1) Remove cartridge from box
(2) Push into socket at end of arm. Use fingernail carefully to flip stylus guard up.
(3) Zero balance arm
(4) Set tracking force to recommended value - usually 1.2g
(5) Play records.

DISCLAIMER
This method works perfectly for all B&O turntables using MMCx series cartridges. Other turntables and cartridges may need one or two additional steps.

:)
Additional steps are:
Set tracking weight as per manufactures instructions. Usually a max and min is stated, so start off with the mean value of the max and min.

Place an (old) record on the TT.

With the stylus set down on the record set the Vertical tracking angle (VTA) by checking if the tonearm wand is parallel with the surface of the record. If not RAISE THE stylus from the record and adjusting the height of the tonearm pivot at the mount point. A set screw is usually located at the tonearm mounting collar for this purpose. Then lower the stylus and repeat above if not still not parallel.

Recheck the tracking weigh as this will change with VTA adjustment.

Set the Azimuth of the cartridge such that the stylus is perpendicular to the record when viewed from the front of the headshell. Adjust as required.

Use a cartridge alignment protractors to set minimum tracking error at 2 point along the stylus tracking arc.

For a full demo of this procedure look up 'Michael Fremer Cartridge Alignment' on YouTube.

Sit back and bask in glorious music reproduced at infinite sampling rate!
 

Lawrence001

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Jul 21, 2015
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Lawrence
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Fitting a cartridge is a doddle. The steps are as follows:

(1) Remove cartridge from box
(2) Push into socket at end of arm. Use fingernail carefully to flip stylus guard up.
(3) Zero balance arm
(4) Set tracking force to recommended value - usually 1.2g
(5) Play records.

DISCLAIMER
This method works perfectly for all B&O turntables using MMCx series cartridges. Other turntables and cartridges may need one or two additional steps.

:)
Do you have any tips for Crosley turntables?
 

Lawrence001

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Lawrence
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Joking aside, one more tip beside being sober and not hungover is take a break if you're getting frustrated. Something I've learnt to my cost (but not the first time unfortunately).
 
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TIU

Artist and daft as a brush
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No you can't beat a chunky pair of pliers, if it's not going well you can always bash it in with a bit weight behind them 😂
'Is that a new cartridge you're fitting dear? It's a nice black.'

Black, BLACK! Little diamond, I'm going to crush you... :LOL:
 

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