replacement end stub and counterweight?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Since im now settled on my Philips cart i thought id look into getting a more suitable counterweight!
This cart is 6g and it would seem that this is the limit for the stock counterweight as it is practically hanging off the end of the end stub!

when I had my jelco, the heavier weight that sat right close to the pivot seemed to make things sound better too ...

so, what are my options

i was thinking a technoweight would be the perfect option

http://www.michell-engineering.co.uk/tonearm.html

but it says "One counterweight matches cartridges of 3 to 6g mass, the other is for cartridges of 7 to 13g"

am i not just going to be in the same situation again?

so is there a solution

or any other to consider?

this one looks interesting ...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XTCW-REGA-NAD-UPGRADE-FINE-ADJUST-COUNTERWEIGHT-/120704719327?pt=Turntable_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c1a8fd9df#ht_938wt_1139

...

also will i be able to swap the end stub and cw my self?

[Batty]

J7 at Audio Origami can make one to suite for you.

I use the Origin Live stub/counterweight, very simple DIY swap.

[Rare Bird]

I'd personally go for Michell. Hi-Fi Dave should be able to sort you out with one

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I am going to send the philips to j7 ... When i can peel my self away from it ... I could, I suppose ask him to make one to suit and send it back with the cart ...

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I'd personally go for Michell. Hi-Fi Dave should be able to sort you out with one

What about my weight issue though Andre ... Am I not just going to have the same issue?

[Stratmangler]

Personally I'd also go for the Tecnoweight - from Michell's own site http://www.michell-engineering.co.uk/tonearm.html

[The Vinyl Adventure]

... But what about my current issue???????

[The Vinyl Adventure]

The lighter one would be too light requiring it to be right at the end of the stub ... Liketye stock weight and te heavier one would be too heavy ... No??

[Stratmangler]

So what's the recommended VTF for your cart ?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

0.75g - 1.5g

[Rare Bird]

Techno weight has two weights will suit cartridge mass 3-6g/ 7-13g

[Stratmangler]

So you're looking at 7ish grammes counterweight. No ?

[Stratmangler]

0.75g tracking is a bit optimistic - you're looking more likely at 1.5g

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I see... So as long as I was happy a 1g tracking I could have the heavy one right up against the pivot end of the stub...
I'm with ya!
Well that at least gives me more options then...
Cheers!
I would have thought you lot had worked out that I need things explained to me in great detail by now ;)

[Rare Bird]

Your 412.II is 5.5g Mass

I'll send you some lit

[The Vinyl Adventure]

0.75g tracking is a bit optimistic - you're looking more likely at 1.5g

It's just under a g at the mo ... Not that I have measured it exactly ... But that's what I set it on the dial

[Rare Bird]

Dial! only one dial & thats the anti skate

[The Vinyl Adventure]

... Eh?
No the dial for the tracking weight (top right in pic) ... Te antiskate just pulls in and out and doesn't even have numbers on it! (under arm) ... Either that or I have been labouring under some fairly major misconceptions!!!

http://www.analogueseduction.net/pub/files/tonearms/.thumbnails/1247380705_regarb301_w390_h390.jpg

[Stratmangler]

You don't expect the Rega downforce dial to be accurate do you ?
Get a proper stylus balance.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I expect it to be acurate enough for me to give a shit about ;)
Its pretty spot on to be fair .. I have some mini scales that I used the first time I set it up ..

[Rare Bird]

Sorry Hamish my appologies i forgot you don't have the 'RB300'..in that case their should be grooves on that shaft of 1g increasements.

[Stratmangler]

Magnetic scales perchance ?
Your cartridge has what inside it ?
Whats does N-N or S-S do ?
Similarly N-S or S-N does what ?
So your readings will likely be out.
On top of that,the Rega dial varies the tension of a spring - as such it cannot be trusted.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

The technoweight is still suitable for the 301 is it?

Yeah, there are some groves although I don't remember it being 3 of them ... I have a sheet of smooth plastic the shape of a record, I put that on the platter, place the cart down on it, set it playing and adjust the antiskate so the tonearm doesn't pull either way .. Don't know if thats right, but it made sence to me :)

[The Grand Wazoo]

Why don't you just make the one you've got a bit heavier? Get yerself a strip of lead & wrap it round the whole weight.

[hifi_dave]

The Rega tracking weight dial is as accurate as most separate scales. There is no point in getting paranoid about 1/100 th gram either way.

The bias/anti-skate has an approximate scale but for a more accurate setting you can lower the cartridge into a long run out groove and observe which way it moves.

The RB301 has a stainless steel end stub. Paying money for 'tweaky' versions is a total waste of money, especially when most I have seen are as rough as a badger's arse. I set up a 'tweaked' RB 250 a couple of weeks ago which had a gold plated end stub and weight. The end stub was so badly turned that I had great trouble in siting the c/weight accurately. The Rega one is a joy.

Rega have an extra heavy stainless c/weight at £28.

[DSJR]

FFS PEOPLE!!!!! Listen to dave and I will ya!!!!!!!

Rega make a heavier counterweight for the 300 series and yes, the tracking force spring has been carefully designed to be pretty accurate enough for 1g tracking. Why do you guys think that Rega are so incompetent that they don't know what they're doing on an arm design that has now been around for nearly thirty years?????

A Techno-weight and all the other expensive after-market bodges for Rega tonearms are made primarily for the more basic RB250/251 series. I believe Rega may still have the original tungsten counterweight available too, which came in two weights.

[Rare Bird]

Hamish ought to have bought the 'RB300' with Tungsten weight i was selling a bit back, i couldnt believe it took me so long to shift, i didnt even want top dollar for it either!

[DSJR]

Such is life Andr'e. The tungsten counterweight is far more expensive to make and I believe it's now only provided as standard on the upper-model Rega arms.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

nothing is ever simple is it ...
i wish i could get a straight answer sometimes!
i appreciate the input ... but im not any clearer really ...

[DSJR]

A heavier counterweight is available - ask Hifi dave.

The Rega tracking force dial is perfectly accurate for 1g downforce.

The bias setting has to be a compromise, as different stylus profiles need different settings. from out-of-date experience on older RB arms, a bias setting of around a quarter-pull-out should be enough with luck.

Clear enough for you mate?

[vinylspinner]

Hamish,

I have a Techno weight that you can borrow and try out before you buy one if you like. I must say though that the 301 is a better arm than the previous version imho and their tungston weight may be a cheaper option for you.

Also some of these cheap scales are not suitable for pick up cartridges, far better to use a balance type like the Ortofon or Shure, just my experience.

Nigel

[vinylspinner]

Hamish,

Another option is a simple stainless steel washer slid over the stub and butted up against the original weight, most engineering supplies will have some of various weights and sizes, just use a little blue tack between the two to stop movement.

Nigel

[DSJR]

My personal experience of the Shure stylus balance is that it isn't any more accurate than many popular tonearms. The Michell/Transcriptors stylus scales using a uni-pivot balance and precision calibrated weights are significantly more accurate (20th of a gramme from memory), essential for the half-gramme trackers of the early 70's which it was designed for.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Hamish,

I have a Techno weight that you can borrow and try out before you buy one if you like. I must say though that the 301 is a better arm than the previous version imho and their tungston weight may be a cheaper option for you.

Also some of these cheap scales are not suitable for pick up cartridges, far better to use a balance type like the Ortofon or Shure, just my experience.

Nigel

That would be great mate ...

If I compare it too the current weight with added mass I can see if the underslung weights make any odds to my ear ... ...


Had a brief chat with hifi save today and feel a bit more informed now ... Cheers Dave, perhaps you could find out cost of a tungsten weight as well as a heavy one for me ... If that's ok???? ... If they aren't the same thing???

[hifi_dave]

OK, as I said earlier, it is not necessary to replace the end stub. The RB301 end stub is as good as it gets. You could replace it for many Pounds with a poorly machined, poorly finished bodge job as I have seen many times. So keep the standard one.

To balance your Philips cartridge, Rega have two c/weights to suit - an extra heavy Tungsten job at £100 retail and a heavy stainless steel type at £28. Both will do the job and are guaranteed to be a good fit and are beautifully finished.

If you just want a temporary fix and can lay your hands on a strip of lead or pile of very large washers etc, you can 'modify' your present c/weight for minimal outlay.