Setting up a new tonearm

[Zoidburg]

So as luck would have it I will shortly be changing from my current rb300 to a newly acquired "The Wand" tone arm (collecting it on Saturday).

Which leads me to the actual fitting of the new arm, since I have no experience of this sort of thing at all I wondered if anyone can offer any hints and tips to make this operation run as smoothly as possible, Ideally avoiding all possible "newby" mistakes that could potentially befall me.

So what should I be on the lookout for folks? Also do I need to take any measurements of the existing set up to make sure that the new arm is positioned exactly the same?

I know the seller of my new arm has advised that it comes with complete fitting instructions so will obviously be working to these as well (especially when it comes to fitting / positioning of the cartridge). However another thing that concerns me (mildly) is that it is a unitpivot which again I have no experience of at all.

So Kindly / knowledgeable members of AOS here's where I'm looking for your guidance please :eyebrows::):eyebrows::):eyebrows::):)

Failing that anyone local to Liverpool who has a spare hour or two to help out could be rewarded with never-ended tea / biscuits and maybe even a beer or 3.

Cheers folks!

[Andrei]

Sorry Ben I can be of no help, but I would be interested in hearing comparative results.
I certainly prefer to have an experienced hand on the job, but I have 'done the deed' on my own. Just do it at a time when you are not on any sort of deadline.

[Beobloke]

Ben,

Don't panic! One of the things I loved the most about the Wand (other than its performance, obviously!) was the fact that it comes with an absolutely magnificent piece of machined metal that is an all-in-one positioning tool, alignment gauge and spanner for all the bits that need tightening, adjusting or tweaking. Even better, the instructions were clear and contained the perfect combination of descriptive (but not over-wordy) text and well-judged pictures.

Frankly, I can think of one or two "established" arm manufacturers who would do well to take a leaf out of DBL's book in this respect.

[struth]

I take it Ben that the wand is a straight drop in to the rb300 hole in the SRM? Always looking for possibilities for my Arezzo.
Alas I can't help re the installation but beobloke makes a good point re the info you'll be getting with the arm and sure you'll do it no problem!

[YNWaN]

Presumably you have ordered the Wand arm with the Rega mount?

[Zoidburg]

That's good to know maybe It will be easier than I imagined!

[Zoidburg]

Presumably you have ordered the Wand arm with the Rega mount?

Well the seller said it's a drop in rega replacement but has not actually mentioned the mount......

[YNWaN]

Well I see from the Wand website that it can be had with a number of different bases and geometry options. If it has the Rega mount then it should be an easy fit. I don't know your turntable very well but it doesn't seem to have a separate armboard so fitting another fit arm, other than Rega, would be very difficult.

[Zoidburg]

Well I see from the Wand website that it can be had with a number of different bases and geometry options. If it has the Rega mount then it should be an easy fit. I don't know your turntable very well but it doesn't seem to have a separate armboard so fitting another fit arm, other than Rega, would be very difficult.

Yes I have just had a look at their website and it looks to me that its set up to match rega arms generally so I should be OK (famous last words.........)

[Zoidburg]

Ben,

Don't panic! One of the things I loved the most about the Wand (other than its performance, obviously!) was the fact that it comes with an absolutely magnificent piece of machined metal that is an all-in-one positioning tool, alignment gauge and spanner for all the bits that need tightening, adjusting or tweaking. Even better, the instructions were clear and contained the perfect combination of descriptive (but not over-wordy) text and well-judged pictures.

Frankly, I can think of one or two "established" arm manufacturers who would do well to take a leaf out of DBL's book in this respect.


That Takes a bit of the weight off my mind. I still think I may be posting a load of pictures up here over the weekend looking for advise though :scratch::)

[Zoidburg]

I take it Ben that the wand is a straight drop in to the rb300 hole in the SRM? Always looking for possibilities for my Arezzo.
Alas I can't help re the installation but beobloke makes a good point re the info you'll be getting with the arm and sure you'll do it no problem!

Hi Grant as a fellow SRM owner I will certainly drop you a line with my thoughts once iv had a chance to get used to it mate.

[struth]

Well I see from the Wand website that it can be had with a number of different bases and geometry options. If it has the Rega mount then it should be an easy fit. I don't know your turntable very well but it doesn't seem to have a separate armboard so fitting another fit arm, other than Rega, would be very difficult.

Yep, they are perspex so are drilled for a particular mount and cant really be changed. His is pretty much the same as mine but has a few upgrades. They are super machines and look even better in the flesh.

[Zoidburg]

Well it took a few hours but I managed to fit and set up the Wand on my SRM Athena and I am now basking in smug self satisfaction at the results :D:D:D

pictures to follow shortly...................

[struth]

Well done Ben; Lookforward to the Pics....Bask away:)

[Zoidburg]

So after a trip out to pick up the arm from its previous owner this morning I was eager to get it set up on my TT.
I have to say that I have never undertaken anything like this before so was naturally a bit on the cautious side. I have previously fitted a cartridge but that’s where my experience starts and ends really. Thankfully the Wand came with comprehensive and easy to follow instructions and also a fabulous multi tool / set up “thingy” which helped massively.

So heres how the afternoon started off..............One slightly dusty Athena complete with standard RB300 http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/1-1.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/1-1.jpg.html)

So first step I carefully removed the existing RB 300 arm from the TT by carefully unbolting the 3 hex head bots that hold it in place. First problem was that I couldn’t find the stylus guard for my cartridge so that meant extra care was needed throughout the process. Once the arm was removed I stripped the TT down slightly further removing the platter and sub-platter for ease of work.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/3-1.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/3-1.jpg.html)

Following the instructions I located the mounting plate and shaft and set the shaft location and height relative the the platter (all made fairly easy by the use of the multi tool “thingy”). As the shaft is less than 10mm thick and I was mounting it within a probably 25mm ish size hole I used a big washer and nut below it to effectively clamp it to my Perspex arm-board. I think if you were following the Wand instructions you would screw the mounting plate to your armboard but being perspex I did not have that luxury.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/4-1.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/4-1.jpg.html)

more to follow shortly.................

[struth]

Is that a RB301 rather than a 300..???

[Zoidburg]

After ensuring the shaft was positioned correctly I moved on to removing my cartridge from the old arm and installing it on the Wand which using a pair of small tweezers for connecting the cartridge tags was pretty much a breeze. The wand has an ally section bonded within the carbon fibre tube which you screw the cartridge to.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/7-1.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/7-1.jpg.html)



Then once again following the step by step instructions I set the balance using the supplied weights. This was tricky for me but it appears (maybe more by luck than any actual competence) to be about right.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/8.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/8.jpg.html)

From then it was a case of placing the arm onto the shaft and carefully checking everything was aligned as it should be (again the supplied multi-tool helped immensely. After fitting the arm rest and giving it a final once over it was almost time to give it its first test run on an old record...................

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/9.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/9.jpg.html)

Standing back at this point and looking at the arm I was pretty much in love with it already :D:D The industrial look of it I think really suits the Athena. Its far more hefty that the old rega and really looks like a quality bit of kit. ;)

[Zoidburg]

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/10.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/10.jpg.html)

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j435/zoidburg1975/13.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/zoidburg1975/media/13.jpg.html)



All in all I think Iv managed to get it set up as should be. It certainly plays / sounds ok with no issues which frankly I am astonished at lol. My oly concern is that the arm may be set slighly high as it appears like its at an angle when playing rather than being horizontal. The instructions have 2 heights to set the shaft at and I went with the first setting. their words were that it could be adjusted down "if necessary". I will take a few more decent pictures tomorrow to highlight this and would welcome any ones thoughts on it.

So thoughts on the sound? Pretty much blown away so far, the difference from the rega is immense. First impressions are that the sound stage is enormous, its like the performers are now in the room with you!

[Zoidburg]

Is that a RB301 rather than a 300..???

I'm not sure, how would you tell the difference? When I bought the TT from Stuart at SRM we did discuss arm options and i asked for a slightly better arm than his original proposal. And for the life of me can't remember what I ended up with I assumed it was a 300 but it could well be a 301. I should check my paperwork I guess.

[struth]

Unless I'm mistaken and I could easily be, the rb300 has the same mount as the 250, and your one seems to have the 3 point fixing.

Thats a nice arm/ the first one I've saw, and goes nicely with the athena. I'm sure it sounds better, but even if it doesn't is is a lovely bit of carbon.:rolleyes:

[Zoidburg]

Yeah I pretty much fell in love with the arm when I first saw it last year online somewhere. I'm very happy to have acquired it and it be honest I would have kept it even if it had sounded only marginally better than the rega. Fortunately it appears to be a heck of a lot better :)

[YNWaN]

Well done :)

I've never heard a Wand but in terms of design I think it is very clever and has many features I think excellent - I would buy one, can't say fairer than that :).