View Full Version : Help! Setting up the arm on a Rega Planar 2
Hi,
I've just dug out my old, original Planar 2 with original Bias cartridge I believe (the green one). I sounded fine, but of course I fiddled with it.
How do I set up the anti-skate and the tracking?
I'm a complete vinyl novice, I just dug it out to play some of my old 80's 12"s.
Thanks
Hmmm, I think I have it.
I set the anti skate to zero, then set the counter balance at the point the arm was floating above the record. very difficult as it has a tendency to move back to the rest position. Anyway, from there I turned the c/b roughly 315 degrees and set the a/s to the mid point between 1 and 2.
It plays out to the centre of the record now, so I think it's ok??
The planer 2 used to ship with an rb250 I think......if so, the anti skate is under the arm. usually set to same mark as the tracking force of the cart. Sure someone will correct me if this is wrong.
The planer 2 used to ship with an rb250 I think......if so, the anti skate is under the arm. usually set to same mark as the tracking force of the cart. Sure someone will correct me if this is wrong.
Yes, that's right, a little green slider which goes 0........1..2, so not exactly ideal for being precise.
Switching over to a 33, it didn't seem to play so well. Not sure I've got this tracking force right. Maybe the stylus is worn and tracks the groove of a 12" better than an LP?
If I was to replace the cartridge with a good budget one, what should I go for?
Rega carbon may be all you need for around £25 quid...
http://audiofi.net/2013/03/rega-carbon-cheerful-cheapie-cartridge/
hifi_dave
10-09-2014, 09:01
You might well need a touch more tracking weight. Try that before junking the cartridge.
You might well need a touch more tracking weight. Try that before junking the cartridge.
I pushed it up closer to the 2 and it did improve slightly. The hardest part is getting the counterweight right. It says to turn it until the stylus is hovering 1mm over the record. This is really difficult cos it naturally wants to swing back to the rest position and if I touch it to stop it moving it (obviously) disturbs the balance.
Oh and it also runs fast, or my music files are slow ;)
hifi_dave
10-09-2014, 11:38
I pushed it up closer to the 2 and it did improve slightly. The hardest part is getting the counterweight right. It says to turn it until the stylus is hovering 1mm over the record. This is really difficult cos it naturally wants to swing back to the rest position and if I touch it to stop it moving it (obviously) disturbs the balance.
It's only an approximation. The most important thing is to get the tracking weight correct for the cartridge. I would suggest that you increase the weight a bit more and see if that helps.
The bias works by opposing magnets, so even with the green slider right out, there is always a touch of bias. If you are tracking at 1.8 - 1.9 grams, set the bias to no more than the 1 gram mark.
It's only an approximation. The most important thing is to get the tracking weight correct for the cartridge. I would suggest that you increase the weight a bit more and see if that helps.
The bias works by opposing magnets, so even with the green slider right out, there is always a touch of bias. If you are tracking at 1.8 - 1.9 grams, set the bias to no more than the 1 gram mark.
Thanks,
I've increased it closer to the 2, not 2, but maybe 1.8. I think it's better now, just running slightly too fast.
As another (ex) Rega dealer from this period, may I make a couple of suggestions please?
if the deck hasn't been used for ages, check the firm tightness of the main bearing fixing nut and the tonearm fixing nut. DON'T overdo the tightness, but I'm certain both will need a little to firm up the tightness. ALL Rega's from this period run slightly fast, but this can be worse if the lubricant has dried I suggest. Remove the belt (and give it a careful clean) and then the inner hub. There should be a 'blob' of EP80 gear oil on the spindle tip. if it's turned to a brown goo, clean it off and carefully clean the brass 'well,' taking great care not to lose the ball at the bottom. A few drops of fresh EP80 in the bearing well plus one for luck on the spindle tip should be enough. Replace both the platters, spin lightly and allow ten minutes for them to sink back into position :)
Once you have the deck running again, the Bias should be tracked at 1.75g or so. Balance out the arm (bias set to zero - the arm will tend to return to the rest, it's normal on these) and screw the counterweight inwards seven eighths of a turn. My experience suggests that the bias should be set to no more then '1' as earlier Rega RB arms always overdid the bias compensation, the amount varying with the cartridge. Some AT607 stylus cleaner should be able to remove any goo from the stylus - Rega used good diamond/cantilever assemblies on all of these and the sonics are beefy with a pleasant treble.
Hope this helps. A new white belt should help with speed too and the thicker mat Rega provided the Planar 2's (the thicker mat balanced the thinner platter on Planar 2's) with should help tame it as well.
Thanks Dave, I will try your suggestions in due course and report back.
As another (ex) Rega dealer from this period, may I make a couple of suggestions please?
if the deck hasn't been used for ages, check the firm tightness of the main bearing fixing nut and the tonearm fixing nut. DON'T overdo the tightness, but I'm certain both will need a little to firm up the tightness. ALL Rega's from this period run slightly fast, but this can be worse if the lubricant has dried I suggest. Remove the belt (and give it a careful clean) and then the inner hub. There should be a 'blob' of EP80 gear oil on the spindle tip. if it's turned to a brown goo, clean it off and carefully clean the brass 'well,' taking great care not to lose the ball at the bottom. A few drops of fresh EP80 in the bearing well plus one for luck on the spindle tip should be enough. Replace both the platters, spin lightly and allow ten minutes for them to sink back into position :)
Hope this helps. A new white belt should help with speed too and the thicker mat Rega provided the Planar 2's (the thicker mat balanced the thinner platter on Planar 2's) with should help tame it as well.
The tightness of the nuts was pretty good but I tightened them a fraction more without getting heavy with it. The inner hub, is that the sub platter? How does that come off, just pull it?
incidentally, I removed the motor cover and found that the motor hanging from the elastic is off centre, so it doesn't allow the motor to hang freely. Would it be worth undoing the plate and centring that?
Mine has the felt mat and glass platter btw.
p.s. when viewing the sub-platter and belt in use, the belt rises up and down. Is this normal?
Well, not sure which of my tinkerings did this but the speed appears to be spot on now.
I loosened the motor bracket retaining screws to centre the motor, then realised that this would move the motor spindle (the speed change spindle) closer to the sub-platter. I had no idea what affect this would have, but I decided to centre it so that the spindle sits directly above the hole when viewed from atop. Beforehand, the spindle sat more towards the back of the hole. Perhaps that resulted in the faster speed?
The sub-platter spindle had a tiny blob of clear looking oil, not at all gloopy.
Edit: Plus the belt seems to not travel up and down now.
Would appear that I have some very dirty records!
Sounds like your now getting to grips with things Lee....Records need cleaning or you get snap, crackle n pop. Also if the cart angle is out or vtf is out that can lead to noisy reproduction.
Sounds like your now getting to grips with things Lee....Records need cleaning or you get snap, crackle n pop. Also if the cart angle is out or vtf is out that can lead to noisy reproduction.
I'm not gonna tinker with the cartridge. I think I checked it a long time back and it was ok. Plus, I have one brand new record, a 7" that came with Mojo magazine, The Beach Boys' Cabinessence. That played with a near silent background.
Thanks for your help.
Ok, following a few days fretting where my old 12" singles were (I finally found them buried in the garage!) I have set about playing some more records. Now, I'm not about to revert to vinyl, but, I have found that, even with my modest deck and cartridge, that the records have given me a wider soundstage, much wider. Comparing to the same track on a lossless rip is almost like switching to mono! The separation of instruments is also better. Hi-hats fizz effervescently in each speaker while on the lossless track they merely fizz.
What's wrong with my file based system?
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