Stylus tracking weight advice

[Jimbo]

How to you set the weight of your stylus

1. Set the weight with a mat on platter.

2. Set the weight without a mat on platter.

3. Set the weight between an average of the two?:scratch:

[struth]

I leave it on as the base of the scale is same as a record thickness wise.. More often i have the mofi geo in place and use that instead of the mat

[DSJR]

As Grant says above. The correct pressure should be set with stylus at about record playing height ime.

[daytona600]

Put tape on the platter / plinth to stop platter rotating & ripping of the cantilever
get/borrow a good stylus guage , test record , protractor these will last you decades
start at middle of recommended tracking range then fine tune by ear on records you know

[walpurgis]

I'm wondering why you would have the stylus in contact with the platter mat whilst setting tracking force anyway?

If the arm has known tracking force settings just use those. It doesn't need to touch the mat. In my case, I use a small digital balance, which I set alongside the platter at about platter height. The actual downforce required will vary according to each cartridge and a bit of experimentation is likely to be needed.

[struth]

If and when i use the geodisc in conjunction with the scales then it is locked in place with sellotape lined up with the pivot point. Scales on top of that. It has always worked with me well but yes if you have the scales on the platter then it is a good idea to lock it just in case it gets moved. As much as folk say geo only works with some arms i have found it works with any i have used

[Jimbo]

I'm wondering why you would have the stylus in contact with the platter mat whilst setting tracking force anyway?

If the arm has known tracking force settings just use those. It doesn't need to touch the mat. In my case, I use a small digital balance, which I set alongside the platter at about platter height. The actual downforce required will vary according to each cartridge and a bit of experimentation is likely to be needed.

I have been using my digital stylus gauge on the platter without the mat as I presumed this was this best height corresponding to where the stylus is actually playing on the record.

But looking at my gauge I can see the weighing platform is quite raised so i think I will try and set it up as you have suggested Geoff with it to the side of the platter set at the same hight as a record on the mat.

[CageyH]

Does the tracking weight actually change with stylus height?
I can't see how that is possible, as it's simple engineering based around a fulcrum.
You don't change the pivot point, you don't change the "effort" so therefore tracking weight should remain the same throughout the range of movement of the arm?

[struth]

No idea tbh but the 2 are linked by cantilever deflection i believe. Does no harm to try and use the likely angle of vta when setting vtf

[Jimbo]

Does the tracking weight actually change with stylus height?
I can't see how that is possible, as it's simple engineering based around a fulcrum.
You don't change the pivot point, you don't change the "effort" so therefore tracking weight should remain the same throughout the range of movement of the arm?

The adjustable VTA does make a difference, also their is a difference in weight depending if you use a balance on the TT mat or on the nude platter.

I have used Geoffs suggestion this morning and levelled the balance platform adjacent to the TT with mat and record on the platter. My tracking weight was quite a bit out but I have now amended this and as with all adjustments with the 2M Black it makes a big difference.

The improvements in SQ, detail and imaging are now much better than I have heard previously.

[NRG]

Does the tracking weight actually change with stylus height?
I can't see how that is possible, as it's simple engineering based around a fulcrum.
You don't change the pivot point, you don't change the "effort" so therefore tracking weight should remain the same throughout the range of movement of the arm?

Yes it does but as Barry pointed out to me and provided the calculation to prove it it's so slight it's just not worth worrying about...

[walpurgis]

Does the tracking weight actually change with stylus height?

Yes. But only a tiny bit, unless you have the arm at a ludicrous angle.

[Firebottle]

The improvements in SQ, detail and imaging are now much better than I have heard previously.

Must be good then :cool: