Nottingham Analogue arm mount

[Patrick Dixon]

I have some questions on mounting a 12" Nottingham Analogue Ace Anna arm (on a non-Nottingham deck) and wondered if someone who knows the Nottingham Analogue turntables better than me could help?

I reckon the mounting dimension are

Pivot to Spindle 294mm
32mm clearance hole
50mm dia arm base with 2 x M3 bolts at 41mm centred on pivot

but would like to confirm.

In particular, are the two bolts that fix the arm base to the arm board really M3? And on a Nottingham Analogue deck, is the armboard threaded to take these or do they just use nuts underneath?

I did try to ask the lady at Nottingham Analogue but failed completely, as I also fail to understand how they can manufacture anything without a actual drawing (which she swore to me they didn't have!).

I also tried to ask if they supplied heavier counterweights since when trying to balance a Decca C4E (at around 2gm VTF) - the one I have is pretty marginal (too light) at best, but they didn't seem to have anything as 'standard'. The counterweight I have measures at around 80gm.

[Barry]

I have no knowledge about the Nottingham Analogue arm, but do know something about the Decca C4E and SC4E cartridges (I have a sample of the latter). The mass of the cartridge to be counterbalanced by the tonearm counterweight is 13g.
You say that your counterweight, at 80g, is too light to fully counterbalance the cartridge, which means the difference will manifest itself as contributing to the VTF. If you have a stylus scale, you can measure this imbalance, and then simply dial in some more to achieve the required 2g VTF.

I have a similar problem with my Breuer Dynamic arm. It was designed to only carry fairly low mass cartridges (specifically the Breuer modified EMT), but to use it with other cartridges I move the counterweight to the end of its travel at the end of the arm stub, measure the difference, and then dial in enough to provide the recommended VTF.

Regarding the M3 bolts - if they are short then that would imply they go into tapped holes in the arm board, if they are long that would suggest M3 nuts are used.

[Patrick Dixon]

Thanks.

The arm has no VTF other than the counterweight and the counterweight needs to be positioned right off the end of the stub to get near to 2gm downforce. Obviously if I bring it forward at all the VTF is over. So I reckon I need a bigger counterweight! The lady at NA said they could make them up to about 90gm I think, but I got the impression it was all custom done.

I don't have the two 'M3' bolts, just the holes that they go though in the arm base.

[Ali Tait]

Vinyl Engine says 294mm pivot to spindle for the Anna Arm 12". Not really any more info than that though.

[Barry]

Is the counterweight on a screw thread? If it is, you should be able to move it a small amount forward to provide the correct VTF.

Apropos the bolts, I would use whatever is convenient to use with your turntable armboard.

[Patrick Dixon]

Is the counterweight on a screw thread? If it is, you should be able to move it a small amount forward to provide the correct VTF.

It has to go back as it's not heavy enough.


Apropos the bolts, I would use whatever is convenient to use with your turntable armboard.Yeah, but I want to make the armboard to fit the arm and it would be helpful to know the dimensions they are built to. Unfortunately the manufacturer doesn't seem to know what those are, which quite frankly wouldn't fill me with confidence in buying one of their turntables.

[Barry]

I have had a look at some photos of your Nottingham Analogue Ace Anna arm (now that's what I call alliteration!), especially details of the counterweight.

First of all there is no danger of the counterweight falling off the end of the arm: it is retained by the slotted keyway.

Second, the counterbalance is underslung for stability, and the underslung part appears to be fitted with a large brass cylindrical 'slug'. Can this slug be moved relative to the main part of the counterweight? If it can be moved a small amoutin the direction towards the end of the arm, then you ought to be able to counterbalance the cartridge and provide 2g VTF.