Quick Counterweight Query

**The Vinyl Adventure** · 06-05-2010, 19:21

My psycological trick to rope people in to answer my mundane question... Bah, I'm foiled!

**Stratmangler** · 06-05-2010, 19:25

To expand further, the inverse square law applies in mechanics.
Therefore you reduce the mechanical inertia (tendency to not move) the nearer to the pivot point you can get it.

The arm can react more quickly to the squiggle of the groove, or more exactly the arm/cartridge can trace the groove more easily.

**The Vinyl Adventure** · 06-05-2010, 19:28

And now I know!

**Stratmangler** · 06-05-2010, 19:30

**The Vinyl Adventure** · 06-05-2010, 19:41

Mines on about 1.6 I'd guess dave... I dont have scales

**Stratmangler** · 06-05-2010, 19:45

Originally Posted by Hamish

Mines on about 1.6 I'd guess dave... I dont have scales

Guess ?????

You need one of these young man http://www.britishaudio.co.uk/shure.html

**The Vinyl Adventure** · 06-05-2010, 20:05

No, not just blind guess work, I balance it by eye, set the counterbalance to zero then use the weight scale on the counter balance.. I might be a bit plebby but I don't just wack it on any old how

**Ammonite Audio** · 06-05-2010, 20:16

Having raised this very question myself here on AoS recently, I concluded that whatever works best in practice represents the correct answer. Ignore all of the science and decide for yourself. I find that a lighter weight hung out further on the back of the Jelco works better than a heavy one closer to the pivot. You may conclude otherwise, but you'll have a bit of harmless fun getting to the conclusion.

**Marco** · 06-05-2010, 20:40

Shuggs is exactly right.

The bottom line is, the proof of the pudding is always in the listening, even if the results heard don't meet with 'scientific facts' or 'perceived wisdom' - all that goes out of the window if your ears tell you something else!

As for what Chris wrote earlier:

It reduces the effective mass of the arm, and also lessens the mechanical inertia.

Absolutely true, however the former is only of benefit to medium and high-compliance cartridges. It's a distinct disadvantage with low-compliance cartridges such as the DL-103, SPU or Shure M3D.

Marco.

**Stratmangler** · 06-05-2010, 20:59

Originally Posted by Stratmangler

It reduces the effective mass of the arm, and also lessens the mechanical inertia.

I would have thought that the latter part would be beneficial regardless of the compliance of the cartridge.

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