I have been an audio enthusiast for over fifty years, and this is the BEST instructional video for turntable set up I have ever seen. I am going to re set up my turntable again right now. God bless this man for caring about what he dose to benefit all of us. Thank you sir.
@Cornelius Agrippa non existing at least to human ears, all the turntables i had since very young i kept them all . When measured have some noise but not possible to be heard, and i started to use direct-drive at home since 76 ,the ones before were belt driven. The most upgraded they were was a change in cables or a better cartridge. I have a belt-driven turntable that came with a component system in 79 but only last week i started to assemble it , a PL-518 from pioneer, already bought a new belt and let´s see if the original stylus as the tip, but i have a Grado Prestige III Gold (cartridge and stylus that is still closed in the box )i have their platinum series which sounds very good with a wider spectrum of frequencies but let´s see if it sounds at least close to it, refering to the prestige III, regards
@Rui Cameira I upgraded to the V15 iii, which solved the siblance problem, I still get that on badly worn or poor recorded records however, sound just about there tbh, adding a valhalla supply to the systemek iix now, see what a difference that makes.
@Dan no problem but when the matter is related with phisics i prefer the cientific aproach to the matter. and i have the original LP record with Ike & Tina Turner where the song Natbush city limits was released not this new ridiculous cover, but maybe their best song or the best only
Love this guy! Clip-Share has become so commercialized! This guy is just a Vinyl loving sensei who wants to share his love with the world. No hidden agendas! Keep it up man!
Well done. I've been looking for this information for a couple of months. This is the first tutorial I've found that helped me say "Oh, hey, I can do that right now!" A clear, well presented walk-through that didn't make me feel like I needed to get a Bachelor's in engineering first to set up my turntable rig and gave me confidence that it was technical and important, but that it wasn't rocket science either. Now I think that I've got it dialed in and can feel more confident about playing and ripping my records. Thanks!
Having just jumped into the big leagues I just scored an SL-1200M3D today and was terrified to set it up. Wanting to always know the "why" this was probably the most comprehensive video I have found that explained everything perfectly and answered all my questions along the way. I am typing this as I enjoy my first LP on this machine after completing your setup and it sounds fantastic and also feel I learned a lot in 25min. Straight to the point and very effective, well done sir!
Like many here, I had to retire to find the time to set up my record player properly. I gave my 1000 record collection to my daughter years ago and bought her a cheap turntable combo to play them on. It was great as she started listening and loving the same vinyl music I did decades earlier. Then I started listening to them and the sound blew me away -even on the cheap thing I bought for her. Years later here I am, browsing 2nd hand shops for records and playing them on a vintage LXI direct drive turntable I just upgraded the cartridge on, slowly building another collection (no, I never asked for them back), finally setting it up properly. Thx for your clear direction on this. It was a big help.
@nanchanger Hell no, I started in the middle - Then I stopped to wash some dishes & then buy some shit on Amazon... And now I'm starting it from the beginning, but I kind of want to skip to the end already... But now; I'm writing this comment instead... Keeps me focused!
Thanks a lot man!!! Lucky we have people like you that would spend a lot of time to explain the best possible way. That's passion, that's positive vibes
@Rajesh Kansara it´s easy and fast to do, the only thing ,i think it was left out is when having the optimal weight on the stylus as it´s specifications allow if the anti-skating is the same as the weight but some songs in the end if the record are still not good as the ones in the beggining just had a bit on the anti-skating till they sound all the same(Perfect),normally analog instrumentrs on early cd years the sound is very bad compared to the vinil version ,if not something is wrong on the turntable ,i´ve tried several cartridges and stylus till 400€´s which in my opinion is already a lot of money ,they do normally sound worse than the stylus that came originally with the turntable, also i have to say that in the 80´s some of mine cartridges, refering to their stylus had not already being produced by the brand but at the time substitution needles were well built ,today they are very bad ,i worked in a laboratorium and i can still use the magnifying lenses to watch how they were assembled ,you can see the tip with a 30 cm´s measure and watch all work done ,i bought two for about 30 to 40€ and they are just garbage ,not a problem of the cartridge or the turntable itself but the badly built substitution needles, there are still well built ones but one needs to do a research , and make question about them to it´s seller ,regards
Absolutely fantastic video!! Just installed a new Goldring E3 cartridge on my AT LP5 Turntable. Did not even know about the need to do all of these things before playing a record. Will be up a few hours this evening. Thank you for spending your time to teach us novices! 😊
I have been an audiophille for a good time now. This guy explains it all so well and with so much honesty and passion. This is indeed the best instructional videos I have ever seen. There is so much to learn from you. Patience and focus is key. Thanks man. Keep up the good work. Cheers !
That's a really great cartridge setup video! Just a couple of things: To attach the wires to the cartridge wiring pins, it really helps to have a good pair of needle nosed pliers, thin ones. On some cartridges there is one last adjustment that should not be forgotten - the height of the tonearm is also important, so that the vertical angle that the stylus sits in the groove is also correct; this is called vertical tracking angle. For anti-skating, the best explanation I have ever seen are by Peter Ledermann, the creator of Soundsmith cartridges. It's actually simple to do.
Hi, this is truly the best video I've ever seen to explain the turntable adjustments, from its importance to finally how to do it. I really thank you for taking the time and effort to bring such high-quality information to all people across the internet. Pretty straightforward and carefully bringing our attention to what matters the most. Awesome work in here, I'll surely check the other videos later on.
Another important adjustment is the tonearm should be parallel with the platter with the stylus on the vinyl, too low at the pivot end and you'll have a slightly muddy bass sound.
This is unbelievably phenomenal. Now I need this for my DUAL CS 508, BUT, I am sending the link to a few folk who probably have no interest in doing this and may not even have a turntable for all I know. I know they will enjoy your presentation so much. Your presentation is so clear, presented with so much care that every detail is digestible and with respect and affection for your audience. You care that anyone viewing this will fully understand every nuance of the job. I wish everyone I was trying to learn something from had been as clear, concise and careful when they were passing info to me. I am a 74 year old with lifelong ADD. You made it not only easy to understand but I know, with your gracious help, I will actually enjoy the job. Thank you sir!
I got about half way through the video and I thought...WOW! This guy makes sense! I understand your explanations and logic. You present it in a very trusting way to. I immediately subscribed to your channel and I have never subscribed to a channel before. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
Thanks so much for this; it is super helpful! I grew up with vinyl, but went the route of CD when it came out, and now digital, but to my ears, nothing beats the warmth and beauty of a record on a good system.
I have the highest respect for a man who advises me to crack open a beer before getting down to the tedious task of aligning a cartridge. Very informative video. Highly appreciated!
Thanks dude! I followed your recommendations, printed the rulers on an A4 page, and I got the pain in the ass. My cartridge was never aligned, and was WAY off, even skew to the outside. It took me like an hour and a half to align it, specially the inner section, but I made the cartridge rock-steady once it was. Not a thing I would want to do every day, but It took off. At first I got a nicer warmy and detailed sound from my usual records. But incredibly I was blown away by this Carly Rae Jepsen vinyl from my daughter collection. Not my cup of tea but the calibration made it. I was on another insane sonic level. My Technica got revamped!.
I have an old shellac record that has only grooves on one side, so I use that to first fine-tune anti-skating, then adjust by ear. I've been using this technique on numerous turntables since 1978. You can also buy setup disks that have this function on one side, whilst on the other have test tones and other recordings to ensure that azimuth, alignment, and tracking pressure are optimised. They can still be found on auction sites.
Great video and really helpful advice too. Got myself an AT-LP5x recently and thought it was set up okay. Then I watched this video and, within minutes, had learned so much. Made a few adjustments, checked the level on the surface, and now the whole set up plays better and sounds great. Thank you! I hope you are keeping safe and well. D
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I just bought my first turntable. I bought a Fluance RT85. I had to make changes to everything just a bit in most cases, but the first record I put on had wonderful imaging and sound without a hint of distortion. I was able to follow your guide easily and accurately. Thank you for helping take the fear out of setting up my first turntable! It was fun and sounds AMAZING!
My one and only turntable is a Technics SL - 1400 bought in 1975 . It's still kicking . But even after all these years I have learned from you how to squeeze out just a little better performance . Thank you .
I happen to have the very same turntable, so that helps a lot, but I have to say that your video is the best I have seen. At 86, I am retired from the record business as a producer (Riverside, Columbia, Prestige) but I wish I had known what you teach with such clarity. Better late than never! Thank you, I will subscribe.
Absolutely fantastic and helpful video. Can’t appreciate it enough. Very clear and concise, calmly spoken but also with enough detail to make things make sense. Thank you! Subbed
I'm fairly new to the whole record player calibration. For so many years I thought they were all the same. This is the most informative video I've seen! Awesome! Thanks alot man!✌
Well, well, well.... you said it the best. Take your time and do it right! Those ready made turntables take away the touch and feel of getting to know your equipment and tuning your ear into the sound you are looking for from your turntable and record. Distinguishing between the vibes and as you stated the musical sounds are important... You cannot get to that level with out knowing your equipment and spending time with it. GREAT LESSON! I am going to purchase my scale tomorrow and collaborate my turn table after xmas. I have not played a record on this turntable (Technica AT LP-120 Direct Drive Professional Turntable) at all. I have had it for about a year and it has been sitting there looking pretty... I have been stuck on wireless and playing Itunes through my Marantz Receiver and Martin Logan speakers with Definitive Technology ProSub-800 set up, but it is time to break out the Blue Note, Impulse, Verve, Prestige and Columbia LP's for 2021!
Brilliant, explained intelligently and clearly without condescending. Thanks so much, for the first time in 30 years, the set up has been explained properly to me ! just fantastic!
Wow, that was a learning...I'm 54 years old, so grew up with record players, but have never had anyone explain all these things in such depth...thank you! I have subscribed!
Outstanding. What a nice guy. I've never set a turntable up and it seemed like a dark art. Having seen this very clear tutorial, I'm pretty confident I can do this! Thanks a million.
The biggest challenge with most tables is no tonearm height adjustment. The Dual CS5000 incorporated a title feature on the headhsell which was very beneficial. As a result, I myself am cutting feeler gauges as a shim to achieve the perfect stylus angle of 92 degrees. I've also noticed if you line up 4 new cart's of same brand/ model, the cantilever angle varies by 1-3 degrees to the cart body. Using the cart body for stylus alignment is not accurate, nor advisable if you're using inexpensive cart's (>$500).
This is the most informative video for beginners I’ve found. I watched it all the way through and was engaged. Your enthusiasm comes through. Thank you, sir.
Skating "force" is a vector pulling the tonearm toward the center post, caused by friction between the stylus and record groove when the platter is in clockwise rotation. This friction generally increases with stylus pressure, which is why the anti-skating torque is calibrated to vary with the tracking force. Stylus drag from friction also varies a bit with the frequencies, amplitude, stereophonic channel separation & phasing of the audio signals recorded in the groove, the effectiveness of any applied groove lubricants, and turntable speed. Most turntables are not designed to compensate for these factors, and are probably optimized for 33 RPM or some arbitrary speed between 33 and 45.
I'm looking at returning to vinyl. So, busy looking at turntables and what's involved plus trying to educate myself on setting one up. THIS is exactly what the doctor ordered...clear, concise and informative. Thank you!
That’s very informative. I had forgotten how to properly do this. Upgrade my cartridge and it sounds amazing now. No more distortion. Just good clear music 🙂
Very nice, but you forgot to set the cartridge/headshell overhang which also affects the null points. You might also add that Vertical Tracking Force adjustments can only be made on TTs (high-end) that have adjustable tonearm heights and are not really that much of an issue anymore. Rather SRA (Stylus rake angle) is a more important adjustment but that can take an entirely other discussion.
Greetings from the Czech Republic. Just bought my first turntable - a vintage Philips - in 17 years. This video of yours is the simplest - and therefore the most helpful - instructions I have found on how I must set up my machine. Thank you. Subscribed.
That’s an important thing to consider about how the blank record doesn’t contain any information(grooves)for calibration purposes of the anti-skate.I have followed others advice in the past about setting up with the blank vinyl method although I now have arrived at reluctant to do so again and rather opt in for following your advice on the anti-skate.👍😊
I'm so happy! I've never felt right with my vinyl setup after I got into listening digitally a couple of years back. I have fairly good equipment as well, so was a huge bummer. But today, I powered through the setup and it sounds amazing! I might start collecting vinyl again as well!
Really helpful, 62 years old and now have a turntable that needs setting up - not like the old philips thing I had as a kid that I had to run through an old wooden radio to get any sound. Thank you for your great explanation.
This is amazing. I cannot get over how you made EVERYTHING so understandable to someone like I - the type who barely knows how to turn the darn thing on. Great tutorial!
Hi I think the position of the cartridge to fit the correct tracking angle may modify the balance of the tone arm so I think it would be better to align the tracking angle first and secure the position of the cartridge in the shel and thereafter to balance the tonearm.
Great tutorial. I still use my old Sansui turntable I got back in 1978. Still have the owners manuals as well, which says to set the stylus needle 10mm past the middle of the spindle when you bring the tone arm to the center. I have always done that, but after watching this I printed out a protractor and tested it, and it matched perfectly. Glad I had it set up right all these years. I also checked a cheap-o second TT I have and it was pretty much right on as well. The cheap-o is a usb table I use to digitize vinyl.
Thank you so much you helped my friend and I set up our first turntable. We were so confused about the counterweight and about the tone arm in general. This was so helpful especially how slow you went with it. thank you!
Just have to say what a fantastic video. Been back into vinyl now for 5 years or so but this guy just explains everything so well without complicating things .
I learned a lot. Always wondered how this was done. Thank you. Brought me back to childhood days taping pennies on the tone arm head to keep records from skipping! Noticed your tone arm base has a height adjustment but no mention of how to set that parameter.
This a masterclass of how to set up your turntable. I got a new turntable and I was thinking that the set up of it was easy. Thanks for taking the time to explain all in detail!
Excellent tutorial. Best I've found to date on Clip-Share. Well, it'll remain the best because there's no need to look elsewhere now. I've DJ'ed (80's - to early noughties) and had a couple of SL1210 MK2's and my set up throughout the decades was a best guess. Info like this just wasn't readily available back in the day. I since sold my decks (5 - 6 years ago) but because I still have a shed load of vinyl I want to sell on, I need to invest in a sturdy, quality piece of kit in order to test my records before I flog them. I came here for reviews and stumbled across this video and have got to say, that even with my own 30+ years of vinyl/audio experience, this is the best piece of audiophile education I've ever received. You have a talent for this kind of thing, Sir. Thank you!
Been following your videos for years now and love your advise on turntables , just brought myself a 1978 Onkyo CP-1005A turntable and have followed your steps on weight balancing and anti skate thanks again mate . I was given no info from the seller on the stylus , so i've gone for 2g tracking and 2 on the anti skate , as most styli now days use that range and its purring like a kitten lol .
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It is detailed, informative and showed / told me exactly what I needed to know, it is also presented in a friendly, relaxed style. I have a TEAC TN-300 which is fitted with a Audio Technica AT95E cartridge and stylus. My vinyl collection is small (less than 30 LP's/12"/7") but all are albums etc. not available on CD and having tracked them down I want them to sound the best they can and that is where this video really helped. Cartridge alignment was exact but I wanted to make sure the other adjustments also were spot on. Now they are and there is a definite improvement in sound quality. I will be looking at other videos in this series as they are genuinely helpful as well as interesting. Thank you.
I've played vinyl for decades on good turntables and this is the first time I've managed to get everything set up spot on. Tracking force etc I've done but not the cartridge alignment. Assumed if it was evenly set in the slots it was aligned - no, it was out like that. You can't get a protractor from the site mentioned in the video as they won't accept new registrations but there's plenty of similar free downloads online. Thanks, great video, top man!
Wow ... so very clear. This will be so helpful for me. I am brand new to vinyl and bought this exact turntable. Excited to play it but a bit anxious about the set up overall. Thank you so much for your fantastic explanation.
I watched two other videos and read my instruction manual and it wasn't till i watched this i figured out what i was doing wrong. Best tutorial ever! Thanks my man!
Good walk through. Should add a mention of adjusting the tonearm height, which impacts vertical tracking angle. This also varies with average LP thickness. Other points, many recommend erroring on the heavy side of recommended tracking weight. Love the most important comment, do this work at a time of few interruptions. Nice work. Finally mention, always replace stylus guard when finished, especially if you have pets, small child, or inexperienced housekeeper.
Great video! I've been struggling with getting the stylus calibrated just right on my LP120X. I'll have another crack at it this week or the next. But aside from that, it's a fantastic turntable. Keep rockin'!
Great video! Another adjustment that is described in the manual for my Technics TT is the distance between the stylus tip and the mounting flange of the headshell, which for me is 52mm. I suppose that the protractor would eventually get you to the right place, but I think setting the measurement first makes it easier. I also have the HiFi News test record to help with setting the anti skate.
Turntableneedles.com has an overhang gauge which is just what you need. I can't use it because I have a straight tone arm but for the S shaped arms it will save you a lot of time and work. As of this date (Nov 2020) they are selling it for $11.
I just ordered my first "better" turntable. I had a cheap cheap one before and i decided to step up into the "better" with a Denon DP300F. Can't wait to fine tune all these adjustment and play my records!
I recently bought a used SL1210 in very new condition off a wealthy audiophile, And the guy said 'I have never used this turntable except the day I bought it, And when I did use it, I paid someone to set it all up professionally' The guy seemed very honest, And this turntable is in IMMACULATE better than mint condition. (I have bought mint before that weren't as good) I just went and checked on the deck after seeing the part about anti skate, And when I saw both anti skate and weight both at a very light 1.5, I smiled and thought, Yup, The guys story was legit afterall. =) Also, I just checked the cartridge that came with a nice shure protractor, All perfect on the A & B spot. Im so happy with it
Extremely Helpful and such a detailed explanation, I feel much more confident knowing the science about my set up and related physics! Thank you Very much!
Great video , didn't know to much about all this setting up a turntable but after watching this video it all makes sense and have learned alot from this. Thanks for the in depth explainations. Great work
Hello, I'm just getting into this and would like to say thank you for your explanation and experience. For someone who is green as grass that was very easy to follow and the knowledge has transferred well 👍
52 Years old, just got back into vinyl and this is a whole lot more than I ever knew as a kid 😁 Thank you for the very informative set up procedure! Got the same turntable as you. Had no idea about setting the tracking and all that. Incidentlaly, I STILL have, in my attic, a Technics linear tracking turntable. Been up there for decades. No idea if it still works
Congratulations for a very detailed presentation,I am 73 years old and i have a mobile disco which i started in 1970 and i still operate it to this day.As you can gather i am very experienced at putting the dot in the slot ( GROOVIN)! anyway i once altered a turntable by attatching the fulcrum of the tone arm to the centre spindle and with the assistance of my watchmakers lathe i made it work as it was when it was cut!.Now here is what it did by very slightly slowing the turntable down the music got louder and speeding it up it increased the bass responce i do not know why but because you are obviously a very technical guy and if you have a few thousand hours of spare time might you have a go at what i did all those years ago and possibly solve the riddle which i have always wondered about.So thanks for the vid and good luck with future ones to come Best Regards J.T.
I thought I had my balance right but then bought one of those little scales on amazon. It helped! Got rid of my distortion and now it's not pressing down as much. Thank you sir!
Thank you! I’ve had my turntable for a year and half and my new Edifier speakers my husband gave me as a gift as I have a novice interest in Vinyl again. Back to my music roots. I have not been able to enjoy any of my vinyl until I followed each of your steps in this video! This happens to be the turntable I have; a HUGE thank you!!! 🎼💜💙🥰
thank you sir. I'm newish to vinyl( born in 1980) I have an old technics turntable that I used quite a bit back in the early 00's. it's been in its box for about 15 years and I just brought it back to life today. I never checked for any of these things( I didn't know I had to) I cant wait to tune everything in and see the difference. thanks again my man
This reminds me of the Joe Walsh video for setting up a Les Paul guitar. It’s so generous to take the time to teach those who want and need to learn this stuff. It’s generational too!
Excellent video; well explained and demonstrated. This is the "art" of analog audio ...the turntable being the ultimate form of "analog" taking the very mechanical motion of the stylus/groove interface and turning it into an electrical signal. I have done this alignment ritual more than a few times in the past; the good part is you only have to do it once. My only question or comment about your process is this: not only does the stylus need to be properly distanced from the tone arm pivot point ...which you show using the printed guides ...but the cartridge and stylus must also be perpendicular to the groove at those two null points as well. That's what the grid lines on the set up guide are for; to eyeball the perpendicularity of the cartridge to the radius line and make it so. It is this extra adjustment making this task a true test of patience. I suppose if you were using a truly conical stylus (think ice cream cone) then the perpendicular setting wouldn't be critical. But most higher end styli are usually shaped like the end of a flat blade screw driver with a pointed tip ...and for these type styli, getting that "screwdriver" tip to ride the groove as close to perpendicular to the walls of the groove as possible is also very important ...ergo making sure the cartridge is 90 deg to that radius line on the guide.
Some tonearms, such as those on older Pioneer decks, such as the PL-12D, have an auxiliary weight at the rear of the main tonearm weight, for use with heavier cartridges and headshells (better for use with some MC cartridges that require a 'heavier' tonearm). These screw inside the rear of the main counterbalance weight.
Thank you so much for offering this video, it really helped me get my Technics SL 300 fine-tuned, I would not have had a clue of how to calibrate the tone arm with the cartridge and the anti-skating without your help.
Music
I have been an audio enthusiast for over fifty years, and this is the BEST instructional video for turntable set up I have ever seen. I am going to re set up my turntable again right now. God bless this man for caring about what he dose to benefit all of us. Thank you sir.
@Cornelius Agrippa non existing at least to human ears, all the turntables i had since very young i kept them all . When measured have some noise but not possible to be heard, and i started to use direct-drive at home since 76 ,the ones before were belt driven. The most upgraded they were was a change in cables or a better cartridge. I have a belt-driven turntable that came with a component system in 79 but only last week i started to assemble it , a PL-518 from pioneer, already bought a new belt and let´s see if the original stylus as the tip, but i have a Grado Prestige III Gold (cartridge and stylus that is still closed in the box )i have their platinum series which sounds very good with a wider spectrum of frequencies but let´s see if it sounds at least close to it, refering to the prestige III, regards
@Rui Cameira I upgraded to the V15 iii, which solved the siblance problem, I still get that on badly worn or poor recorded records however, sound just about there tbh, adding a valhalla supply to the systemek iix now, see what a difference that makes.
@Dan no problem but when the matter is related with phisics i prefer the cientific aproach to the matter. and i have the original LP record with Ike & Tina Turner where the song Natbush city limits was released not this new ridiculous cover, but maybe their best song or the best only
Love this guy! Clip-Share has become so commercialized! This guy is just a Vinyl loving sensei who wants to share his love with the world. No hidden agendas! Keep it up man!
Have learned a lot watching his videos
@1000 mg. ruh roh, did you make a mistake? Video was fine, and the guy didn't lay a finger on your record player.
Dude is way too excited about fucking up your record player.
Just found him by accident but I’ve been watching his Homebrew videos for years!!
I've been an audiophile for over 60 years and this is the best instructional video on setting up a turntable I've ever seen. Great video. Thank you.
Well done. I've been looking for this information for a couple of months. This is the first tutorial I've found that helped me say "Oh, hey, I can do that right now!" A clear, well presented walk-through that didn't make me feel like I needed to get a Bachelor's in engineering first to set up my turntable rig and gave me confidence that it was technical and important, but that it wasn't rocket science either.
Now I think that I've got it dialed in and can feel more confident about playing and ripping my records.
Thanks!
Having just jumped into the big leagues I just scored an SL-1200M3D today and was terrified to set it up. Wanting to always know the "why" this was probably the most comprehensive video I have found that explained everything perfectly and answered all my questions along the way. I am typing this as I enjoy my first LP on this machine after completing your setup and it sounds fantastic and also feel I learned a lot in 25min. Straight to the point and very effective, well done sir!
Nice chunk of change I suppose
Like many here, I had to retire to find the time to set up my record player properly. I gave my 1000 record collection to my daughter years ago and bought her a cheap turntable combo to play them on. It was great as she started listening and loving the same vinyl music I did decades earlier. Then I started listening to them and the sound blew me away -even on the cheap thing I bought for her. Years later here I am, browsing 2nd hand shops for records and playing them on a vintage LXI direct drive turntable I just upgraded the cartridge on, slowly building another collection (no, I never asked for them back), finally setting it up properly. Thx for your clear direction on this. It was a big help.
Did you buy a decent amp and speakers? Albums are spendy, I wouldn’t know which to buy first. Want to pick out ones you won’t grow tired of.
Great video. For the ADD impaired:
Balance tonearm 5:50
Anti Skating 8:47
Align Cartridge explanation starts 12:05
Align Cartridge protractor template 16:17
Align Cartridge shows aligned cartridge 18:01
Step by step aligning 19:20
Possibly camera trickery ;) 22:27
@nanchanger God only knows, he saved the no-protactor ailgnment fix until 20 minutes in
yeah man I was living lifestime waiting for actual content
Me scrolling the comments when I should be paying attention 😅
@nanchanger Hell no, I started in the middle - Then I stopped to wash some dishes & then buy some shit on Amazon... And now I'm starting it from the beginning, but I kind of want to skip to the end already...
But now; I'm writing this comment instead... Keeps me focused!
@Austin S. we might as well say that for every generation ever if you're gonna be like that
Thanks a lot man!!! Lucky we have people like you that would spend a lot of time to explain the best possible way. That's passion, that's positive vibes
It's Amazing how much of a difference it makes when your tables are calibrated properly. You Sir are a gentleman and a scholar. Great video
@Rajesh Kansara it´s easy and fast to do, the only thing ,i think it was left out is when having the optimal weight on the stylus as it´s specifications allow if the anti-skating is the same as the weight but some songs in the end if the record are still not good as the ones in the beggining just had a bit on the anti-skating till they sound all the same(Perfect),normally analog instrumentrs on early cd years the sound is very bad compared to the vinil version ,if not something is wrong on the turntable ,i´ve tried several cartridges and stylus till 400€´s which in my opinion is already a lot of money ,they do normally sound worse than the stylus that came originally with the turntable, also i have to say that in the 80´s some of mine cartridges, refering to their stylus had not already being produced by the brand but at the time substitution needles were well built ,today they are very bad ,i worked in a laboratorium and i can still use the magnifying lenses to watch how they were assembled ,you can see the tip with a 30 cm´s measure and watch all work done ,i bought two for about 30 to 40€ and they are just garbage ,not a problem of the cartridge or the turntable itself but the badly built substitution needles, there are still well built ones but one needs to do a research , and make question about them to it´s seller ,regards
Absolutely fantastic video!! Just installed a new Goldring E3 cartridge on my AT LP5 Turntable. Did not even know about the need to do all of these things before playing a record. Will be up a few hours this evening. Thank you for spending your time to teach us novices! 😊
I have been an audiophille for a good time now. This guy explains it all so well and with so much honesty and passion. This is indeed the best instructional videos I have ever seen. There is so much to learn from you. Patience and focus is key. Thanks man. Keep up the good work. Cheers !
That's a really great cartridge setup video! Just a couple of things: To attach the wires to the cartridge wiring pins, it really helps to have a good pair of needle nosed pliers, thin ones. On some cartridges there is one last adjustment that should not be forgotten - the height of the tonearm is also important, so that the vertical angle that the stylus sits in the groove is also correct; this is called vertical tracking angle. For anti-skating, the best explanation I have ever seen are by Peter Ledermann, the creator of Soundsmith cartridges. It's actually simple to do.
Hi, this is truly the best video I've ever seen to explain the turntable adjustments, from its importance to finally how to do it. I really thank you for taking the time and effort to bring such high-quality information to all people across the internet. Pretty straightforward and carefully bringing our attention to what matters the most. Awesome work in here, I'll surely check the other videos later on.
Another important adjustment is the tonearm should be parallel with the platter with the stylus on the vinyl, too low at the pivot end and you'll have a slightly muddy bass sound.
This is unbelievably phenomenal. Now I need this for my DUAL CS 508, BUT, I am sending the link to a few folk who probably have no interest in doing this and may not even have a turntable for all I know. I know they will enjoy your presentation so much. Your presentation is so clear, presented with so much care that every detail is digestible and with respect and affection for your audience. You care that anyone viewing this will fully understand every nuance of the job. I wish everyone I was trying to learn something from had been as clear, concise and careful when they were passing info to me. I am a 74 year old with lifelong ADD. You made it not only easy to understand but I know, with your gracious help, I will actually enjoy the job. Thank you sir!
I got about half way through the video and I thought...WOW! This guy makes sense! I understand your explanations and logic. You present it in a very trusting way to. I immediately subscribed to your channel and I have never subscribed to a channel before. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
This helped me a lot more than I thought. I neglected my tonearm for so long between moves and this put me back to perfect playing.
Thanks so much for this; it is super helpful! I grew up with vinyl, but went the route of CD when it came out, and now digital, but to my ears, nothing beats the warmth and beauty of a record on a good system.
I have the highest respect for a man who advises me to crack open a beer before getting down to the tedious task of aligning a cartridge. Very informative video. Highly appreciated!
Ha that’s what I was thinking
@W A amatuer
@W A It would take me at least 3 before I start to get confused.
He's professional in his field... I salute him... Cheers!
Thanks dude! I followed your recommendations, printed the rulers on an A4 page, and I got the pain in the ass. My cartridge was never aligned, and was WAY off, even skew to the outside. It took me like an hour and a half to align it, specially the inner section, but I made the cartridge rock-steady once it was. Not a thing I would want to do every day, but It took off. At first I got a nicer warmy and detailed sound from my usual records. But incredibly I was blown away by this Carly Rae Jepsen vinyl from my daughter collection. Not my cup of tea but the calibration made it. I was on another insane sonic level. My Technica got revamped!.
I have an old shellac record that has only grooves on one side, so I use that to first fine-tune anti-skating, then adjust by ear. I've been using this technique on numerous turntables since 1978. You can also buy setup disks that have this function on one side, whilst on the other have test tones and other recordings to ensure that azimuth, alignment, and tracking pressure are optimised. They can still be found on auction sites.
Great video and really helpful advice too. Got myself an AT-LP5x recently and thought it was set up okay. Then I watched this video and, within minutes, had learned so much. Made a few adjustments, checked the level on the surface, and now the whole set up plays better and sounds great. Thank you! I hope you are keeping safe and well. D
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I just bought my first turntable. I bought a Fluance RT85. I had to make changes to everything just a bit in most cases, but the first record I put on had wonderful imaging and sound without a hint of distortion. I was able to follow your guide easily and accurately. Thank you for helping take the fear out of setting up my first turntable! It was fun and sounds AMAZING!
My one and only turntable is a Technics SL - 1400 bought in 1975 . It's still kicking . But even after all these years I have learned from you how to squeeze out just a little better performance . Thank you .
I happen to have the very same turntable, so that helps a lot, but I have to say that your video is the best I have seen. At 86, I am retired from the record business as a producer (Riverside, Columbia, Prestige) but I wish I had known what you teach with such clarity. Better late than never! Thank you, I will subscribe.
Jeffery Justice qq
@Zheng Jeff Are you say Chris Albertson, passed away? Aww man! That's so sad! May he R.I.P.
@Zheng Jeff that's so sad. His contributions will live on... R.I.P.
Zheng Jeff wow that’s sad.
You are a really great teacher. I love Vynil Records but I never knew the turntable could be such an intricate instrument. Thank you so much
Absolutely fantastic and helpful video. Can’t appreciate it enough. Very clear and concise, calmly spoken but also with enough detail to make things make sense. Thank you! Subbed
I'm fairly new to the whole record player calibration. For so many years I thought they were all the same. This is the most informative video I've seen! Awesome! Thanks alot man!✌
Well, well, well.... you said it the best. Take your time and do it right! Those ready made turntables take away the touch and feel of getting to know your equipment and tuning your ear into the sound you are looking for from your turntable and record. Distinguishing between the vibes and as you stated the musical sounds are important... You cannot get to that level with out knowing your equipment and spending time with it. GREAT LESSON! I am going to purchase my scale tomorrow and collaborate my turn table after xmas. I have not played a record on this turntable (Technica AT LP-120 Direct Drive Professional Turntable) at all. I have had it for about a year and it has been sitting there looking pretty... I have been stuck on wireless and playing Itunes through my Marantz Receiver and Martin Logan speakers with Definitive Technology ProSub-800 set up, but it is time to break out the Blue Note, Impulse, Verve, Prestige and Columbia LP's for 2021!
Brilliant, explained intelligently and clearly without condescending. Thanks so much, for the first time in 30 years, the set up has been explained properly to me ! just fantastic!
Wow, that was a learning...I'm 54 years old, so grew up with record players, but have never had anyone explain all these things in such depth...thank you! I have subscribed!
And all the record players I remember from the 80s were pretty crappy, no fine tuning on them.
I called - and still call - them record players. They play records! 👍😅
I'm 65 and back in the good ol days, we didn't know about the protractor. Going to have to check my Technics TT.
Heh. I just posted almost the exact same comment.
Already knew this, and use them. But finally a gentleman willing to share his talent with others !! Great video, and an excellent explanation !
This is the clearest most easily understood set up video I have seen. Thanks!
Outstanding. What a nice guy. I've never set a turntable up and it seemed like a dark art. Having seen this very clear tutorial, I'm pretty confident I can do this! Thanks a million.
The biggest challenge with most tables is no tonearm height adjustment. The Dual CS5000 incorporated a title feature on the headhsell which was very beneficial. As a result, I myself am cutting feeler gauges as a shim to achieve the perfect stylus angle of 92 degrees. I've also noticed if you line up 4 new cart's of same brand/ model, the cantilever angle varies by 1-3 degrees to the cart body. Using the cart body for stylus alignment is not accurate, nor advisable if you're using inexpensive cart's (>$500).
This is the most informative video for beginners I’ve found. I watched it all the way through and was engaged. Your enthusiasm comes through. Thank you, sir.
Skating "force" is a vector pulling the tonearm toward the center post, caused by friction between the stylus and record groove when the platter is in clockwise rotation. This friction generally increases with stylus pressure, which is why the anti-skating torque is calibrated to vary with the tracking force.
Stylus drag from friction also varies a bit with the frequencies, amplitude, stereophonic channel separation & phasing of the audio signals recorded in the groove, the effectiveness of any applied groove lubricants, and turntable speed. Most turntables are not designed to compensate for these factors, and are probably optimized for 33 RPM or some arbitrary speed between 33 and 45.
I'm looking at returning to vinyl. So, busy looking at turntables and what's involved plus trying to educate myself on setting one up. THIS is exactly what the doctor ordered...clear, concise and informative. Thank you!
That’s very informative. I had forgotten how to properly do this. Upgrade my cartridge and it sounds amazing now. No more distortion. Just good clear music 🙂
Very nice, but you forgot to set the cartridge/headshell overhang which also affects the null points. You might also add that Vertical Tracking Force adjustments can only be made on TTs (high-end) that have adjustable tonearm heights and are not really that much of an issue anymore. Rather SRA (Stylus rake angle) is a more important adjustment but that can take an entirely other discussion.
Greetings from the Czech Republic. Just bought my first turntable - a vintage Philips - in 17 years. This video of yours is the simplest - and therefore the most helpful - instructions I have found on how I must set up my machine. Thank you. Subscribed.
That’s an important thing to consider about how the blank record doesn’t contain any information(grooves)for calibration purposes of the anti-skate.I have followed others advice in the past about setting up with the blank vinyl method although I now have arrived at reluctant to do so again and rather opt in for following your advice on the anti-skate.👍😊
I’m pretty naive to the vinyl world and I’m glad to find a legend like you. Absolute information. Detailed and crisp. Thank you so much. 😊
this guys a legend, learnt how to homebrew off him 10 years ago and now he's teaching me about how to use my recently purchased turntable!
I'm so happy! I've never felt right with my vinyl setup after I got into listening digitally a couple of years back. I have fairly good equipment as well, so was a huge bummer. But today, I powered through the setup and it sounds amazing! I might start collecting vinyl again as well!
These videos are SO informative and SO well done. Great job
Respect for you, Sir. Great job. Well done and thanks for your explanations.
Really helpful, 62 years old and now have a turntable that needs setting up - not like the old philips thing I had as a kid that I had to run through an old wooden radio to get any sound. Thank you for your great explanation.
This is amazing. I cannot get over how you made EVERYTHING so understandable to someone like I - the type who barely knows how to turn the darn thing on. Great tutorial!
Hi I think the position of the cartridge to fit the correct tracking angle may modify the balance of the tone arm so I think it would be better to align the tracking angle first and secure the position of the cartridge in the shel and thereafter to balance the tonearm.
You are the perfect tutor Sir! Big respect!
Thanks for this great tutorial. I'm a newbie and just did my first stylus replacement using your video and it was a huge help!! Thank you sooo much!
Great tutorial. I still use my old Sansui turntable I got back in 1978. Still have the owners manuals as well, which says to set the stylus needle 10mm past the middle of the spindle when you bring the tone arm to the center. I have always done that, but after watching this I printed out a protractor and tested it, and it matched perfectly. Glad I had it set up right all these years. I also checked a cheap-o second TT I have and it was pretty much right on as well. The cheap-o is a usb table I use to digitize vinyl.
Thank you so much you helped my friend and I set up our first turntable. We were so confused about the counterweight and about the tone arm in general. This was so helpful especially how slow you went with it. thank you!
This has to be without a doubt the most comprehensive and well explained turntable set up I’ve ever seen, brilliant! 😀
Just have to say what a fantastic video. Been back into vinyl now for 5 years or so but this guy just explains everything so well without complicating things .
I learned a lot. Always wondered how this was done. Thank you. Brought me back to childhood days taping pennies on the tone arm head to keep records from skipping!
Noticed your tone arm base has a height adjustment but no mention of how to set that parameter.
This was so helpful, especially adding the explanations along with the various steps. Thanks very much.
This a masterclass of how to set up your turntable. I got a new turntable and I was thinking that the set up of it was easy. Thanks for taking the time to explain all in detail!
Got a gauge for 16 bucks and stylus thingy for 12. Everything is balanced to perfection. My records, 33, 45 and 78 rpm all Thank You so much!!!
Excellent tutorial. Best I've found to date on Clip-Share. Well, it'll remain the best because there's no need to look elsewhere now.
I've DJ'ed (80's - to early noughties) and had a couple of SL1210 MK2's and my set up throughout the decades was a best guess. Info like this just wasn't readily available back in the day.
I since sold my decks (5 - 6 years ago) but because I still have a shed load of vinyl I want to sell on, I need to invest in a sturdy, quality piece of kit in order to test my records before I flog them. I came here for reviews and stumbled across this video and have got to say, that even with my own 30+ years of vinyl/audio experience, this is the best piece of audiophile education I've ever received. You have a talent for this kind of thing, Sir.
Thank you!
Wayne Cole are you selling any records from your collection?
Thanks for clearly explaining how to setup my new-used turntable. Starting back on vinyl after years of digital listening.
Excellent. I never knew it was so complex and you explained everything so well.
Been following your videos for years now and love your advise on turntables , just brought myself a 1978 Onkyo CP-1005A turntable and have followed your steps on weight balancing and anti skate thanks again mate . I was given no info from the seller on the stylus , so i've gone for 2g tracking and 2 on the anti skate , as most styli now days use that range and its purring like a kitten lol .
Respect to you guy! you are here for the good reasons, sharing what you know, for free, as a real artist, thank you very much!
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It is detailed, informative and showed / told me exactly what I needed to know, it is also presented in a friendly, relaxed style. I have a TEAC TN-300 which is fitted with a Audio Technica AT95E cartridge and stylus. My vinyl collection is small (less than 30 LP's/12"/7") but all are albums etc. not available on CD and having tracked them down I want them to sound the best they can and that is where this video really helped. Cartridge alignment was exact but I wanted to make sure the other adjustments also were spot on. Now they are and there is a definite improvement in sound quality.
I will be looking at other videos in this series as they are genuinely helpful as well as interesting. Thank you.
I was never introduced to such a high-precision setting up of the Record player. Thanks Sir.
Simple and straightforward.
Thank you for taking the time to help me set up my turntable.
This is by far the best turntable set up video on Clip-Share. I’ve watched so many and only now do I feel like I know what’s going on
Great! The most honest and complete adjustment procedure.
Thanks for sharing!
I've played vinyl for decades on good turntables and this is the first time I've managed to get everything set up spot on. Tracking force etc I've done but not the cartridge alignment. Assumed if it was evenly set in the slots it was aligned - no, it was out like that. You can't get a protractor from the site mentioned in the video as they won't accept new registrations but there's plenty of similar free downloads online. Thanks, great video, top man!
Wow ... so very clear. This will be so helpful for me. I am brand new to vinyl and bought this exact turntable. Excited to play it but a bit anxious about the set up overall. Thank you so much for your fantastic explanation.
,,Don't trust it, do it yourself.'' - Basically the best advise for life.
12:15
@majk koszyk especial e espetacular mesmo muito bom mesmo
Agreed!
Like learning to spell for example...
except for when getting a haircut
I watched two other videos and read my instruction manual and it wasn't till i watched this i figured out what i was doing wrong. Best tutorial ever! Thanks my man!
Good walk through. Should add a mention of adjusting the tonearm height, which impacts vertical tracking angle. This also varies with average LP thickness. Other points, many recommend erroring on the heavy side of recommended tracking weight. Love the most important comment, do this work at a time of few interruptions. Nice work. Finally mention, always replace stylus guard when finished, especially if you have pets, small child, or inexperienced housekeeper.
Great video! I've been struggling with getting the stylus calibrated just right on my LP120X. I'll have another crack at it this week or the next. But aside from that, it's a fantastic turntable.
Keep rockin'!
Very well presented! regardless if you are experienced with vinyl it holds your interest with your simple honest approach.
outstanding, I haven't owned a turntable in 35 years so this is exactly what I needed. Thanks!
Great video! Another adjustment that is described in the manual for my Technics TT is the distance between the stylus tip and the mounting flange of the headshell, which for me is 52mm. I suppose that the protractor would eventually get you to the right place, but I think setting the measurement first makes it easier. I also have the HiFi News test record to help with setting the anti skate.
Turntableneedles.com has an overhang gauge which is just what you need. I can't use it because I have a straight tone arm but for the S shaped arms it will save you a lot of time and work. As of this date (Nov 2020) they are selling it for $11.
I just ordered my first "better" turntable. I had a cheap cheap one before and i decided to step up into the "better" with a Denon DP300F. Can't wait to fine tune all these adjustment and play my records!
I recently bought a used SL1210 in very new condition off a wealthy audiophile, And the guy said 'I have never used this turntable except the day I bought it, And when I did use it, I paid someone to set it all up professionally' The guy seemed very honest, And this turntable is in IMMACULATE better than mint condition. (I have bought mint before that weren't as good) I just went and checked on the deck after seeing the part about anti skate, And when I saw both anti skate and weight both at a very light 1.5, I smiled and thought, Yup, The guys story was legit afterall. =) Also, I just checked the cartridge that came with a nice shure protractor, All perfect on the A & B spot. Im so happy with it
Extremely Helpful and such a detailed explanation, I feel much more confident knowing the science about my set up and related physics! Thank you Very much!
Great video , didn't know to much about all this setting up a turntable but after watching this video it all makes sense and have learned alot from this. Thanks for the in depth explainations. Great work
Hello, I'm just getting into this and would like to say thank you for your explanation and experience. For someone who is green as grass that was very easy to follow and the knowledge has transferred well 👍
52 Years old, just got back into vinyl and this is a whole lot more than I ever knew as a kid 😁 Thank you for the very informative set up procedure! Got the same turntable as you. Had no idea about setting the tracking and all that. Incidentlaly, I STILL have, in my attic, a Technics linear tracking turntable. Been up there for decades. No idea if it still works
57 here, you need to get that Technics out and see if it still works!
64 here
59 here !!!!
Wow! Thank you for going to all that effort to show us how to do this! Really appreciate it!
Congratulations for a very detailed presentation,I am 73 years old and i have a mobile disco which i started in 1970 and i still operate it to this day.As you can gather i am very experienced at putting the dot in the slot ( GROOVIN)! anyway i once altered a turntable by attatching the fulcrum of the tone arm to the centre spindle and with the assistance of my watchmakers lathe i made it work as it was when it was cut!.Now here is what it did by very slightly slowing the turntable down the music got louder and speeding it up it increased the bass responce i do not know why but because you are obviously a very technical guy and if you have a few thousand hours of spare time might you have a go at what i did all those years ago and possibly solve the riddle which i have always wondered about.So thanks for the vid and good luck with future ones to come Best Regards J.T.
Absolutely amazing job on your tutorial. Thank you so much.
I thought I had my balance right but then bought one of those little scales on amazon. It helped! Got rid of my distortion and now it's not pressing down as much. Thank you sir!
Excellent video, easy to follow and even entertaining! Thank you so much ;)
Thank you! I’ve had my turntable for a year and half and my new Edifier speakers my husband gave me as a gift as I have a novice interest in Vinyl again. Back to my music roots. I have not been able to enjoy any of my vinyl until I followed each of your steps in this video! This happens to be the turntable I have; a HUGE thank you!!! 🎼💜💙🥰
Such a fantastic way to explain and getting in deep, almost like a conversation between friends, cheers man! Instant sub.
This is the very best set up video I have ever seen. And explained and delivered so straight forwardly. Many thanks.
A very clear and well spoken set of instructions.
thank you sir. I'm newish to vinyl( born in 1980) I have an old technics turntable that I used quite a bit back in the early 00's. it's been in its box for about 15 years and I just brought it back to life today. I never checked for any of these things( I didn't know I had to) I cant wait to tune everything in and see the difference. thanks again my man
Love this guy. Great teacher and great advice. Many thanks!
This reminds me of the Joe Walsh video for setting up a Les Paul guitar. It’s so generous to take the time to teach those who want and need to learn this stuff. It’s generational too!
Excellent video; well explained and demonstrated. This is the "art" of analog audio ...the turntable being the ultimate form of "analog" taking the very mechanical motion of the stylus/groove interface and turning it into an electrical signal. I have done this alignment ritual more than a few times in the past; the good part is you only have to do it once. My only question or comment about your process is this: not only does the stylus need to be properly distanced from the tone arm pivot point ...which you show using the printed guides ...but the cartridge and stylus must also be perpendicular to the groove at those two null points as well. That's what the grid lines on the set up guide are for; to eyeball the perpendicularity of the cartridge to the radius line and make it so. It is this extra adjustment making this task a true test of patience. I suppose if you were using a truly conical stylus (think ice cream cone) then the perpendicular setting wouldn't be critical. But most higher end styli are usually shaped like the end of a flat blade screw driver with a pointed tip ...and for these type styli, getting that "screwdriver" tip to ride the groove as close to perpendicular to the walls of the groove as possible is also very important ...ergo making sure the cartridge is 90 deg to that radius line on the guide.
Some tonearms, such as those on older Pioneer decks, such as the PL-12D, have an auxiliary weight at the rear of the main tonearm weight, for use with heavier cartridges and headshells (better for use with some MC cartridges that require a 'heavier' tonearm). These screw inside the rear of the main counterbalance weight.
Thank you for all the great information you’ve provided. I am new to turntables and vinyl. I have a lot to learn. Great video!
Thank you so much for offering this video, it really helped me get my Technics SL 300 fine-tuned, I would not have had a clue of how to calibrate the tone arm with the cartridge and the anti-skating without your help.