Cartridge Install: Moving The Table?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by 500Homeruns, Feb 20, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. 500Homeruns

    500Homeruns Peaceful Punk Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lehigh Valley, PA
    This may be a quick answer for many of the members on here, but.....

    Is it better to try and install a new cartridge on a turntable in the location where it is going to (or always is) placed. Can I move it to a better location to do the install and then put the turntable back in place without any problems?
     
  2. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    Move it to a place where you have plenty of room and good lighting, so you can see what you are doing.
    (Kitchen table, work bench?) Don't forget to lock your tone arm down before moving the table, always.
    If your head shell is removable, take it off to remove and install new cart. Adjust azimuth after replacing the head shell with new cart on the tone arm.
     
    bluemooze, dbsea, macster and 3 others like this.
  3. JackG

    JackG Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    I much prefer headshell tables for this reason, but if I didn't I'd move the table to where I can work comfortably. I can't see myself trying to do it standing over a table.
     
  4. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    This is something you have to sit down comfortably, and do carefully. :righton:
     
  5. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    I always move the table to a good workspace. It's a must.
     
    bluemooze and 500Homeruns like this.
  6. Jeff449

    Jeff449 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Silver Spring, MD
    Make sure table is level in both locations.
     
  7. CCrider92

    CCrider92 Senior Member

    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    And something you don't want to do when you are having a bad day, not feeling well or being very tired.
     
    plastico, bluemooze and Chris Schoen like this.
  8. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    Of course. No reason not to move TT........
     
  9. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    Ya, like a surgeon...
     
    Cyclone Ranger and CCrider92 like this.
  10. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    You can move it just fine, assuming your table is easy to move. Just make sure before you set VTF, VTA, etc. that the table is level, and then when you put it back in place, confirm levelness again and double check VTF. Personally I just do it in place. It's more of a pain for me to move the table (with its sprung suspension) than it is for me to just do the new cart install and alignment in place.
     
  11. 500Homeruns

    500Homeruns Peaceful Punk Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lehigh Valley, PA
    Thanks for the replies.
    I ended up moving the turntable to the kitchen table for the cartridge install. Let's just say that you guys were 100% correct. I will never try to install a cartridge any other way. Everything went well and I think everything is pretty dead on and sounds amazing. :righton:
     
    Chris Schoen and bluemooze like this.
  12. Footsurg

    Footsurg Forum Resident

    Location:
    Albuquerque
    You can install the cartridge anywhere. But when you set your Tracking points, VTA, Azimuth, tracking force and anti skate I would do it where the table is always going to be. And make sure the stand, plinth and platter are dead level before you set any of the stuff I mentioned before. If the wires are kinda old then I use a multimeter to check resistance and continuity between the center and shield left and right to make sure the fragile connections between the wires and connectors are okay. This is especially important if you are using silver litz tone arm wires.
     
  13. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    The cartridge leads on my tonearm are scary thin – and snapping one off means back to Germany for a rewire of the arm – so I remove the tonearm from my turntable and work on removing old cartridge and installing new cartridge at a desk with good light and a good position. Then I reinstall the tonearm where the turntable lives and do the cartridge alignment and other adjustments (azimuth, VTA, VTF, etc).

    [​IMG]
     
    bluemooze likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine