Music Hall 2.1 and cart questions

Ok, I was on the verge of getting a Music Hall 2.1 TT when I read that you have to remove the platter and adjust the belt to switch between 33 1/3 and 45rpm.

I know you can't believe everything you read, but what's that all about? Isn't there just a switch to change speeds or is this really true? I don't trust myself enough not to damage the thing if I have to go through all that. I'll also admit to being a little trepidatious setting it up.

My cartridge question is going to sound dumb but bear with me. My other option is to just buy a new cartridge for the ol' Pioneer PL-600. I got this from Best Buy a few years ago and it still works fine. I just found out how to adjust the speed because it was running a little fast.

My problem is that I don't know what kinds of carts will work with this. I can't remember assembling much when I got it. Worse, perhaps, is that I still haven't grasped all the terminology to explain what I have.

The needle itself can be slid off the arm by pulling forward on the plastic holder and pushing down slightly. All that I'm left holding is an orange plastic thingy with the needle attached.

The cartridge itself, I guess, is held in place by two screws on top with four wires attached to the back of it. There's a knob on top behind the wires that, when loosened, causes the entire cartridge area to tilt away from the platter.

I will need to change the needle anyway because I believe it's time. I just don't know what will work on here and how much a difference it will make. I am pretty much assuming that anything is an upgrade from the needle that came with it.

All I need the TT for is CD-R transfers.

 

With this type of setup, the motor runs at a constant speed. You change the turntable speed by shifting the belt to a different size pulley step on the motor. It's a nuisance, but not a big deal. Try to keep your finger oils off the belt.

As I was once told, the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. I've found this helpful!

I'm not sure exactly what you are describing. The plastic bit that you took off that holds the needle is probably the stylus assembly, which can be replaced if you can find a match.

If the cartridge is held in place by two screws on the headshell then the turntable can probably take any standard cartridge (is there a counterbalance at the rear of the tonearm that can be used to set the tracking force?)

You will want to look for a moving magnet or similar type cartridge (*not* a low output moving coil type, unless you know your preamp can handle it). [/QUOTE]

 

Re: Re: Music Hall 2.1 and cart questions

Yeah, I know! I will tell certain people there's no such thing as a dumb question; only dumb people who ask questions! Anyway.....

There is a counterbalance on the end of the tonearm. I don't believe the cartridge is a P Mount from what I've read on the Net. I cannot adjust the height, as you may have guessed.

I do understand the difference between a MM cart and a MC cart, and I realized right away that I needed a MM. So I could get a Shure 97 something or other, or would that be overkill?

 

Re: Re: Re: Music Hall 2.1 and cart questions

I would think that a Shure 97 would be a good choice. After trying several other carts, I've settled on their V15, although I'm told that the 97 is almost as good and is only a third of the cost. I don't have a high-end system by any stretch of the imagination, but a good cartridge really makes a difference, even on a humble set-up like mine. I too use mine mostly for CD-R transfers.

If you're going from a cheap/average cart to a good one that is properly set up, you will really notice how much better bright sibilant and inner groove passages sound. There's none of that nasty distortion or "spitting" noise. I'd recommend getting a new cartridge first, since even if you get a new TT, you'll need one anyway (note: almost any cartridge that is included with a TT leaves much to be desired; excluding that VPI one that comes with a nice Dynavector). You might just be impressed enough to stick with your current table.

 

Thanks, Graham. That's what I've decided to do: get the new cart and go from there.

 

Hint: Set the tracking force in the upper 1/3 of the range. Too-low tracking force causes mistracking and does damage quickly (though of course Shures track better than most (any?) at any tracking force).

 

I just purchased the mmf 2.1 and it is a great turntable. I was using a Shure 97 cartridge on it until I received the V15 and can tell you that it is no where near the quality of the V15. The 97 is a decent sounding cartridge but it was not much of an improvement over the cartridge that comes with the turntable.

 

Hey! Welcome aboard! Thanks for the advice.

I did order the 97 this morning and it will be here this week. Given my whole setup, I think this cartridge will work just fine. It's certainly an improvement over what I have now.

If I do go with a new turntable in the future, I may consider getting an even better cartridge. For now, I'm going one step at a time.

 

That always irritated me about the Walker CJ55 turntable I used to use...it had a heavy bakelite platter that had to be removed to change the speed. (That and the fact that it didn't run perfectly at 33-1/3 RPM.) It's a hazard to the tonearm and cartridge in the event of a mishap (which seems to happen a little too often with me lately...a middle-aged case of 'slippery fingers'). One slip of the fingers and *whammo*, something's gonna break.

I won't tell about the time I fumbled a MoFi LP behind my equipment rack....

 

Re: Re: Music Hall 2.1 and cart questions

I lost a great copy of Wes Montgomery's Road Songs like that. Still makes me sick. I was changing sides and I dropped it. Picked it up to inspect the damage and thought to myself, "so that's how those marks get on there."

I see that it is still available and might have to spring for a new one but it's just not the same. Since then I have become much more careful.

Sorry to hear about your mofi.

 

The cartridge arrived today!

I have it installed and have listened to a few LP cuts and 45's. I am quite pleased with the sound. The bass is a lot better and the overall sound is not as bright as I had been experiencing.

My next question, then, is how to fine-tune the settings. I had set the counterbalance by eye and I don't use the anti-skate. That's kept at zero. I set the tracking force using the optimum setting in the instructions.

Is there any simple way of determining it's pretty well set?

 

Can I ask why you don't use antiskate? I strongly recommend it. I know a few people think its bad, but they are a minority. It helps the stylus stay centered in the groove, makes it last at least twice as long, reduces record wear and distortion, etc.

Assuming it has the standard type counterbalance, do this: Adjust it so the stylus is almost touching the record. Now while it's set this way put the dial at zero, now turn the counterbalance until the desired tracking force is achieved, probably 1.25 grams. (If there's no calibrated dial then there's nothing for it but to beg borrow or buy a tracking force guage.)

For antiskate, if you don't have a good (and unworn) test record, find a disk that is not dished or warped, and adjust the antiskate so that the stylus tends to move back slightly towards the outside of the disk when you set it down on a blank section. Try several disks to get an average. When in doubt use less, but by all means, use some. (I forget - does this model have a stabilizer brush? That makes the adjustments a little different.)

 

Somewhere I had read or heard that TT's with straight tonearms did not really need to use anti-skate. Since I could never hear a difference no matter how I turned it, I left it alone. I don't know what I should be listening for. My understanding is that this feature acts as a counter to the headshells tendency to be drawn inwards towards the spinde.

I set the counterbalance after I had connected the cartridge. I had the arm floating parallel to the table then set the dial to zero. I used a ruler to get this is accurate as I could. Then I set the counterbalance to 1.25g which is what Shure recommends when not using the stabilizer brush.

If I use the brush, they recommend adding an additional .5g. I wasn't planning on using the brush because I use the VPI for cleaning the discs and a carbon fibre brush, too.

Thanks for the tip on setting the anti-skate. I'll have to play around with that.

 

Just to clarify -- the brush on the Shure 97/V15 carts isn't there for cleaning the records, although it does do that as a nice side effect. It's main purpose to help absorb shocks when going over warps, as well as make the cartridges compatible with a much wider range of tonearms. The stabilizer brush is what makes these carts able to track a warped 45RPM 12" single -- something no other carts can do (at least, none that I know of).

Some folks claim that the stabilizer brush colours the sound. I've tried it both ways and I don't hear any difference. But do at least try it out, and go with whatever works best for you.

 

This applies only to straight line tracking tonearms, which are an esoteric breed - the kind where the rear of the arm glides along a track. Or the new scratch-oriented short straight pivoted arms, which sacrifice tracking error for stability - I'm sure you don't have (or want) one of these.

 

I'll keep this in mind if the situation comes up. I can't think of any warped discs I have but I'm sure something will crop up. I'm getting a crate of free albums from a friend at work. I have no idea what condition they'll be in.

 

No, I don't have a straight line tonearm. Those "short" arms are on some of the DJ tables, right?

So, do think I got the counterbalance set about right?

Overall, things sound pretty good. The more modern the record, the better it is. I put on a couple 45's from the early 90's and the bass was incredible.

I put on a 45 from the early 70's that sounded way off with the old cartridge. Sound from the right was bleeding into the center area in one section, and the whole song sounded unsettled, bright, and distorted.

The Shure has tightened everything up. The bleeding, distortion, and generally unfocused sound cleared up like a fog lifting. Wow!

I've heard references to finding the "sweet spot" in other threads. I would like to think I'm close.