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Time rushes so fast! But among all these new trends and tracks, there had always been something called evergreen. And some harmony lovers like me, are still appended with the old-fashioned turntable.
But for some days I noticed my turntable giving the harsh sound and lastly dig out the worn out cartridge. So, I had to replace the cartridge anyways.
But that’s where the trouble began. I tried some weird and exhausting ways, but nothing came our as fruitful as the ‘one’ that i adopted from my grandpa’s advice. And i’m about to share that with you guys right now.
List of Tools That You Will Need
Right turntable tools at right time can save your valuable time. So, let’s have a glimpse at the tools we need in this process-
- Stylus pressure or force gauge
- Pair of tweezers
- Alignment protector
- A good screwdriver set (Better if it is non-magnetic)
- Needle nose pliers
And the most importantly you will need to reserve your most valuable time( 30-40 minutes best) aside from these tools.
How to Replace Turntable Cartridge: With Effective Tips
First things first, removing the cartridge is our primary concern. Let’s see them in bite-size chunks.
- At first, remove the dust cover and identify headshell.
- Set the headshell free from the tonearm. The easy way to do this to turn the nut towards.
- Now, remove the arm connected to the pins of the cartridge. Easy tricks to use a tweezer rather than your hand.
- Hold the cartridge and remove the screws that affix cartridge with headshell. Turntable tips for threaded screws that no need to hold the cartridge to remove the bolt.
Your old cartridge is in your hand now. It is high time to install the new one. Now you need a brief expression, not some bullet tips.
Before doing anything, check the wires with the old one that they are the same or not. Checked!
Now, if you are lucky enough with a threaded hole in the cartridge, simply affix the cartridge with headshell inserting the screw through the hole.
Slightly tighten the screw so that you can move whenever in need. But with the non-threaded, forget about this. Tighten so that the screw can’t move.
Tips: Use the washer to perfectly tighten.
Time for wiring maintaining the color code. Use a tweezer and connect the wires with great care. Don’t be surprised with your broken wire for little force.
Tips:
If you face a problem to set the clips, use a small screwdriver but be careful to use this. In the event, needlenose pliers will help you to squeeze the clips together.
Next, assemble headshell onto the arm.
Part by part assembling is finished but don’t pick your eyebrows yet! A bit of setting is still waiting for you.
Track the Exact Load
The downward force is not the same for all cartridge. You need fix that by tracking the exact load. Stylus pressure gauge is good at enough to measure the right pressure.
But if you have a turntable with built-in tracking force scale, use that dial for the appropriate force.
Tips: Set the small anti-skate arm to zero. Down the cueing lever. Make the tonearm parallel to the turntable. Then apply your way to track the force. For built-in mechanism, better to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Align Correctly
Now, get the cartridge over the line. Best way to use alignment gauge to ensure the best lining. Make the stylus parallel to the line of the gauge. Don’t get frustrated. Do this carefully. Make the tangential alignment for non-parallel cartridge body.
Tips:
- Use a simple lighted magnifying glass to make the process easy to do.
- Follow the guideline on the cartridge’s body to position correctly if the sides are non-parallel.
Height and Azimuth Setting
The height of the tonearm has to be set parallel to the record plate. Some advance turntable has got the setting. You can follow that easily. Other ones, has the screw setting which holds the arm and you can adjust those.
Azimuth adjustment indicates to set the needle at 90 degrees to the record.
Like height setting, you may find the azimuth setting too. Otherwise, try with your vision. Put the best effort to do so.
Tips: Before fixing the azimuth, tighten the screw on the cartridge.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have replaced your old cartridge and set it perfectly. But we are not done yet! Don’t forget your anti-skate dial into the same tracked load. And before to finish, revisit the tracking weight again. It is us who want to give our best to our old tradition.
So, after all of your effort, make it worth by enjoying the melody. Best of luck with your new cartridge!
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