Table of Contents
What is the arm on a turntable called?
The Tone Arm and the Cartridge The tonearm holds the stylus and, together with the cartridge, it is responsible for actually producing the sounds. Tonearms can be straight or curved.
What difference does a tone arm make?
The function of a tonearm is to support the cartridge in the correct position over the record and allow it to move inward to the centre of the record while maintaining this position. Any flex or movement in the tube while the cartridge is on the record will result in audible interference in the audio signal.
What is a turntable tonearm?
A tonearm is designed to support the phono cartridge that holds the stylus. The size of the counterweight you need will vary based on the weight of the tonearm, the cartridge, and the type of turntable you are using.
Is a longer tonearm better?
A longer tonearm is better at maintaining the right tracking angle for the needle as it tracks across the record. Theoretically, the longer the tonearm the longer it will maintain the correct angle.
Why do some turntables have two arms?
The main reason for having two tonearms or more in your setup is to make it less hassle in switching up cartridges. If you’re a beginner, you’re not likely to need different cartridges. But the more you get into records, the more reasons you might have for buying more than one cartridge for specific records.
What’s a tone arm?
: the movable part of a phonograph or record player that carries the pickup and permits the needle to follow the record groove.
How much does a turntable needle weigh?
In most cases, the range falls between 1 and 3 grams. Keep in mind that some cartridges may set the range lower at 2.5 grams, so you want to read the manufacturer’s recommendations for the ideal range.
What does tone arm mean?
What is overhang on a tonearm?
The “overhang” is the pivot to spindle distance plus the amount the stylus literally “overhangs” beyond the spindle. If your arm allows, you can actually move it so the tube rests on top of the spindle and the distance from there to the stylus tip is the “overhang”, which is usually also specified in the arm’s specs.
How long is a tonearm?
Usually people mean effective length regardless of what words they use. Not on eBay, though, where 9″ tonearms sometimes are called 12″ and 12″ called 14″ or 16″. The effective length is the distance from pivot to stylus. Most 9″ tonearms are 9″, or 228 mm, from pivot to stylus.
How do I know if my tonearm is too heavy?
Listen For Distortion You need to use an album that you know inside and out. The kind of album that you have listened to so many times, you know right away when things are off. If the sound is off in any way, it could be because your tonearm is too heavy and is pressing into the record too hard.
Is anti skate necessary?
YES – you DO need anti-skating. It is just simple physics. Setting it where it provides equal force per groove wall for where music spends 80-90% of its time is simply correct – 30-40% average modulation level antiskating adjustment makes FAR more sense, both from the standpoint of listening, and wear.
Can a semi automatic turntable lower the tonearm?
Semi-automatic turntables won’t lower the tonearm onto the record, but when the record is over, a lift will automatically pick up the tonearm and shut off the table. If you worry about falling asleep while listening and having your stylus sit in the outer groove, a semi-automatic takes that worry away.
What do you call the specification on a turntable?
When researching a turntable, you may come across a specification often called “operation” or “turntable type”. Common types are manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic. The operation specification refers to the operation of the turntable’s tonearm.
Is the S shaped arm the same as the straight arm?
Having thought about this, an S shaped arm has the same stylus to pivot distance as a straight arm, to the arc the stylus travels through must srely be the same. S shaped arms seemed popular once upon a time, with models from Transcriptors, SME, Alphason etc and many more dominating the quality arm market.
Where is the spindle on a turntable located?
M. Spindle is the protruding end of the motor shaft, it is found at the center of the platter. You will slip your record onto this before playing. Now that you understand the anatomy of a turntable let’s dig deeper into the differences you will come across.