• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Technics SL-D2 tracking pressure

N

Noobie Dave

New Member
Hey guys, I just got a SL-D2 in great condition and am loving it. It came with an AT120e cartridge, and the guy--who was the original owner--said it was the second cartridge used on the thing, that it might be old, etc.

It sounds great to me.

Someone had told me that the tracking pressure for this cart is 1-1.8g; right now, the dial is set to 0.5 (how he had it set) and everything seems to sound great. I'm wondering if something's wrong--that seems really low--and if there's any adverse affects of having it set this low.

Thanks! So far I'm loving this machine.
 
Register to hide this ad
Whatever the number is reading is a non-factor until you know the tone arm has been balanced.
 
You definitely need to get a Shure SFG-2 tracking force gauge. You can find them all over the internet.

5889.jpg
 
Will do; I was just looking at the stylus, and noticed that it seemed to be riding much lower on the record than it was last time I really looked at it (a day or two ago). I hadn't touched the counterweight. What causes it to sink down like that?

I lightened the pressure up and it's riding high again, still sounds great.
 
You really should do this right. Don't play another record until you after you have re-balanced the arm and checked the tracking force and made sure it's correct....get a tracking force gauge. Right now, it looks like just a lot of guesswork as to whether things are right or not.
 
iLUVanalog said:
You really should do this right. Don't play another record until you after you have re-balanced the arm and checked the tracking force and made sure it's correct....get a tracking force gauge. Right now, it looks like just a lot of guesswork as to whether things are right or not.
Click to expand...

Take this advice. Rebalance the arm now. Here's how:


Set the dial to zero and move the counter weight until the arm floats perfectly horizontal to the table. Perfectly horizontal is key. Do this on a level surface, check it with a level. Shim the feet of needed to obtain level.

When you get the arm floating perfectly horizontal make sure the dial is set to zero.

Now turn the counterweight and the dial together such that the dial reads 1.5 grams. Set the anti skate to 1.5.

Play some music and verify.

Once you get that stylus force gauge verify everything again but this procedure should work if you are careful.
 
Ilikevinyl said:
You definitely need to get a Shure SFG-2 tracking force gauge. You can find them all over the internet.
Click to expand...

"Definitely need" is a little strong. Certainly stylus force gauges or digital scales are a useful aid in setting tracking force but they're far from necessary. As mentioned by bobins08, it's possible to set tracking force using the numbers on the counterweight. (That's why the manufacturer put them there.)

This method, if done with a degree of care, results in a surprisingly accurate setting. I typically use a digital scale, cheaper and at least as accurate as the Shure gauge, but have sometimes set VTF using the "bobins08 technique" and then checked it with my digital scale. The results are always spot on.

John
 
Thanks for the step-by-step. I did it like you said and it sounds great. It tracks at 1g... would that be easier on my records?
 
Noobie Dave said:
It tracks at 1g... would that be easier on my records?
Click to expand...

No, it wouldn't. Too little a stylus pressure can cause more problems than too much. With too little VTF, especially when playing on the loud side, you get the stylus bouncing and chattering around in the groove, harming both the record and the stylus.

As a rule, most of us favor running a given cartridge fairly close to the maximum, or at least at a point closer to the maximum than to the minimum. Basically, with that cartridge on that arm, a medium mass arm, you probably want to set VTF at around 1.5g.

John
 
I usually set mine about the middle of the range and adjust upward if needed. I've never had one play right at the bottom end of the range. Then again, I've got stuff with silly wide stated ranges. I think that Empire I have says 1.25-7 or some nonsense like that.
 
Dave if you don't have it, the SL-D2 owners manual, go to Vinyl Engine download and print it out. The Technics manuals are excellent with clear/simple instructions along with illustrations on setting up the turntable and cartridge. Vinyl Engine will also have an owners manual for your AT cartridge with specs and instructions, print that out also. Digital stylus gauges are cheap, about $10 and easy to use.
 
boreas said:
"Definitely need" is a little strong. Certainly stylus force gauges or digital scales are a useful aid in setting tracking force but they're far from necessary. As mentioned by bobins08, it's possible to set tracking force using the numbers on the counterweight. (That's why the manufacturer put them there.)

This method, if done with a degree of care, results in a surprisingly accurate setting. I typically use a digital scale, cheaper and at least as accurate as the Shure gauge, but have sometimes set VTF using the "bobins08 technique" and then checked it with my digital scale. The results are always spot on.

John
Click to expand...

The numbers on the counterweight are only completely accurate when the cart has the same weight as the one that the engineers used when they spec'd out the counterweight dial. Any deviation from the original cart weight results in inaccuracy, thus the need for a scale.
 
rnorton said:
The numbers on the counterweight are only completely accurate when the cart has the same weight as the one that the engineers used when they spec'd out the counterweight dial. Any deviation from the original cart weight results in inaccuracy, thus the need for a scale.
Click to expand...

True, however, my experience is that lighter or heavier cartridges and headshells cause only about .1g variance from the dial. That could be an issue when adjusting to the extremes of recommended tracking, but probably not for a average listener setting tracking to the middle of the range.

However, I do always check with a digital meter just to make sure :yes:
 
rnorton said:
The numbers on the counterweight are only completely accurate when the cart has the same weight as the one that the engineers used when they spec'd out the counterweight dial. Any deviation from the original cart weight results in inaccuracy, thus the need for a scale.
Click to expand...

You do realize that the variations in cartridge weight, one to the next, are typically measured in tenths of grams or even less. Also, when adding the weight of the cartridge to the weight of the arm as a whole, we're in the realm or hundredths of a gram with respect to VTF readings. I know it may be incredibly cavalier of me but I just can't get all worked up over that sort of "error". :D

John
 
You do realize that the variations in cartridge weight, one to the next, are typically measured in tenths of grams or even less
Click to expand...

I'm not sure this is correct. I looked at the user manuals I have for a Shure V15III and Ortofon OM10...cartridge weights are 6.8 and 5 grams, respectively. And when you look at TT specs they will often include a pretty broad range of cartridge weights that can be accommodated (which I assume means that the arm can be balanced with the provided counterweight).

Still, I don't know how much variation this would cause in tracking pressure. Simplistically, it would seem that once you've calibrated the arm, with a particular cart, to zero, the onboard gauge/indicator would be accurate. In other words, if moving the counterweight forward a quarter inch adds on gram of downward force at the stylus on a particular TT, and the onboard indicator was correctly calibrated at the factory (so that a turn of the counterweight which moves it a quarter inch results in the gauge moving from zero to 1 gram), wouldn't it be accurate regardless of cartridge weight?

However, as WaynerN points out, accurage gauges are not expensive. I guess I should buy one and use it to compare the readings from the indicators on the six or seven TT's around here to the "actual" tracking weight. Think I'll do that, and report back.
 
Last edited:
This is all good info for me. I've got the manual for the turntable but I'll go download the manual for the cartridge too. I'm also going to look for the digital scales (i'm on a budget).

One last question that I didn't want to start a new thread for: is the "suspension" in the AT120E cart located in the cartridge assembly or the stylus assembly? At one point I noticed--part of the reason why I came on here asking--that the cartridge was tracking really low on the record. Like, almost touching. That's why I started messing with the tracking pressure.

Could the cartridge tracking low on the disc be because of a bad cartridge, for which I'd have to buy the whole new cartridge assembly? I just bought a new stylus, it's in the mail.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom