About the cartridges on Technics Linear trackers

[ClayTune]

So,

Now I have a couple of these and to be honest I swap the Pmounts in and out a lot, depending on what music I am listening to.

I have for example, on my SL7 NOT been placing the screw back in.

Is this bad? I seem to be able to play tons of records without worrying about the cart falling out or anything, because even without the screw on the side it seems to take some effort to take out and place back in any of these cartridges.

What's your guys thoughts?

 

[jimreeves]

It isn't critical as you've already found in my opinion. It is reducing your VTF by whatever amount it weighs, but if you aren't noticing tracking errors I think it's fine.

 

[ClayTune]

It isn't critical as you've already found in my opinion. It is reducing your VTF by whatever amount it weighs, but if you aren't noticing tracking errors I think it's fine.

On the SL7 there's a little screw adjustable that alters tracking force somehow. So far never understood how that works. But assume it's to account for the scew weight or different weighted P mounts.

Otherwise, is there any specific, notable purpose of the screw?

 

[jimreeves]

All P mount arms I've ever had have either a small screw & nut or a small thumbscrew to secure the cart to the arm. None have needed it to actually hold the cart plug in the arm though, as you noted. You are correct that there is a small adjusting screw to alter the tracking force by a small amount on the linear trackers. At least there was on the SL-QL1 I once owned. Hard to tell how much difference it made with the lid closed!

 

[gadget73]

I believe it adjusts spring tension to alter tracking force. No counterweight on these things.

but no I wouldn't expect the screw affects tracking force by enough to really be concerned about. Weigh the screw if you really want to know exactly how much.

 

[ClayTune]

All P mount arms I've ever had have either a small screw & nut or a small thumbscrew to secure the cart to the arm. None have needed it to actually hold the cart plug in the arm though, as you noted. You are correct that there is a small adjusting screw to alter the tracking force by a small amount on the linear trackers. At least there was on the SL-QL1 I once owned. Hard to tell how much difference it made with the lid closed!

On straight or S shaped arms I can definitely understand the necessity of the screws because of the directional path the arm travels with made the cartridge susceptible to unwanted movement.

For the linear tracker I cannot comprehend movement of the cart happening like that without the screw in place.

 

[ClayTune]

I believe it adjusts spring tension to alter tracking force. No counterweight on these things.

but no I wouldn't expect the screw affects tracking force by enough to really be concerned about. Weigh the screw if you really want to know exactly how much.

I was really more concerned with whether or not the screw being in place was crucial or not to pretty much anything involving the cartridge movement and behavior.

 

[jimreeves]

It would be interesting and informative if you tested with a test record for resonance, with and without the screw.

 

[ClayTune]

It would be interesting and informative if you tested with a test record for resonance, with and without the screw.

Yes except now I misplaced the scew. But I have one on the SL-J2 that I wonder if it will fit in the screw hole for the SL7 hmm

 

[Nat]

The locking screw adds a noticeable amount to the effective mass of the arm, and it affects tracking force noticeably, too. Most T4p cartridges were designed so that the 1.25 gram default tracking force was nicely in the middle of the recommended tracking force, so skipping the screw may not affect tracking except on the most highly modulated grooves. But the screw also increases the rigidity of arm/cartridge system, which affects the amount of detail retrieved.
I use the screw when I use P mount cartridges.
Like every aspect of the T4p system, the screws were standardized so they should swap with no problem.

 

[ClayTune]

The locking screw adds a noticeable amount to the effective mass of the arm, and it affects tracking force noticeably, too. Most T4p cartridges were designed so that the 1.25 gram default tracking force was nicely in the middle of the recommended tracking force, so skipping the screw may not affect tracking except on the most highly modulated grooves. But the screw also increases the rigidity of arm/cartridge system, which affects the amount of detail retrieved.
I use the screw when I use P mount cartridges.
Like every aspect of the T4p system, the screws were standardized so they should swap with no problem.

Thanks, when I get a chance then I may take the screw off the SL-J2 and screw it into the tone arm if the SL7. I believe they both screw in from the left side but I will check to be sure.

Should I then turn the tracking force screw to compensate for the slight amount of additional gram weight from the tone arm screw?

 

[flavio81]

So,

Now I have a couple of these and to be honest I swap the Pmounts in and out a lot, depending on what music I am listening to.

I have for example, on my SL7 NOT been placing the screw back in.

Is this bad? I seem to be able to play tons of records without worrying about the cart falling out or anything, because even without the screw on the side it seems to take some effort to take out and place back in any of these cartridges.

What's your guys thoughts?

The P-mount cartridge (any) with stylus should weight exactly 6.0 grams. (*)

If you remove the weight the tracking force will be a bit less. No big deal.

(*) some were intentionally heavier to achieve higher tracking forces, there was a Pickering or Stanton DJ p-mount cartridge, believe it or not! that had a weight on top.

 

[Pio1980]

I believe it adjusts spring tension to alter tracking force. No counterweight on these things.

but no I wouldn't expect the screw affects tracking force by enough to really be concerned about. Weigh the screw if you really want to know exactly how much.

Afaik, at least some had zero poise counterweight balanced arms with spring adjusted vtf, to make them immune to gravity effects due to not being level. Dual famously used this principle.

 

[Nat]

It should be easy enough to weight the screw. It is close enough to the stylus point that the change in tracking force is probably very close to the weight of the screw, which I suspect might be a quarter or half gram - just guessing. That might matter.

 

[ClayTune]

Guys I created somewhat of a unique problem with something as small as a mounting screw.

Please see this thread, especially if you're familiar with the SL7

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...ion-with-technics-sl7-video-included.1030267/

 

[Nat]

Try removing the protective cover and the stylus assembly. I think the cover may be jamming the cartridge into the up position. Taking the stylus assembly off is just a safety precaution.

 

[ClayTune]

Try removing the protective cover and the stylus assembly. I think the cover may be jamming the cartridge into the up position. Taking the stylus assembly off is just a safety precaution.

Please have a look at all the videos I showed on that thread. It shows that I did remove the protective cover. But it's still jammed into the sidewall of the silver part. there is still not enough clearance.

 

[Pio1980]

If the shuttle buttons don't allow movement of the arm, disassembly of the lid will be required to manually move it and diagnose problems.

 

[ClayTune]

If the shuttle buttons don't allow movement of the arm, disassembly of the lid will be required to manually move it and diagnose problems.

I know what the problem is I need to manually move the pulley to get the screw from the plastic inner casing, remove the screw and thus allow the auto return to, well, auto-return. It won't allow normal play function unless the system first senses it has been successfully auto-returned. Screw placement wrong, lesson learned.

 

[gadget73]

Afaik, at least some had zero poise counterweight balanced arms with spring adjusted vtf, to make them immune to gravity effects due to not being level. Dual famously used this principle.

that may be. I had two different ones but its been a fair number of years and the fine points are lost. I just remember no weight and the VTF adjustment screw pulls a spring.