DijonMaster
Active Member
What do you mean by slide the cart backwards? I can pull the arm out and slide it in, but all the way in its still not short enough
Aligning the AR XA arm
- Thread starter DijonMaster
- Start date
What do you mean by slide the cart backwards? I can pull the arm out and slide it in, but all the way in its still not short enough
Coolhandjjl
Embiggened Pompatus
Can the cartridge be loosened and slid back towards the tonearm’s mounting base a little bit?
DijonMaster
Active Member
I don't believe so. It's an AT 3600l cart
Coolhandjjl
Embiggened Pompatus
How is it attached to the headshell? Usually the mounting screws pass through slots (rather than circular holes) that allow for positioning.
DijonMaster
Active Member
It's attached through circular holes
Coolhandjjl
Embiggened Pompatus
ok. so the whole arm tube slides back and forth to get the correct overhang?
If you cant hit these numbers, the cartridge isn't compatible with this arm then.
(Well, technically you could remove the cart mounting screws and either use foam tape or glue to mount the cart further back in the headshell, or if the headshell is connected to the arm tube with a universal mount, get a different headshell with slots)
If you cant hit these numbers, the cartridge isn't compatible with this arm then.
(Well, technically you could remove the cart mounting screws and either use foam tape or glue to mount the cart further back in the headshell, or if the headshell is connected to the arm tube with a universal mount, get a different headshell with slots)
Last edited:
There is a small screw under the arm wand where it enters the pivot block which can be loosened to adjust both overhang and azimuth. AR included a small screwdriver with an overhang gauge and other items for setup. There is no adjustment at the headshell.
DijonMaster
Active Member
Yeah, the whole tube slides back and forth. The lowest I can get between the spindle and tip is 18mm
DijonMaster
Active Member
Yeah, that's what I've been using the adjust everything
I believe Marc covered this somewhere in the official AR thread and I seem to recall the cartridge mounting hole to stylus distance changing over the last sixty years. Regardless, more adjustment is one of the benefits of changing the wand to accept slotted headshells.
DijonMaster
Active Member
Maybe I'll change the wand at some point.
I had a busy day and see I missed a lot here. I’ll post this picture but I believe AR supplied two different overhang gauges over the years; 15mm and maybe 18mm. I have one but I don’t remember which one it is. Regardless, either clearly illustrates the concept of overhang. no affiliation with the source.
Edit: I can’t seem to post the pic and I hope the link is acceptable.
https://www.patsaudioparts.com/single-post/2017/12/10/ar-xa-turntable-and-setting-overhang
Edit: I can’t seem to post the pic and I hope the link is acceptable.
https://www.patsaudioparts.com/single-post/2017/12/10/ar-xa-turntable-and-setting-overhang
DijonMaster
Active Member
Thank you so much!
It seems weird that you can’t get under 230mm. Are you comfortable carefully pulling the arm assembly out of the arm well and see what is happening under the pivot assembly? Maybe there is something blocking the tube from moving back into the pivot block. You might also need to remove the pivot screws so you can remove spindle and pivot block to get a clearer view, but it seems to me that something is limiting the tube from moving back. I know you realize this, but you will need to be careful when doing this as the wires can easily be damaged.
And you align to 16.5?
You guys may know something that I don’t but I go by the data provided by Edgar Villchur, the Designer of the AR XA Turntable and Tonearm. In his two part article “A New Turntable-Arm Design” published in the September and October, 1962 issues of Audio Magazine, he states:
Pivot to Stylus. 9” (228.6 mm)
Overhang, 0.688’ (17.475 mm)
I checked 4 original overhang gauges and they agree with the overhang dimension shown above.
The arm was set at the factory for a cartridge with a mounting center to needle tip of 3/8” (0.375”, 9.525 mm).. I checked a few vintage Shure and Grado cartridges typical of what would have been mounted on an XA “back in the day” and they appeared to be very close to the 3/8” mounting center to needle tip dimension mentioned in the article. Here are links to the article:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Audio/60s/Audio-1962-Sep.pdf
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Audio/60s/Audio-1962-oct.pdf
Pivot to Stylus. 9” (228.6 mm)
Overhang, 0.688’ (17.475 mm)
I checked 4 original overhang gauges and they agree with the overhang dimension shown above.
The arm was set at the factory for a cartridge with a mounting center to needle tip of 3/8” (0.375”, 9.525 mm).. I checked a few vintage Shure and Grado cartridges typical of what would have been mounted on an XA “back in the day” and they appeared to be very close to the 3/8” mounting center to needle tip dimension mentioned in the article. Here are links to the article:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Audio/60s/Audio-1962-Sep.pdf
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Audio/60s/Audio-1962-oct.pdf
AvFan
Super Member
Yes. I experimented with 17mm as it was closer to Lofgren B which has some advantages.
I think it is because many of us have changed out the original J arm wand to a Technics S wand. Probably doesn't help the OP who uses the original arm tube.