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Cartridge position on headshell . . .

Hi there

 

Such a simplistic query after decades in this endeavor, but not long back I replaced a Clearaudio cartridge on my VPI Scoutmaster (early 2000's vintage . . . . JMW-9 tonearm).  I've run Clearaudio pretty much from day one.

I put a Hanna SL cartridge on this tonearm.  Fairly light cartridge so weights added to headshell and even with that counterweight isn't too far back from full forward.  

But my question has to do with the position of the cartridge beneath the headshell.  Perhaps just because I so rarely upgrade its simply a non-issue, but this is the first cartridge I've had that had to be placed so that it under hangs slightly forward of the edge of the front of the headshell.  Reason isn't weight balance, but rather the limited space available at the rear of the cartridge for the tonearm cables to connect.

Overthinking this, or is some mod needed here for optimum setup?

The cartridge sounds fine to my ears; certainly what I was expecting from what I had heard of its performance to date with others.  But its a nagging question I finally decided to post.

Thanks in advance for any and all on this . . . 

terra3
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cleeds
5,642 posts
 

terra3

... this is the first cartridge I've had that had to be placed so that it under hangs slightly forward of the edge of the front of the headshell.  Reason isn't weight balance, but rather the limited space available at the rear of the cartridge for the tonearm cables to connect ...

You're referring to overhang, which should be set using a phono alignment gauge. Have you done that?

bkeske's avatar
bkeske
5,568 posts
 

You need an overhang/cartridge alignment protractor that aligns the cartridge for proper overhang. It connects to your spindle, and move the cart back or forward so the cart is aligned with the protractor grid at two given points marked on the protractor, not skewed from the grid. To achieve this, you also do not want the cartridge skewed at the head shell mount either. Moving the cart back or forward will get the alignment correct at those two points. If they are not, your cartridge will be out of alignment. 

You might find one locally, or as example, can get one from Hudson HIFI, or similar.

There are much more complex protractors, but I would at least get a basic one for about $10 to get started. 

terra3 OP
60 posts
 

Yes, had used the alignment device and set this up properly.

 

Its just not having this particular setup playout this way before, started wondering if any issue with having the overhang even if I obtain proper alignment.

knock1
182 posts
 

If the stylus is at different location, in relation to the headshell, that the previous cartridge that would indicate that one of the cartridges was not placed correctly or maybe even both.

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