VPI hw19jr Audioquest PT-8 arm G-ring 1042 cart

Sorry, if I could read I would have answered your question about a phono CABLE, (I read it as phono CARTRIDGE).

Signal Cable makes a damn good cable for around $180 new. I saw a used Kimber TAC on Audiogon for around $180. Audioquest makes the Wildcat for $75.00 new, I'm actually using this cable on a PT9 and it does an excellent job.

Everyone has said marvelous things about the MintLP for alignment, I haven't yet tried one. I still really like my Dennison SoundTractor that I've had forever. I am going to order a MintLP.

Hope that helps some.

Try Ultimate Cables out of Canada, he makes some nice looking din/RCA phone cables for about $85.00 He advertises on Audiogon and also has a website. I have one here and it looks quality, but I have not tried it yet. It has nice RCA's Neutrik I believe, and Cardas DIN, double shielded,50/50 copper silver cryo treated. He only makes about 5 different cables to keep the costs down.

The VPI table was delivered yesterday. Upon first setting up when setting the deck into the chassis the top of the pulley/motor was hitting the bottom of the triangular nameplate that screws over it. I temporarily put cardboard shims on top of the rubber dampers in the corners of the chassis, this raised the deck up enough so the plate wasn't hitting the motor. What am I missing here? Also, while setting the arm into the slot and dropping it as low as it would go I tightened the set screw approx. where it had been previously (saw the marks from screw on shaft) balanced the arm, then added about 1.75 grams. When lowering the cueing arm onto a record the cart/arm bottoms out prior to landing on the record. Only after removing the cushioned arm rest was I able to play a record, by lowering it manually. Also the rubber drive belt was slipping a bit- does anyone know where I can get a spare? Other than that everything looks great.. A lot more set up than my previous KAB 1210 m5g. I'll get into comparisons after I get this dialed in a bit.

One problem solved, the cueing lever is held in place by an allen set screw that is very tiny. I managed to find a proper wrench and loosen/drop it a few ticks and it seems ok. This table was shipped with the arm in place and the platter mounted, not the way I was taught to ship a table, so perhaps things got disjointed. I also am going to need a protractor to dial it in. So far it sounds dynamic with the Mani-2's, better than the KAB 1210 and the Alon's. I will go back to the Alon;s for a comparison with the Technics after I get this table all Set and report my findings.

Zen,
This is common with the HW-19, and when I got my own HW-19Jr back in 1997, what I noted VPI had done to achieve proper Plinth Height, was they added one Rubber Spindle Washer underneath each Sorbothane Puck to slightly raise the Plinth height. Even in this scenario, it was a close tolerance between the Pulley, and Pulley cover. When I then went to the MK-IV Platter, which was heavier, I then found I needed to add three small Rubber Washers between the three Standoffs, and Pulley cover to keep the two from rubbing.

Or, Rubber Fender Washers (Ala Home Depot), or Metal Fender Washers, with an outside diameter of 1-1/2" can be used under the Sorbo Pucks to help you attain correct, or a higher Plinth Height. You want to insure that the belt rides in the center of platter, and I feel it is better to shim plinth, rather than to monkey with the Thrust Plate plug at the bottom of the bearing. (Lube bearing while you're at it, Mobil 1 5-30/10-30 works fine, just a couple drops on bottom of shaft, and very light coat to the shaft itself)

As for the Arm, and your cueing mechanism on the AQ PT-8 Arm, this is common, that the Cueing Cylinder will need to be adjusted in height. The entire Cueing Cylinder is held in place with one small metric Allen Set Screw at the side of the Cueing Cylinder.

To first set neutral VTA, set a record on platter. Use a folded ruled Index Card, like a little tent, set Tonearm on the lead in groove of record, set the ruled card behind the arm-Armwand, and sight the ArmWand to insure you are at neutral VTA to begin with. Adjust Arm up, and down till you achieve this neutral VTA. One can also see the Unipivot top of Arm, that it looks level all the way around to the bottom of Arm Pivot, easier seen, than explained here/ Lock Arm Mouning Post, then you can adjust the height of the Cueing Cylinder.

You must insure that the cueing cylinder picks up the Arm a sufficient amount, so thay it will clear the record, and insure when the cueing mechanism is in the down position, that the cueing ramp has sufficient clearance, so that it doesn't contact the underside of Arm Wand while in play.

belts can be gotten from any VPI dealer, or LP Gear as well. Get a new one. If I can be of further help, drop me a private mail, I'll help you.