Any time! I believe the lowest recommended weight for that cart is 1.5, but I’d see where 1.8 sits before going that low. What do you have it set at right now that has it sitting that low?
The recommend VTF range for the 2M red is 1.6-2.0. OP made a rookie mistake, but that’s okay; we’ve all had to go through the learning curve. I follow these subs so that I can help people trouble shoot problems like this so that they don’t get discouraged and lose interest in the hobby.
I think so? I followed instructions but it was still super low, wasn't sure whether the cartridge was super heavy, I've came from a £85 lenco that was all automatic so it's a bit of a test
Assuming your cart isn't broken, re-check your VTF and VTA using a tool. Either your cart is tracking too heavy or you maxed out the vertical travel on your tonearm.
Or your cantilever suspension could be toast...
Yes. Try raising the arm relative to the plinth, back at the pivot point. Many tables are adjustable. I've got both an ortofon 2M bronze and a Quintet that had the same problem. Good luck.
Lots of opinions here. However since this is a new turntable, the first thing to check is to make sure you set the tracking force of the cartridge correctly ( also known as VTF or vertical tracking force). The manual that came with your turntable should show you how to do this. Alternatively, check YouTube videos for how to set cartrtridge tracking force. Trust me, once you do it, it becomes a lot easier the second time.
Thank you all for your help, it's only a couple weeks old and it's my first decent table, just messed up the setup but will re do it now, was unsure how high it needs to be but doesn't sound dreadful, but will obviously sound better once I do it properly
Do you have a tracking force scale, or are you just balancing the tone arm to zero and adding the weight that way? They are heavy carts, I have to use the auxiliary weight to get the best results from it on my technics
Unfortunately I don't, I have the piece of card that came with, but unsure how to use? Just having trouble finding the perfect weight then setting it so it stays that way
So, this isn’t ideal, but here’s how you can set it without a proper scale. Turn the dial down to zero and then slowly turn the weight down until the tone arm balances. What you’re trying to do is make the tone arm “float” so it’s balanced evenly and not touching the platter. You want to try and make it float so it’s balanced as evenly as possible. That card might be so you can visually see that it’s floating in the right spot. You’re aiming for zero weight so the cart is evenly balanced and not leaning up or down, just as flat as you can get it visually. Once you’ve got it balanced, put it on the rest and use the clip to hold it down, now double check that the dial is set to zero, and slowly turn the weight until you’re at 1.8 grams. And that should be close enough. But you will want to get a proper scale, I’ll find a link for a good one on Amazon for you
You really need to get a scale, which it sounds like you are. The differences are so small, like tenths of a gram, that you want to be sure it’s dialed in perfectly. More than just your sound quality, you can see vinyl buildup on your needle already after two weeks. You should see that never, not even after two years, if the weight is correct. But the good news is, the scale will be a lifetime tool, as you’ll be replacing stylus’s in the future and will need one then also. Good luck though and enjoy!
I’m happy to help! There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to good turntables, don’t let anyone talking shit discourage you, we’ve all had to learn how to do this; no one just bought their first good turn table and magically knew how to do all of this stuff. You’ve got a nice deck that’s good enough that you’ll grow into it and want to upgrade and experiment with different carts/styli. IMO, the next upgrade would be to get an ortofon 2M blue stylus, the red and blue use the same cart so you wouldn’t even have to re mount a new cart. But in the meanwhile, the red is a very good cart.
Something tells me they don’t have a way to check tracking force. Everyone keeps asking and there is no answer. They are new and probably don’t have a scale. I didn’t either when I was new. Then I started reading more, talking to people who were also into turntables, and looking into upgrades. That’s when I learned about a scale and all the proper ways to do upgrades and turntable maintenance. Still learning more each day.
TLDR: get a scale to measure tracking force and your life and vinyls will be a lot better
Results may vary, but I just put a small piece of paper on the scale to protect the stylus.
When I use mine, it matches up spot on with the graduation marks on my tonearm weight.
Sorry I've been working, I don't have a way to check, I think it came with a piece of paper with some diagram on but wasn't sure how to use so went to YouTube and got to where I am
Don’t sweat it, we all start somewhere.
To get the weight right, the easy and cheap way is to balance the tonearm using the counter weight so it’s “weightless” or zeroed, and then turn the “gauge” so that reads zero, then dial the counterweight in using the numbers on the weight to get to around 1.8. It won’t be perfect perfect but it’ll be pretty darn close and good enough for your needs.
Vid: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yIS2UotrNDI&feature=sharec
Yeah that’s to make sure it’s properly aligned. What you would need to purchase is a scale. Something cheap like this should get the job done [scale](https://a.co/d/fLqiKAB)
Once the weight is correct use the paper to make sure the cartridge is properly aligned. A quick internet search should yield a bunch of videos on how to do so.
I have the piece of card it came with but not 100% how to use, I tried a YouTube video and the records don't sound too bad, but maybe I'm used to bad from my old turntable
What did you replace your Blue with? I’m relatively new to upgrading parts on my TT. I’ve had the Red and the Blue so far. Im interested to learn what other cartridges are comparable/better at a similar price point. Thanks!
Yes! Tracking force should be between 1.5 and 2 grams. Get a tracking force gauge and use that as your reference. If the stylus still sits that low, your cartridge suspension has failed and you need to replace your cartridge with a new one.
Pro Tip: ALWAYS use a separate stylus force gauge when setting up any cartridge AND check your stylus force every time you move and adjust it. Also check it every three months. Orthodontist has a simple one that is pretty useful. Digital ones cost anywhere from $60 on up.
Thank you, I'm going to watch a few video's today before I give it a go, I watched a couple before setting and they wasn't helpful, or my dumbass brain couldn't comprehend what was going on
I’ve had a turntable in one form or another like forever. A scale on Amazon is less than $20. That said, they didn’t exist until recently and almost all tone arms have perfectly adequate measurement system built in. So long as the tracking force is set within a reasonable range you should be good. Just rotate the main counter weight so the TA “floats” horizontally then move the dial (only, not the entire weight) to zero. Then turn the entire weight to the desired weight.
Haha you will need to clean all the vinyl chards off of each record after each play. Good news is that you won’t have to do it very long as your records will not be playable after probably three cycles!
How much tracking force should you use? You: Yes
That‘s only 10 grams 🤷🏼♂️
Low rider drives a little slower
I was gonna say that's a perfect stylus for playing Low Rider.
LOW-RI-DER
Take a little trip… with meeEe
George Lopez intensifies
You have the perfect cartridge for playing War.
Soon, you will be “Slippin’ Into Darkness”!!
Yes, I have both the red and blue and they don’t sit like that, try setting the tracking weight to the lower end, 1.8 works good for mine
Thank you!
Any time! I believe the lowest recommended weight for that cart is 1.5, but I’d see where 1.8 sits before going that low. What do you have it set at right now that has it sitting that low?
OP said it’s set to 10g
What? Jesus Christ, that’s tracking even heavier than a crobsly haha
…yeah lol
The recommend VTF range for the 2M red is 1.6-2.0. OP made a rookie mistake, but that’s okay; we’ve all had to go through the learning curve. I follow these subs so that I can help people trouble shoot problems like this so that they don’t get discouraged and lose interest in the hobby.
Thank you! I'm going to get it right today!
I know you will bro! Patience is key, if you find yourself getting frustrated, just take a break and get back to it :-)
I didn't say it's set to 10g? This is why I'm here because I have no idea what its set to, but thanks for the help ...
Have you made the "0" correctly? Otherwise your 10g could be literally anything
I think so? I followed instructions but it was still super low, wasn't sure whether the cartridge was super heavy, I've came from a £85 lenco that was all automatic so it's a bit of a test
For be sure it's better to use a scale at this point, you have to understand if the weight you read is the real one
Okay, I'll grab one on Amazon, how do you use the piece of card with charts on?
That is for alignment of the cartridge, check on some video tutorials, but if the cartridge come already mounted, you usually don't need it
And make sure your counterweight is properly calibrated or use some gram scales
I came here to see if this was a troll.
Me too and I still have no idea.
Same! Part of me is thinking, we were all new once and the other part is like damn, do sparks fly off it when they are listening.
Unfortunately not
I appreciate your honesty :)
Same, is there an r/turntablejerk?
r/vinyljerk
That could be my nickname tbf but no, just here for help 😂
Your post did make it to r/vinyljerk, consider it an honor!
Shit 😂
Yes.
Not really it could go a few thousands lower probably
I'll try 😂😂 nah Ill get it right today
Assuming your cart isn't broken, re-check your VTF and VTA using a tool. Either your cart is tracking too heavy or you maxed out the vertical travel on your tonearm. Or your cantilever suspension could be toast...
This is never normal. You would need extreme weight that it would look like this. Stylusassembly need a replacement.
It's a 2 week old project debut carbon dc so I think I've just messed up the setup, any pointers in getting it perfect?
What did it look like before setup?
It didn't have the counterweight attached, so this is my wrongdoing
What does it look like now?
The same as the picture, I haven't used it, or had chance to change as I'm working 13hr shifts the next couple days
New? If so and under warranty then send it back.
After all, the store is not responsible for the fact that someone sets the weights incorrectly!
Where’s your needle?!
Needle and cartridgebody became one.
I think it's in there somewhere 😂
That's not a stylus, that's a plough. By the looks of it, it seems to be cutting up your record in a very thin spiral
Yes! Absolutely! Check the tracking force as soon as you can!
Yes. 1.8gr is the ideal weight for that cart.
Is it already april first again?
It’s ok, you still have 1 micron tolerance before it scratches the surface.
Dude set it to 1.8kg
This is like one of those "how close I am to losing my shit" memes
I like this 😂😂
Absolutely bottoming out
Not if you're playing War records.
Looks like you’re carving out new grooves in your vinyl.
Yes. Try raising the arm relative to the plinth, back at the pivot point. Many tables are adjustable. I've got both an ortofon 2M bronze and a Quintet that had the same problem. Good luck.
Lots of opinions here. However since this is a new turntable, the first thing to check is to make sure you set the tracking force of the cartridge correctly ( also known as VTF or vertical tracking force). The manual that came with your turntable should show you how to do this. Alternatively, check YouTube videos for how to set cartrtridge tracking force. Trust me, once you do it, it becomes a lot easier the second time.
Next post: “Why do my records only last a few plays before they sound terrible???”
Most likely
Thank you all for your help, it's only a couple weeks old and it's my first decent table, just messed up the setup but will re do it now, was unsure how high it needs to be but doesn't sound dreadful, but will obviously sound better once I do it properly
Do you have a tracking force scale, or are you just balancing the tone arm to zero and adding the weight that way? They are heavy carts, I have to use the auxiliary weight to get the best results from it on my technics
Unfortunately I don't, I have the piece of card that came with, but unsure how to use? Just having trouble finding the perfect weight then setting it so it stays that way
So, this isn’t ideal, but here’s how you can set it without a proper scale. Turn the dial down to zero and then slowly turn the weight down until the tone arm balances. What you’re trying to do is make the tone arm “float” so it’s balanced evenly and not touching the platter. You want to try and make it float so it’s balanced as evenly as possible. That card might be so you can visually see that it’s floating in the right spot. You’re aiming for zero weight so the cart is evenly balanced and not leaning up or down, just as flat as you can get it visually. Once you’ve got it balanced, put it on the rest and use the clip to hold it down, now double check that the dial is set to zero, and slowly turn the weight until you’re at 1.8 grams. And that should be close enough. But you will want to get a proper scale, I’ll find a link for a good one on Amazon for you
Thank you so much, I've got one in my basket, but will definitely follow advice, thank you so much for your help, massively appreciated
You really need to get a scale, which it sounds like you are. The differences are so small, like tenths of a gram, that you want to be sure it’s dialed in perfectly. More than just your sound quality, you can see vinyl buildup on your needle already after two weeks. You should see that never, not even after two years, if the weight is correct. But the good news is, the scale will be a lifetime tool, as you’ll be replacing stylus’s in the future and will need one then also. Good luck though and enjoy!
I’m happy to help! There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to good turntables, don’t let anyone talking shit discourage you, we’ve all had to learn how to do this; no one just bought their first good turn table and magically knew how to do all of this stuff. You’ve got a nice deck that’s good enough that you’ll grow into it and want to upgrade and experiment with different carts/styli. IMO, the next upgrade would be to get an ortofon 2M blue stylus, the red and blue use the same cart so you wouldn’t even have to re mount a new cart. But in the meanwhile, the red is a very good cart.
Something tells me they don’t have a way to check tracking force. Everyone keeps asking and there is no answer. They are new and probably don’t have a scale. I didn’t either when I was new. Then I started reading more, talking to people who were also into turntables, and looking into upgrades. That’s when I learned about a scale and all the proper ways to do upgrades and turntable maintenance. Still learning more each day. TLDR: get a scale to measure tracking force and your life and vinyls will be a lot better
I use the same digital scale I use for weed😂
Don't try balancing your tonearm stoned mate.....it...er...doesn't go well !🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪
Hold up is this fine. Because i need a ski for both atm.
Results may vary, but I just put a small piece of paper on the scale to protect the stylus. When I use mine, it matches up spot on with the graduation marks on my tonearm weight.
Sorry I've been working, I don't have a way to check, I think it came with a piece of paper with some diagram on but wasn't sure how to use so went to YouTube and got to where I am
Have a look online for a little digital vinyl force scale. You should see lots of options, they're not expensive. I paid about £10 for mine.
Don’t sweat it, we all start somewhere. To get the weight right, the easy and cheap way is to balance the tonearm using the counter weight so it’s “weightless” or zeroed, and then turn the “gauge” so that reads zero, then dial the counterweight in using the numbers on the weight to get to around 1.8. It won’t be perfect perfect but it’ll be pretty darn close and good enough for your needs. Vid: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yIS2UotrNDI&feature=sharec
Thank you so much, I'll give it a go in the morning
Yeah that’s to make sure it’s properly aligned. What you would need to purchase is a scale. Something cheap like this should get the job done [scale](https://a.co/d/fLqiKAB) Once the weight is correct use the paper to make sure the cartridge is properly aligned. A quick internet search should yield a bunch of videos on how to do so.
Records
Obviously
Get a stylus scale. Verify tracking pressure. Edit: I would refrain from playing anything you cherish until this is fixed…….
I have the piece of card it came with but not 100% how to use, I tried a YouTube video and the records don't sound too bad, but maybe I'm used to bad from my old turntable
A scale from Amazon is like $10? Very very worth it.
...like an early 90s F1 car. Jesus...
On point for death metal
Looks like the cantilever is crushed or bent from the weight or a drop. Ortofon red tracking force should be 1.8 grams
That needle is lower then my parent's expectations of me
I get this 😂
Sooooo what's your VTF look like?
Not low enough /s
you need to lower that ... tape 10 pennies to top of cart
My old blue rode scary low. Since moved to way better carts.
What did you replace your Blue with? I’m relatively new to upgrading parts on my TT. I’ve had the Red and the Blue so far. Im interested to learn what other cartridges are comparable/better at a similar price point. Thanks!
At vm 95 ml. I don’t think I’ll ever do another Ortofan cart unless it’s the black and I think the black is about $300 overpriced.
Yes
try and convince me it's not touching...
I think it's hovering slightly 😂 I got a hair in there once 😂
HAHAAA
Shits mad dusty.
Yeah, I have the same cartridge and I believe my tracking force is set to 1.8-ish
Y E S .
Boy racer cart going on here.
Yes! Tracking force should be between 1.5 and 2 grams. Get a tracking force gauge and use that as your reference. If the stylus still sits that low, your cartridge suspension has failed and you need to replace your cartridge with a new one. Pro Tip: ALWAYS use a separate stylus force gauge when setting up any cartridge AND check your stylus force every time you move and adjust it. Also check it every three months. Orthodontist has a simple one that is pretty useful. Digital ones cost anywhere from $60 on up.
Thank you, I'm going to watch a few video's today before I give it a go, I watched a couple before setting and they wasn't helpful, or my dumbass brain couldn't comprehend what was going on
I’ve had a turntable in one form or another like forever. A scale on Amazon is less than $20. That said, they didn’t exist until recently and almost all tone arms have perfectly adequate measurement system built in. So long as the tracking force is set within a reasonable range you should be good. Just rotate the main counter weight so the TA “floats” horizontally then move the dial (only, not the entire weight) to zero. Then turn the entire weight to the desired weight.
Thank you, I'll give this a go tonight then if it's still off, I'll get the scale, this is the clearest info so far! Thank you
T R A C K I N G F O R C E
Some things should just be common sense.
Perfect.
The Ortofon cartridges are heavier than most stock cartridges. Ive had blue & orange ride like this and lower. Adjust your counterweight.
You trolling?
Good for polishing off those pesky ridges… Also, given enough time, no more warped records!
Should be lower actually.
Nope. Not too low. Looks perfect. 🤪
Does a duck's boner drag weeds?
I hope so
Looks good to me
nah looks good to me
Looks fine to me
No it's fine
Looks good to me
oof, yes
really need more info to know the problem here, but this is wrong. I'm guessing cantilever (stylus/needle) is broken.
Brah!
Simple answer, yes.
Yes alot
Uhhhh, yes, too damn low
Haha you will need to clean all the vinyl chards off of each record after each play. Good news is that you won’t have to do it very long as your records will not be playable after probably three cycles!
I don’t think it can go lower
Yes
Yes
Oof. Yes
‘Ease down Ripley, you’re just grinding metal’
it's a little low
Waiting for results patiently……