Origin Live MK3C arms dual pivot - Manual (Page 7)

Page7
ANTISKATE FORCE (SIDE BIAS)
This applies an opposing, balancing force to the natural inward
drag of a pivoting arm while playing. Left uncontrolled, the
stylus would push up against the groove inner wall, causing
distortion both from mistracking and a cantilever skewed in
relation to the cartridge generator.
Carefully twist the wire loop to the correct angle relative to the
arm base – you can use the enclosed paper template, showing
a plan view of the arm to do this – the angle only needs to be
approximate – the wire loop is held in place by a set screw at it’s
base – this can be retightened if necessary using the allen key
supplied.
Carefully unpack the 2 balls and joining thread. Set up the 2
balls and thread as shown in photo . The side bias force is set
using the ball which slides along the silver shaft protruding from
the rear of the arm yoke (beside the counterweight). This ball
is clamped in position using a set screw in the ball and 1.5mm
allen key. Thread the thin nylon fi lament line through the small
gap of the wire “eye” to allow the ball weight to hang freely. The
adjustment ball is initially best positioned about 5mm away from
the yoke – this is approx the correct position for most cartridges.
If you wish to increase the side bias force then unclamp the ball
using the1.5mm Allen key and move the ball further outwards.
To decrease the side force move the ball inwards. Once you have
fi nalised the correct position re-clamp the ball in position. To be
on the safe side against excessive side force it is safest not to set
the position of the clamped ball any further out than half way
out along the rod as shown below.
Checking side bias
Ideally you need a test record with a track for checking side bias
(not all do so check before you buy - The Ultimate Analogue
Test LP is one that we can recommend as it has an Anti-skating
test; 315Hz amplitude sweep to +12dbu (Lateral). Also the Hi
Fi News test record has an Anti-skate/bias setting track.
In the absence of a side bias test track then the following method
is better than nothing. Find a test record or a record with approx
10mm of blank vinyl between the end of the lead out groove
and the record label. Lower the stylus needle on the blank uncut
vinyl and observe whether the needle skates inwards towards the
centre of the record or outwards. Increase antiskate until the arm
starts to slowly drift inward towards the label. Also, watch the
stylus when you set it into a groove. Does it move to the right
or left relative to the cartridge body? This indicates too much or
too little anti-skating.
FINE TUNING
You now have three adjustments approximated. Tracking force,
VTA, and azimuth. It’s a matter of reiteration to optimize the
sound. The change in sound with each of these individual
adjustments can be similar. It’s therefore necessary, in optimizing
all three, to experimentally move from one type of adjustments
to the next, then to the next, in order to balance the optimization
for all three. It’s helpfull to listen to female vocals as you proceed.
Firstly try deviating from the cartridge’s recommended tracking
force by small increments - about 0.2 of a gram deviation above
and below the manufacturer’s basic recommendations. Don’t
worry about record damage from heavy tracking as most record
damage is actually caused by mistracking in the middle-to-high
frequencies with too little tracking force rather than with too
heavy. If you’re getting mistracking at the low (lightest) end of
the range and yet the low range is generally sounding the best
(and on moderate signals, not heavy passages), then chances are
you have either a dirty stylus, a bad record, an accumulation of
crud in your cartridge, or a cartridge that’s getting old. Changes
in tracking force can change how you want VTA adjusted.
WARRANTY
We guarantee arms to be free from fault for 2 years and will
undertake remedial work, providing the arm has not been
modifi ed by any party other than ourselves and has not received
maltreatment of any kind.
NOTES
Please note that the arm can make a slight “rustling” noise”
through the speakers when it is lifted across the record. This
should not be a cause for concern as it is only caused by
microphony of the internal litz cable - under normal playing
conditions this is inaudible.
If Arm lift is at wrong height - You are able to raise the curved
arm rest piece by undoing the tiny M2.5 allen bolt in it’s side
- Use the 1.27mm size A/F Allen key provided. If you then re
tighten this with the arm rest slightly higher up on it’s shaft, you
should be able to raise the arm off the record. If you do not have
the correct size allen key or it’s lost then try fi ling down a slightly
oversize one to a “wedge” shape thus guaranteeing a tight fi t.
If the arm “sticks” in playing a record, then it is almost certain
that the curved arm rest is fouling on the yoke. To check if this
is the case, hold the arm fi nger lift and check that the arm can
traversed by hand above the surface of the whole record. This
will identify the position of the “stick” – simply rotate the arm
rest till it no longer fouls – this can usually be carried out without
loosening the arm rest grub screw.
The sound of new arms and rewires will improve signifi cantly
over the fi rst 2 weeks as items “bed in” and arm wires burn in.
Now that all the hard work is over you can settle back and hear
the results - we wish you many hours of enjoyable music and
rediscovering your record collection.
Hi-Fi cartidges explained
optional reading for less experienced users
GENERAL NOTES
As Origin Live supply most makes of hi-fi cartridge we get asked
questions from time to time about various issues regarding set
up and care. To help newcomers to this area we have published
the following notes. These guidelines are of a general nature - we
publish them only to be of help and although widely accepted
they are not formally authoritative - we cannot accept liability if
you choose to use them and neither do we encourage the time
consuming occupation of answering queries surrounding the
procedures outlined - these are best referred to the manufacturer
of your specifi c hi-fi cartridge.
For those new or inexperienced to fi tting hi-fi cartridges we
would state that this is NOT diffi cult and much of the detail
and perfectionism outlined below is for those who like to
experiment. We ourselves do not normally check azimuth, or