Ha! That would have been too straightforward by far…
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Yes, same wobble on every LP I try.
I believe that’s the antiskate setting for a Kontrapunkt B.
Post seems to move freely with very little fraction and when placing back the arm definitely sits to slot back onto the cup, it just doesn’t sit well nor feel centred unless it’s sitting right.
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Really appreciate the help, thanks.
I’ve tried gently bending the bias hanger upright, as it does sit at a roughly 80 degree angle, but even when I straighten upright the bias hanger loop sits a few millimetres below bias shaft, so the bias line will always drop at a slight downwards angle from where it’s hooked around the bias shaft down to the loop on the bias hanger. To have them sit at the same height, I could lower the pillar/bearing assembly, but the arm is currently parallel to the platter and dropping further will mean the arm is no longer flat and parallel but pointing upwards towards the cartridge end of the arm.
Appreciate I could well be completely misunderstanding what’s being suggested though.
The Naim manual isn’t great, it doesn’t even refer to the balance shaft, presumably that has a function?
Hi, it is possible to get the bias hanger loop lifted and bent so that the bias line is parallel - lots of us have done it! Just persevere, making sure that you support the bearing cup throughout manipulations, you don’t want any damage to the bearing.
I think you are also referring to the azimuth weight? This is the little slidey weight. This is for ensuring that azimuth is set correctly. Place the cartridge on a non rotating record with the bulls eye level on the arm cup. Your aiming for the level to be perfectly centered by adjusting the azimuth weight and pillar height. Mark Dunn’s advice covers it all, I’ll see if I can dig out a summary and post.
That bias bar and hanger loop have to be precisely at the same height, not nearly. There will be a drag on the arm otherwise. That coupled with the excessive anti-skate, doesn’t help.
Thanks for all the pointers. I’ve played around and now have the bias shaft, hanger loop and line in between running pretty well parallel and that did the trick.
I can’t thank you all enough, really appreciate it
Will send you an emil Matfff
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I too am using the Avid Naim Slide with my Arm on an SME 10 table. Could you tell me the orientation you are using for plug that fits into the top of the slide please? This may be a clue as to the problem you are having? Dressing correctly the wires exiting the underside of the bell and plugging into the socket on the slide. There are 4 positions the socket can be fitted - sort of North, South East or West and only one will be optimum I think.
Hi, not sure I can see any optional positions for the cable plug. Here’s a couple of photos, the wires don’t appear to be touching the arm cup.
I’ve also just realised that the bullseye level is only dead centred when the tonearm is on the very outer grooves of an LP. When the arm is tracking the inner tracks the bullseye level is no longer dead centred, and pulled outside of the centre ring (to the right if viewing the turntable from the front). Likewise, the bullseye level is off centre on all 7" singles, of which I have quite a few.
The azimuth weight is set right up to the bearing cup, so no play available to adjust, so have no idea how to resolve. Removing the azimuth weight completely offsets to the left too much.
Pics below:
The socket connected to the arm lead can be secured with the four tiny bolts to the Slide in any of 4 positions. There is a slot in the top of the socket which mates with a piece of the plug to make sure alignment is correct. Depending on how you install the plug will depend where the arm’s wires exit the bell. See photo.
Is the line for the bias weight horizontal from arm to hanger? Sometimes a bit of judicious adjustment of the hanger angle is necessary to achieve this and have enough travel on the line.
There is a bit more fine azimuth adjustment from rotating the counterweight stub because of the groove where the spring arm sits, you can bend the finger lift a little too. A 17D2 needed the azimuth weight removed completely, some stub rotation and some finger lift adjustment to set azimuth.
Is there enough slack in the arm cable with the plug round the back like that.
Yes, I get you now, thanks. I think it’s ok in current position, the wires all seem to be free and aren’t touching anything.
Hi Clarke,
The level of the bearing cup being a little different from the outer to inner grooves of the record is not unusual and can be caused by various things, such as the bias weight line not being perfectly horizontal from the from the arm to the hanger, - as Yeti pointed out.
It can also be because the thickness of the record is different at the inner vs. outer grooves. I’ve found that many records are a little thicker in the middle which raises the cartridge end of the arm, and due to the headshell offset this tilts the headshell inwards towards the spindle slightly.
With a bit of fiddling you should be able to get the bubble to stay within the black ring on the level all across the playing surface. Unless its way off, the azimuth change will only affect the stereo separation somewhat.
Hope this helps.
Mark Dunn
Thanks Mark and Yeti
I was just trying Yeti’s suggestions.
The bias line is pretty well perfectly horizontal, the bottom of the loop ‘O’ sitting near as I can eye ball dead centre of the bias bar.
I’m trying it out on a Pallas pressed 180g vinyl, should be fairly consistent in thickness?
The counterweight stub appears fixed to the the bearing cup, not sure how I can move or rotate that? The weight itself is tight to the cup, but the bubble is still sitting to the right, but just inside the bullseye ring. As mentioned, if I remove the weight, the bubble moves too far to the left straddling outside of the bullseye.
The arm wires do not appear to be stretched or touch anything visible across the entire arch of an LP, outside to in. Unless something is catching inside the cup that I can’t see.
I’m not sure what else I can do other than lastly try bending the finger lift, but a but anxious about that.
Cheers for all the advice
The stub is decouple from the cup with rubber (or similar) and is quite stiff but theave this for now, if the azimuth it OK at the outer groove but not in the middle it’s something else affecting it as it travels across the record.
If it is tilting fore and aft it could be the record being pushed into a dished shape by the clamp but it shouldn’t tilt sideways, I suspect it’s the arm leads under the cup, particularly the earth wire which attaches to the inside of the azimuth stub.
My little bubble level isn’t level by the way but I’ve marked the high point and line it up depending whether I’m checking fore and aft or sideways.
I agree. The connector is located very differently to where it was intended. Have you tried dressing the wires the other way around around the pillar to see whether they interfere less?
I meant turning the connector 180 in its current position, I’d assumed the mount couldn’t be reconfigured so it’s the other side of the arm pillar but if it could that’s another possibility to try.
Thanks, I’ve done that. Very fiddly work, the housing/sleeve of the somehow separated from the inner plastic plug/wires, fixed that with touch of glue and rotated socket 180, so now in front. Frustratingly the bullseye level bubble is now slightly further to the right and partly outside of the bullseye ring than before and unbelievably the wobble is now back. Can not see any wires touching to cause this.
Feel like I’m back to square one, it’s incredibly fiddly and frustrating.
Sorry, meant to say, my name is Frank, Clarke-Boland (Sextet) is a band I like.
But is it the same all the way across now?