Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) I’ve just got my new (to me) Pro-Ject RPM 5, 9cc evo tonearm and 2m black set up. Imaging is shifted to the right (or left if I reverse the cables). It’s perfect on digital. Is this out and out an azimuth issue? Or could it be anti - skate. The cartridge has settled quite a bit (20 hours), but the imaging hasn’t budged. My speakers are 3 metres apart, and the centre image is about 50cm to the right, and seems to bloom in that direction. Edited September 28, 2020 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 5 minutes ago, Billy Shears said: Is this out and out an azimuth issue? Or could it be anti - skate. Some quick things to check if it's an anti-skate problem Does the cantilever look to be sitting centred when viewing end on while playing a record? Does the image shift change position as the record plays - is it different at the start/middle/end of the record? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 anti skate likely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Billy Shears said: Imaging is shifted to the right (or left if I reverse the cables). Is it a separate phono preamp? If so, swap both the input and output cables. What happens? Also, can you try a different phono preamp? Edited September 28, 2020 by aussievintage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 3 minutes ago, aussievintage said: Some quick things to check if it's an anti-skate problem Does the cantilever look to be sitting centred when viewing end on while playing a record? Does the image shift change position as the record plays - is it different at the start/middle/end of the record? It straightens up a bit as it plays, but not much. I don’t ow where to start in the rest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, aussievintage said: Is it a separate phono preamp? If so, swap both the input and output cables. What happens? Inbuilt phono - but I get the exact reverse if I swap left to right (imaging to the left, same proportions). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, Billy Shears said: I don’t ow where to start in the rest! Just play a record, and listen. Does the problem get better or worse, or stay the same throughout the record? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Just now, aussievintage said: Just play a record, and listen. Does the problem get better or worse, or stay the same throughout the record? Marginally better as it plays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, Billy Shears said: Inbuilt phono - but I get the exact reverse if I swap left to right (imaging to the left, same proportions). OK so it could be the phono preamp has slightly different gain in each channel. Have you ever used it with a different cartridge to this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Just now, Billy Shears said: Marginally better as it plays. If that coincides with the cantilever straightening up, then it could well be antiskate is the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Just now, aussievintage said: OK so it could be the phono preamp has slightly different gain in each channel. Have you ever used it with a different cartridge to this one? Yup - just upgraded, and no issues at all with the previous. I would have thought swapping left and right, and getting a corresponding imaging change to the left would have ruled out the phono? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Shall play with the anti-skate weight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, Billy Shears said: Shall play with the anti-skate weight Keep in mind that skating force varies across a record. So in addition to the actual weight/force being used, you can try to adjust that. I don't know if it's possible on your tonearm (it is on my SME tonearms), but changing the angle that the string pulls at, by changing the position of the support, can change how much the anti-skate force varies as the records plays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 6 minutes ago, Billy Shears said: Yup - just upgraded, and no issues at all with the previous. I would have thought swapping left and right, and getting a corresponding imaging change to the left would have ruled out the phono? Arhg, sorry yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwbasement Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Happened to me recently, tried everything like swaping cables, phono stage, amp...etc turned out to be a loose left channel wire connection at the clip.... You just need to try everything.... Good luck 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Fixed Normal anti-skate weight on a project arm. It was in the middle one (of three), and is now on the closest to the arm. The furthest from the arm introduced a lot of distortion. ty all!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 1 minute ago, Billy Shears said: Fixed Normal anti-skate weight on a project arm. It was in the middle one (of three), and is now on the closest to the arm. The furthest from the arm introduced a lot of distortion. ty all!!!!!! Well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_m_54 Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 51 minutes ago, Billy Shears said: Fixed Normal anti-skate weight on a project arm. It was in the middle one (of three), and is now on the closest to the arm. The furthest from the arm introduced a lot of distortion. ty all!!!!!! Gotta love it when you get a good result eh.. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Billy Shears said: Fixed Well done! Quote Normal anti-skate weight on a project arm. It was in the middle one (of three), and is now on the closest to the arm. That means you have set anti-skate to the minimum amount. You might want to check azimuth, just to make sure (perfect azimuth means that the stylus is sitting vertical in the groove). The 'quick & dirty' method of doing this is to rest the stylus on a thin mirror (the shiny side of a CD is good for this! ) and look front-on at the cart. You should be able to see that the cantilever - and its reflection in the mirrored surface - form a straight (vertical) line. Andy Edited September 28, 2020 by andyr 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 18 minutes ago, andyr said: Well done! That means you have set anti-skate to the minimum amount. You might want to check azimuth, just to make sure (perfect azimuth means that the stylus is sitting vertical in the groove). The 'quick & dirty' method of doing this is to rest the stylus on a thin mirror (the shiny side of a CD is good for this! ) and look front-on at the cart. You should be able to see that the cantilever - and its reflection in the mirrored surface - form a straight (vertical) line. Andy Ty - but I’m far more likely to break something instead of anything else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Andy, whenever i try the mirror trick, the tonearm just slides straight out as soon as the stylus touches the mirror. Does this mean something is amiss, are you supposed to use something to hold it the tonearm in place or should it stay put itself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 8 hours ago, ericd said: Andy, whenever i try the mirror trick, the tonearm just slides straight out as soon as the stylus touches the mirror. Does this mean something is amiss, are you supposed to use something to hold it the tonearm in place or should it stay put itself? Since you are setting the Azimuth only, disconnect the anti-skate, or set it to zero. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citroen Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 19 hours ago, andyr said: Well done! That means you have set anti-skate to the minimum amount. You might want to check azimuth, just to make sure (perfect azimuth means that the stylus is sitting vertical in the groove). The 'quick & dirty' method of doing this is to rest the stylus on a thin mirror (the shiny side of a CD is good for this! ) and look front-on at the cart. You should be able to see that the cantilever - and its reflection in the mirrored surface - form a straight (vertical) line. Andy Nice tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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