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Adjusting the cueing mechanism on a Mørch tonearm

Greetings!
I've installed a Mørch UP-4 tonearm in a new arm board on a VPI HW-19 Mk 2 turntable. Even though the arm board is entirely flush with the acrylic base plate, the cueing mechanism is a bit too low such that the stylus doesn't clear the record rim. Is there a method for adjusting the height of that tonearm's cueing device? I can't find anything online and a note to the distrbutor gave me the not too satisfactory (but maybe only) solution of installing a washer under the tonearm base plate. That would throw off the azimuth. Advice appreciated!
Thanks,Keith
kacomess

Showing 5 responses by bdp24

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bdp24
9,510 posts
 
@uberwaltz, My computer has a nasty little virus (Malware, or Adware, or something), and is wreaking havoc. I'll go to my email right now---Eric.
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bdp24
9,510 posts
 

Mike, when I assumed the arm was going to need to be raised via spacers, I recommended to Keith that he go to Ace Hardware and get some stainless steel washers of sufficient thickness to get the arm to the required height. If the arm base does in fact afford adjustment, that won't be necessary.

One thing I found surprising in the Moerch is it's having a headshell with no provision for cartridge adjustment---just two little holes big enough for mounting bolts. And the arm base is only slightly larger than the arm's upright bearing column, again affording no means of adjustment. Which means the location of the hole drilled in the arm board must be perfect. Not how I would design an arm! But it is really well made, and the chrome plating is as good as that on SME's---beautiful! 

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,510 posts
 
Very understandable, Keith. In the "old days" azimuth was used in regard to the headshell/cartridge being parallel with the turntable platter/LP, as viewed from the front of the arm. But then people realized that that having been achieved did not necessarily insure the cantilever and stylus would be perpendicular, which is what is most important. Those two criteria should be met in all cartridges, but aren't.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,510 posts
 
Music Millennium it is, Keith! @cleeds, yep, I already sent Keith a note explaing that azimuth is a matter of the arm being canted to either the left or right when viewed from the front of the cartridge---the stylus being perfectly perpendicular to the LP is correct azimuth. I believe what Keith meant to say was the VTA and SRA would be effected by placing a washer under the base of the arm, or raising it in any other manner. If the arm lift is in fact adjustable, that will not be necessary anyway.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,510 posts
 

Thanks Mike. I’ve been helping Keith with the arm and table (I just sold him the HW-19 Mk.2), moving the Moerch from an HW-19 Jr. onto the Mk.2. Since the cueing arm was working fine on the Jr., I assumed it doesn’t now because the Mk.2’s platter is the black Delrin/lead one, the Jr’s the frosted acrylic, and surmised the former is thicker than the latter. I asked Keith to measure the height of the top of each platter above their respective sub-chassis top plates, to confirm that hypothesis.

I didn’t look closely at the Moerch when I was at Keith’s, as the arm mounting template Keith had was printed incorrectly (Keith will never again trust Kinko’s!), which resulted in the hole the plastic shop drilled for the arm being located 18mm too far away from the spindle. There was then obviously no point in going any further with mounting the arm---a new arm board with a correctly-located arm mounting hole needed to be made first.

If the Moerch has height adjustment capabilities, the problem is probably solved. I was thinking Rega-type spacers were going to be necessary, to raise the arm. Keith asked about the brass plug in the bottom of the table’s bearing housing being adjustable, which he was going to try. No need to if the arm can be raised. So thanks again Mike---Eric.

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