Clearaudio Clarify Help Needed!

@dover Thank you for making that correction about Clarify VTF adjustment. I noticed it was wrong but no longer have that arm and haven’t for some time, so let it go.

The Clarify, Magnify, Universal (and Tracer I think) all adjust VTF using the knurled thumbscrew at the back end of the arm. You don't actually need to hold the arm tube when you do it either. I have about 13 years experience using Clarify, Magnify, and Universal. :)

The thing at the end of the tonearm that Balthus is futzing with is not meant to be turned and I wouldn't be surprised if his futzing hasn't added to his problem. 

This comment is wrong.

The adjustment of tracking force requires the knob on the end of the arm to be rotated ( whilst you hold the arm tube ).

As you look at the arm from the rear, turning it clockwise reduces tracking weight, turning it anticlockwise increases tracking weight.

From the manual

Roter Pfeil (Verschiebung Richtung Tonarmende)
= weniger Auflagekraft ->
Drehknopf im Uhrzeigersinn drehen (rechts)
Grüner Pfeil (Verschiebung Richtung
Tonarmanfang) =
mehr Auflagekraft ->
Drehknopf gegen den Uhrzeigersinn drehen (links)

Unfortunately the Germans can't read German.

Drehknopf - in English is rotary knob, in their English translation they call it the counterweight, which is not correct. you rotate the knob on the end of the arm, not the counterweight. No screws involved.

@balthus Have you got it straightened out yet??

What he said:)

I had a Clearaudio Ovation, which came with a Clarify arm originally. It was a problematic arm with the magnetic bearings and I was happy to get rid of it and all the woofer pumping it caused. And adjusting AS from underneath was bonkers. I never had a problem understanding the VTF adjustment. Seemed obvious to me. I also had a Magnify and it had the same issues with magnetic bearings. I ultimately upgraded to the Universal arm which is excellent: it uses mechanical bearings instead.

Now I have an Innovation since a year ago, and use two 12" Universal arms. These arms use the same mechanism for adjusting VTF as Clarify/Magnify with the thumbscrew on the back of the arm. I sold my Ovation and 9" Universal but once it had the right arm it was an excellent turntable for the money.

Now if anyone gets an Ovation I would strongly recommend the Tracer tonearm, and I think that is now the default bundle.

@jeffreylee I stand corrected (or the Clarify user manual is incorrect which I doubt)

In the photos, the counter weight / VTF adjustment looks the same as the Tracer which I owned prior to the Universal that I have now, but the Clarify manual says otherwise.

The Clarify manual is simple because there isn't much to say. If you look at the manual on the Clearaudio website, there is no mention of a screw. The VTF is adjusted simply by moving the counterweight forward or back; it is fitted firmly to the tonearm by a ring of rubber or something rubber-like. When you move it, it stays in place. Same as with my Clearaudio Satisfy arm.

The thing at the end of the tonearm that Balthus is futzing with is not meant to be turned and I wouldn't be surprised if his futzing hasn't added to his problem. At the very least, he clearly hasn't set the VTF anywhere near correctly.

you need a record height vtf gauge/scale to correctly set the vtf

the clearaudio seesaw or weight watcher scale

i use a riverstone audio scale 

@jasonbourne71 there is no reason to look underneath the arm to set VTF. He was trying to figure out how the VTF adjustment works.

There is a cut-out in the underside of the tone arm to allow for the counterweight to be attached to the internal mechanism that is attached to the knob at the end of the tone arm.

I’ll bet $1 that you are correct and the issue is not enough downforce.

btw while the user manual isn’t great, it is adequate. This isn’t rocket science.

To the OP. Check that the arm wand is not touching the cueing device even when cue is disengaged. If the cue is not low enough, then VTF is not what you set it for, and arm flies to spindle.

@jasonbourne71 It is an unusual design. I assumed he set VTF correctly. Either his anti skate is not adjusted correctly or the arm was mounted incorrectly with a spindle to pivot distance shorter than 222 mm. 

Looking underneath the TT to adjust anti-skate is idiocy! What were the designers thinking?

The knob at the shaft end is used to move the counterweight forward or backward after leveling the arm. This allows adjustment for the down force.

I have never heard of looking underneath the turntable to adjust anti-skate! If so, then that Ckearaudio TT is a bad design! I wouldn't buy such a TT!

@mijostyn : If that is for adjusting anti-skate then the OP must do that ONLY after setting the down force. Not before!

You have to move the rear counterweight forward to increase the down force after you level the arm. Get a stylus force gauge. Set the down force to the cartridge's recommended value - 1 to 2 grams usually. Then tighten the set screw to lock in the weight.

You don't have enough weight on the cartridge. Get a stylus force gauge and check to see if the down force is at least 1 gram. You can go higher for most cartridges.

@balthus As you look at the BOTTOM of the tonearm underneath the turntable there is a little knob on the bottom of the tonearm's post. Turn it clockwise until the arm drifts slowly towards the spindle on a blank side. Check the spindle to pivot distance. It should be 222 mm. If it is shorter the will continue to slide towards the spindle. That distance has to be EXACTLY 222 mm. There is no fudging this. 

It’s not an anti-skate issue. How are you “properly adjusting” VTF?

It’s still sounds like anti-skate issue to me. I’m not familiar with the arm. When you lower the arm onto a record surface while it’s Not rotating does the needle rest on the surface or does the cartridge rest on the record surface?  Is the needle dirty?
Sorry, all I have is questions because I’m not familiar with a table or the arm….

Bent

New issue with this Clarify tonearm. When tt is perfectly level, downforce of an attached cartridge (I've tried it with two different ones, both new) properly adjusted, the tonearm level with a record, when I lower the arm onto the record the arm immediately slides across the record surface. And yes, I've tried several records with same result. I thought it was an anti-skate issue, but having adjusted it, the problem remains. Thoughts? Anyone with experience with this arm who might know what problem is and how to fix it?

Thanks, balthus

(and thanks to those who replied to my previous concern!)

Update: I solved the problem with the counterweight. Apparently the counterweight had "frozen" into place on the arm shaft, and eventually I was able to free it. Also, after examining the underside of the arm I was able to see that the knob at the end of the shaft does indeed move the counterweight backwards or forwards. Maybe somebody should tell the people who wrote the manual that the knob at the end of the shaft isn't a "screw" - and that it would be helpful if they included a picture of wtf they were talking about. Their "user manual" is absolutely dreadful.

What @lewm said makes sense, but you might want to check with your dealer just to be sure.

The one set screw in the CW must be the correct one, since it’s the only one. Get an L shaped Allen wrench that fits and you can almost certainly loosen and tighten the screw without removing the tonearm from the TT. Use the short leg of the “L”; that should fit between the bottom of the CW and the mounting board.