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Help setting up Origin Live Silver tonearm

Um, I have a quick question. I have what seems to be a good SRA, overhang, VTF set on my new OL silver, but now the arm lift mechanism doesn't lift the tonearm high enough above the record enough to be useful. (i.e. it just won't go high enough). I see a set screw on the arm damping well for the lift, but I don't have a key small enough to fit it and I'm not sure this will even help. I have taken off the included VTA ring as it added 2mm at the minimum, and this provided too much tail height. I am using a Rega Planar 3 turntable and a Denon 103D cartridge (until my Zyx arrives!!!) Also, I have set the overhang and the SRA using the provided setup card.

Thanks!
-Marc
mre2007

Showing 2 responses by dougdeacon

dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Mre2007,

IIRC, the hex key for that adjustment is metric and VERY small. You'll need a set of keys with several sizes < 1.0 mm.

If you want fine arm height adjustment without raising the arm too much, consider something like the Expressimo collar. It's so thin it doesn't add even a mm in height at the lowest position. Much better than the stock OL collar.

It's a pain to adjust arm height on a Rega, but precise VTA/SRA will matter more with a ZYX than with a 103D.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Marc,

Thanks for the size check on the hex key. It's been a couple years since I had an OL arm. (At least I got the "small" part right.) ;-)

The thing that really suprised me, was how much more dirt the stylus raked out of the groove, on a record that previously left the needle fairly clean! Considence?
No coincidence at all. The OL Silver is indeed a good tracker, IOW, it lets the stylus ride steady in the groove. I experienced something similar when I switched from a midfi arm to a Silver.

BTW, a ZYX stylus is much smaller than a Denon stylus. It will ride deeper in the groove and rake up stuff a Denon will never touch, no matter what tonearm you use.

Now ask yourself this: what is the effect of dirt at the stylus-groove interface? That junk is being scraped between a plastic groovewall and a sharp-edged diamond with microscopic contact patches. Pressures at the contact points are enormous. Any dirt caught between stylus and vinyl will damage your records every time you play them.

Time for a better cleaning regimen?
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