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Rega RB300 Troubleshooting

I recently upgraded my RB300 tonearm with the incognito rewire kit and have learned from experience that it would have been better to have this done by a professional (especially since I've just voided the warranty). It was extremely difficult removing the rubber boot that housed the cartridge leads especially since the instructions said to push it INTO the arm tube!! What I ended up doing was removing a small, critical screw from the tracking force adjustment knob by mistake that I can no longer screw back into place.

Basically, my question is what are my options? I have no idea how to get the screw back in and wind the spindle back to it's original position. The knob was set to 3 when I removed the screw. Other than this, the upgrade went smoothly (even the soldering).

Any help greatly appreciated!
hitman_hifi

Showing 6 responses by hitman_hifi

hitman_hifi OP
75 posts
 
Pops -> there is a small hole but it only holds the screw temporarily. When dialing the plate back, the spring will eventually pop the screw loose. I'll probably have to get a VTF gauge.

Onetwothreego -> What's the procedure to get the spring out? By the sounds of it, the VTF adjuster doesn't seem to be as critical as I thought.
hitman_hifi OP
75 posts
 
Well I got the spring-coil out of the knob. Thanks to TNT I found this pic.
Unfortunately, the tonearm is out of balance (insert angry face here!!). The counterweight has to be pushed way back, with about a quarter of it hanging off the edge, to get the arm floating again.
hitman_hifi OP
75 posts
 
I've been looking at the Michell TecnoWeight and it looks like a good fit.

Thanks guys for the help.
hitman_hifi OP
75 posts
 
Well my RB300 upgrade is complete. I must say, the detail is outstanding!! Not sure if it's the cables or the TechnoWeight that makes the difference but I can hear clarity that I've never heard before. Might just put the old counterweight back on and audition the cables on their own. Probably not though since I'm comfortable with the setup.

One small thing is missing though, the upper high-frequency energy seems to be washing out (ie. crashing cymbals). Could this be a sign that the cartridge is in need of retipping? If the edges of the stylus are worn out, it would make sense that they're not making contact with the top of the record groove.
hitman_hifi OP
75 posts
 
There seems to be an attack but very little decay with the cymbals. In essence, cymbals sound weak in contrast to the rest of the music. I'll try to find something to demonstrate this further and keep you posted.
hitman_hifi OP
75 posts
 
Well it looks like it's been a while since I posted on this thread :) I've made a lot of adjustments and upgrades to achieve a sound that I'm satisfied with. The treble problem has been fixed with a new belt. My turntable still had the original belt from the early eighties! Added the stellar Dynavector DV-10X5 cartridge and I can proudly say that the performance is better than my very solid Arcam 7se CDP!! As far as efficiency, absolutely no volume adjustment necessary when switching between the CDP and the TT thanks to the high output of the Dynavector cart. In my opinion, very important for a 15W tube amp.
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