Does the tonearm have a detachable headshell? If so, I see no reason to remove the whole tonearm in order to install a cartridge. If not, I still don't think it's necessary. In fact, there is some advantage to leaving it mounted because you can more easily avoid stress on the bearings if you're careful. On my Triplanar tonearm, which does not have a removable headshell but which does have an azimuth adjustment that permits rotating the whole headshell by 180 degrees, so the mounting surface faces upwards toward the installer, that's how I do it. Makes life much easier.
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No. That is an accurate and legitimate reason to be careful.
Always remember, consider the source. In this case the source being audiophiles, by the time the day is out you will have them saying your whole neighborhood is at risk of imploding into a black hole if you try this without having the electric utility come disconnect power first, and even then only inside a Faraday cage installed within your Class 5 Clean Room three basement levels below the one in The Andromeda Strain. |
The task requires some care and agility regardless of whether the pickup arm is mounted or not.
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millercarbon, I am not certain of your intended message. Are you disagreeing with me, in that you think the tonearm should be removed to install a cartridge? I've never ever even considered doing such a thing, but if I did, I would then be very worried about damaging the cantilever/stylus when re-installing the tonearm. That to me is even a greater opportunity for disaster. I am not rabid on this topic; it's surprising to me that others might routinely do what I never have thought of doing. Which is fine.
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Been doing it for decades and always considered the arm staying mounted as the third hand needed when the arm did not have a detachable headshell or removable wand like on the Graham 2.2 .
I agree with Lewn, more risk of damage when attempting to reinstall arm with cart mounted. |
millercarbon, I am not certain of your intended message. Are you disagreeing with me, in that you think the tonearm should be removed to install a cartridge? I've never ever even considered doing such a thing, but if I did, I would then be very worried about damaging the cantilever/stylus when re-installing the tonearm. That to me is even a greater opportunity for disaster. Right. The preferred method is Scotch tape the arm to the rest, install the stylus guard, remove the cart pins, remove the cart, and then install the new cart, etc. To remove the arm, move it around, and mount it, all with a cartridge installed is borderline insane. But that's why I say consider the source. The source without a doubt was an audiophile. No one else could even think up such nonsense. Normal people have way too much common sense. Only audiophiles have developed their keen obsession of overthinking everything to such levels of absurdity. |
You might damage the bearings if you use the tonearm as a hammer! Otherwise, no! |
Normantaylor, you could do it either way but here are the considerations.
You do not have a removable head shell. You have a very bouncy suspended turntable and three bolts and the tonearm board is off.
IMHO it is relatively delicate work made more difficult with a moving target. I would remove the tonearm board with tonearm and lay it on a towel to put a new cartridge in. It is safer this way with almost no additional work. It might take a big two minutes if that to unbolt and bolt on the tonearm board. Do not try to manipulate the cartridge wires with your fingers. Use small needle nose pliers or tweezers. The pliers are much better and you can probably get one at Harbor Freight for $2.00. |
During my LP12 days, it was anathema to stress the tonearm bearings. Along with the many set up rituals with the Sondek/Ittok, this was one of the most enforced dealers' rules.
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I guess according to Miller there would be 3 categories among us: audiophiles, sensible persons, and Linnies. We know the latter group are irredeemable.
i see merit in mijo’s approach, if you have an easily removable arm board and a non-removable headshell.
in my experience gimbal type tonearm bearings are not so fragile, given reasonable care. Many unipivots simply come apart at the bearing junction.
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I own a Linn and am well aware of the Linn-advised paranoia about stressing or damaging the bearings. I supposed one *could* exert enough force on the bearings that they could be damaged, but - if one is careful and considers the kind of force exerted when mounting a cartridge on tonearm that is mounted on a record player - it should be easy to avoid. All it takes is care and thoughtfulness. I never remove my Ittok when replacing the cartridge. As others have mentioned, removing the arm and re-mounting it would be much more like to provide opportunities to damage the arm, the bearings or the cartridge. A little reasonable care is sufficient to avoid damaging the bearings... a review of some materials science suggests the strength of the steel used in the bearings should render it very difficult to damage the bearings - AS LONG AS ONE IS CAREFUL.
Obviously, just IMHO. And I expect those who were trained by Linn will be able to provide a counter-argument against what I’ve written above. Note that I am not trying to pick a fight with anyone. Just sharing my experience and what has worked for me...
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You would have to hit the tonearm with a hammer to damage its bearings or more likely drop it on the floor. I have never seen a tonearm damaged in the process of mounting a cartridge. I have seen several bent cantilevers. |
Thanks for the feedback.
noromance - yes, that is still a requirement of all Linn service representatives i.e. to remove the tonearm when installing a cartridge. |
I own a Linn and am well aware of the Linn-advised paranoia about stressing or damaging the bearings. I supposed one *could* exert enough force on the bearings that they could be damaged, but - if one is careful and considers the kind of force exerted when mounting a cartridge on tonearm that is mounted on a record player - it should be easy to avoid. All it takes is care and thoughtfulness. I never remove my Ittok when replacing the cartridge. As others have mentioned, removing the arm and re-mounting it would be much more like to provide opportunities to damage the arm, the bearings or the cartridge. A little reasonable care is sufficient to avoid damaging the bearings... a review of some materials science suggests the strength of the steel used in the bearings should render it very difficult to damage the bearings - AS LONG AS ONE IS CAREFUL. Exactly. This is after all a cartridge we are talking about. To the people so worried they think it a good idea to remove the arm, on the assumption I guess that you are too big a spaz to not break the arm, my question would be, You're too stupid and clumsy to mount a cartridge, but not to remove the arm AND mount a cartridge? I guess according to Miller there would be 3 categories among us: audiophiles, sensible persons, and Linnies. We know the latter group are irredeemable. Maybe more hopeless than irredeemable, but I get your drift. |
