VPI Headshell weight question

Any reason why I can't use a $3 Technics weight rather than the $15 VPI one. In both cases I'm talking about the one that screws in as a spacer, not the little round ones that sits atop the headshell.

"I adjusted Azimuth and even lowered the arm height (looked like it was a tad higher at the pivot)."

Wouldn't you need to RAISE the tonearm at the rear after installing this weight? I am picturing a block of metal placed between my headshell and my cartridge. This would raise the tonearm at the stylus end. So, it would be lower at the pivot. No?

Yeah, I thought it was strange too. I went back and redid everything. The weight is now under the headshell and the stylus lift bar is working fine.

I too had to add a headshell wieght to my JMW 9 on my Scoutmaster. I installed it on top of the headshell. Although it doesn't look the greatest, it didn't require that I screw around with tone arm height. I did have to re-check alignment, azimyth, and VTA (I have mine set at the high end of what VPI recommends). All turned out successful for me. I hope it does for you too.

Good luck!

That's strange. The weight is very thin - While I had to adjust VTF & VTA, it didn't make that type of difference.

I'm also in the process of adding a 3 gram headshell weight to a JMW 9 arm.

I found that by placing the weight between the cartridge and the headshell had caused the rear of the arm to be far too high (after VTF adjustments) to the point where the stylus lift bar, adjusted to its highest setting, will not even be high enough to lift the arm off the record.

I'll have to go back and place the weight back onto the headshell.

So I got brave enough to install the headshell weight. Even though it was my first time doing any adjustments, I took my time, watched Fremer's DVD and thought I did a good job.

I have VTF at the high end of the cartridge recommendation. I adjusted Azimuth and even lowered the arm height (looked like it was a tad higher at the pivot).

I used the VPI jig (don't have a mint tractor yet).

However, the sound is rather harsh. Highs are thin, metallic sounding and (I think) distorting.

Can someone suggest what aspect of the setup might be off?

Thanks!

"I was hoping that this might be a good time to start if I only had to make 1 or 2 adjustments."

If you've removed the cartridge and you're adding weight, you'll have to revisit ALL the adjustments. To get it correct, the VPI table and arm take a lot of time and care.

Mike

That makes sense. I've never setup a turntable myself, although I just bought a digital scale, I have Michael Fremer's DVD, and need to learn sooner or later.

I was hoping that this might be a good time to start if I only had to make 1 or 2 adjustments.

Thanks.

Depending on how retentive you are about these things, remember that increasing the thickness of the cartridge mounting can affect the stylus rake angle and stylus contact point. I assume you'll use your mounting protractor to remount the cartridge after installing the weight, so the contact point change will be corrected. A slight increase in the arm mount height may be called for as well to correct rake angle.

Between the cartridge and headshell. Rebalance the arm and apply the recommended tracking weight for the cartrige.