VTA Adjustment for MMF-7

Just to add to this thread for future readers:

The proceedure that Dan-ed describes is the way to START the process.

I found that fine adjustments to VTA by hand are very difficult due to the nature of the way the tone arm shaft drops down into the hole surrounding it (the surround has the allen wrench nuts at 10 and 2 o'clock.)The arm does not slide smoothly up and down.

It is also very difficult to get the stubby allen wrench into the nuts to loosen and tighten them both in terms of finding the slightly hidden hex holes, and the arm and anti-skate support being in the way.

I used a stack of business cards on each side of the arm shaft to make the important small adjustments and to return to the original settings. Just count the number of business cards resting under the flaired ring at the top of the shaft supporting the arm. Too low? Add a business card or two. Too high? Remove a card or two.

Also, it is very important that when you think you have the VTA right you tighten the allen screws down hard and evenly. If not the azmuth (side to side vertical orientation of the cart) will be wrong as there is some slight right/left slop in the fit between the shaft and the plynth's surround of the shaft. Also, tightening the nuts hard makes a BIG difference in sound as (I think) the arm/plynth contact has to be "locked in" tightly to mate the arm and plynth sonicaly.

Just sharing my exprience.

Thanks Dan ed! I have a new cart coming today and I want this puppy to really sing. Ain't Audiogon grand!

Hi Eddaytona,

I can help you since I do this all the time on my MMF 7. First you need to take the tension off of the anti-skate mechanism by removing the weight string from the loop, just let the weight rest on the plinth. You should have received an allen wrench with the TT that is a little on the stubby side if you know what I mean. Now when you stand in front of the TT facing the tonearm pivot the set screws that hold the tonearm are at about 10 and 2 o'clock. The trick is that they go in horizontally, so you have to locate them in the recess that runs around the base of the pivot. It is a bit of a pain to get the wrench on these as you cannot see anything and have to proceed by touch. Once you get the wrench on loosen the screws just enough to be able to raise and/or lower the arm, for me that is about 1/4 turn but it will depend on how tight they are to begin with. Remember this when you retighten the screws and just snug them up. No need to make them tight. BTW, lock the tonearm down while you do all of this.

My method, since I am right handed, is to loosen the the screw at 2 o'clock first. Then I hold the tonearm at the base with my right hand by coming down from the top while I loosen the screw at 10 o'clock with my left hand and keep the wrench in place 'cause I want to snug this screw first after the adjustment.

Let me clarify this last step. When I am holding the tonearm pivot in my right hand my fingers are on the side closest to the platter and my thumb is on the outside. The palm of my hand is just over the bearings and the tonearm is passing between my thumb and index finger. I use my finger tips to move the tonearm after the screws are loose.

Try this a couple of times and you'll quickly get comfortable with it. Remember to make small adjustments and don't worry. You can always get back to a starting point and begin again.