New Maplenoll Ariadne owner needing advice

Threaders : Momentive Performance Materals (formerly GE) , an industral raw materials supplier , forwarded several additional sample batches of bonders for experimentation with the air supply control (ASC) system. Hopefully , some of these compounds will seal the ASC . Before I can report sucess or ---, I'm taking a slight medical detour . CYS

Threaders: I'm back from the medical detour . While on the mend I came upon a packet of Maplenoll info that Bob D. mailed to me in '91 that had been opened but largely unread. The packet contained lots of stuff ; pic's, reprints , 'Noll annoucements and reprints from Audio Clubs and Mags, etc .

A useful bit of info from the packet . Have you ever noticed that when you attempt adjust the cartridge sometimes the stylus maybe "on the money" on the outer edges of a Lp and "off" on the Ctr. or last portions of the groove. The arm manifold maybe slightly-off. The fix ? Just loosen the two bolts on the underside that hold the air manifold in place and adjust the arm until it's prefectly square. Great idea. No more repeaters or jumps on certian pressings. Good for all 'Nolls and similar AB Arms.

"off" in what parameter? Horizontal is controlled by left and right cones under the plinth. Tangency is controled by headshell/cartridge/overhang adjustments. Am I missing something?

Piedpiper :

According to George M. Graves , "Stereophile", Vol 9, #2, issue 80, he believed that all Maplenoll's (leaving the factory) should be dealer installed .

It was Graves belief that most times fine-tuning was incomplete at the time of manufacture ,therefore, either the buyer or the dealer must complete the job. Graves remarks suggest that the AB Arm on the 'Noll is sometimes not square (in a construction-sence) of the word.

Essentally, the arm is a L configuration , that is supposed to be in tangent ( @ 90* ) to the center of the lower-bearing plate hole. The Air Manifold itself secures the L portion of the arm in the proper position (tangent) as to be square . The Air Manifold is secured to the table by two oversized holes . Under the table are two bolt heads. Those bolts actually run thru the oversized holes screwing into the manifold. Should the manifold be ever so slightly "cocked" either to the left or right , the tangency and adjustments you mentioned are affected.

A perfectly squared tone-arm means that when installing a cartridge the stylus tip should run perfectly in the center of the line located on the overhang adjustment guide. Often that is not the case for the entire line of 'Noll Tables. Should that key factory setting be a faction of a fraction of a degree off, it contributes to phono "dancing/wobbeling" in the grooves. Graves solution was to loosen the bolts readjust the manifold and WHA-La!

Have I made my explanation more clearly understood or am I missing something ?

Piedpiper, my appology for not providing a fuller explanation. I have aquired stacks of doctuments that dribbel out gem after gem of info . My problem is figuring how to release the gems and not the slush. My attempt was to be brief not vague.

I believe I got you the first time but it still doesn't follow for me. If you don't use the pin to lock in the position of the overhang adjustment guide, anchoring the guide only at the platter spindle, overhang remains your only adjustment that effects tangency so long as you adjust the guide to the appropriate angle of the arms traverse. By definition, tangency is defined only by arm traverse and overhang.

BTW, Bob was famous for his casual approach to details of execution. I have done quite a bit to clean up my 'noll, as you know.