VPI JMW 9 wire problem


I just bought a used VPI Aries Scout with the JMW 9 tonearm.  It sounded great and everything was working fine until I decided I had to try and optimize antiskate.  Perhaps I misunderstood how that was supposed to work because when I rotated the plug to try to add more twist to the wire the wires seemed to slip in the connector and now I don't have my right channel and there is hum.

I'm afraid I may have pulled a wire loose inside the connector or even worse inside the tonearm and I can't find any information about whether this is something I can fix, or if I need to have somebody else to repair it, and who that somebody else might be.

Any suggestions?  I live near Seattle if there is anybody local that might help.

pinwa

@wlutke Yes, I figured out how to unscrew the connector and I didn't see anything obvious inside.  I'm not quite sure how to reorientate the pins so that they are correct when I reassemble it.  Also, I don't know if it is safe to use a multimeter to test connectivity while the cartridge is still attached?  Does a digital multimeter put out enough voltage/current to damage the cartridge if I use it to measure resistance to try and figure out where the problem is?

I never use the twist technique.....just asking for trouble...also it's not at all accurate.  Get in touch with VPI for a proper resolution.

What cartridge?  If it's anything but a very low output MC with a very low internal resistance (e.g., less than 10 ohms), I would not worry about damaging the cartridge with your meter.  Even then, the danger is minimal if you keep the measurement brief.  Also, you can simply disconnect the cartridge if you remain concerned about that.

@lewm I am using a Dynavector XX2 MKII cartridge.  It is 0.28mV output and only 6 ohms impedance.  

You can also contact Steve Leung from VAS Audio. He is good friends with Harry Weisfeld and is just next door or so to VPI. He takes in JMW repairs and upgrades. If you are repairing, might as well ask him to repair with reference wire. It won’t cost much more and you’ll get a sonic upgrade out of it. 

If you need his contact information, PM me.