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Just got my Scoutmaster, need setup suggestions...

Hey guys,

Just got my Scoutmaster (actually got it 2 weeks ago but just got around to setting it up now). I set it up as best I could with the dealer's help over the phone (for 1.5 hours). This was my first TT that I ever owned, much less set up.

Now, I balanced the tonearm + Dyn20XH to 2.0g using a Shure gauge... it took some trial and error, but I got it pretty close.

Now, the sound is overall very good, much better than my digital front end by a very good stretch. The only gripe I have is that image is a bit to the right....

I switch back to my digital front end and the image is dead center.... so I know it's not speaker/seat positioning that's off.

The Scoutmaster uses the JMW9 tonearm... and there's a weight in the back of the arm that one uses to calibrate and balance the arm/cart on the gauge (sorry if I'm not using good vinyl lingo here). I noticed that the weight is a little off kilter though... making the tonearm skew a little bit towards one side moreso than the other (rolling more towards one angle).

Is this affecting the imaging?
joey_v
jpv
23 posts
 
One thing you can do to make it easier to sent the weight and arizmuth is get a 1/2" o-ring and slide it onto the back of the arm. With the ring on and pushed up against the counter weight adjust the weight to the desired grammage.
Now when you lossen the set screw to ajust for the arizmuth the counter weight will not move back. Adjust the weight left or right and keep it pressed up to the o-ring. tighten it up and the weight should not have changed that much.
pmotz
412 posts
 
Stringreen got it right. What you are adjusting is azimuth. The Scoutmaster manual (from the VPI website) mentions this but doesn't do a good job of explaining the procedure. The manual does state to use something like a coffee stirrer so the aluminum rod must not come with that model (bet they saved 0.01 cents!). The manual for the JMW 9 manual is not coming up on the web site but the manual for JMW 9 signature does and gives a better description and does indicate the aluminum rod comes with it, go figure. One point to keep in mind, if after getting the azimuth set up using the rod/stirrer if the image is still off center there may be a slight mis-alignment of the stylus. Not unusual, but will require adjusting azimuth by ear. Ah the joys of vinyl!
cytocycle
1,043 posts
 
You need to buy the Michael Fremer Turntable setup DVD which has him setting up your turntable.. the visual method and pausing it on the tv will really help.
joey_v OP
668 posts
 
Forgive my stupidity, but what is the azimuth?

I haven't felt this dumb in a while....
photon46
1,089 posts
 
JPV, thanks for the o-ring tip. That's a really smart trick to help deal with a vexing part of setup.
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