Pick-up weight

[errol]

I'm busy playing through my LPs with a new (cheapish) USB turntable. It's the "Ion Profile LP Turntable" which is of reasonably good quality. However I'm unsure about the weighting of the pick-up (there's no weight adjustment of the pick-up), because the needle sometimes jumps tracks on records where it really shouldn't, so I'm suspecting that perhaps the weight of the pick-up is too light. Is there any simple way of determining whether the weight is correct, and (also simple) a way of increasing the weight slightly if necessary?

Thanks for any help.

 

Quote

[Thomas³]

You can buy a tracking force gauge to test it, but there is no way to really correct it on that table. Toss it in the trash and buy a real table.

[ethereal]

2 hours ago, errol said:

It's the "Ion Profile LP Turntable" which is of reasonably good quality.

this is not a correct statement. ION's are notoriously bad and don't make any "good" tables.

if you want your problem fixed, invest in a real turntable as @Thomas³ suggests

 

 

[errol]

Hi Thomas & Ethereal

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping there is some way around spending a few hundred rand on a tracking force gauge, but if there isn't I suppose I'll just have to do without.

[allenh]

You can buy a tracking force gauge but it won't fix the fundamental problems with the table and your problem might not be tracking force anyway as these things usually track heavy not light, it could well just be poorly set arm bearings, quality control or build quality are not usually associated with these tables.

 

@Thomas³ is right unfortunately if it's not working take it back where you bought it and get your money back or throw it away, all it will do is ruin your records.

[errol]

Hi Allenh

Thanks for your reply.  I didn't realise that the problem could be that it's too heavy, not too light. Thanks.

[ethereal]

16 hours ago, errol said:

I was hoping there is some way around spending a few hundred rand on a tracking force gauge, but if there isn't I suppose I'll just have to do without.

you can find a nice table with adjustable tracking weight for $100 or less via local ad outlets.

if you don't have patience, then yeah, it's probably going to cost you a few hundred for a new, adequate table.

Edited February 7, 2017 by ethereal

[errol]

Hi Ethereal

Thanks for your reply.

Cheers, Errol

 

[vinyl addict]

On 2/7/2017 at 2:04 AM, errol said:

Hi Thomas & Ethereal

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping there is some way around spending a few hundred rand on a tracking force gauge, but if there isn't I suppose I'll just have to do without.

 

A tracking force gauge costs about $8, not "a few hundred grand".

 

As mentioned though, don't waste your time or money on that Ion.

 

Edited February 12, 2017 by vinyl addict

[arem]

He's talking about South African Rand, 100 Rand is 7 or 8 dollars US. 

 

That said, he's definitely better off with a better table but I have no idea what's available down there or how much things cost.

[errol]

Hi Vinyl Addict & Arem

That's right,  I mean South African rand, thanks. And, yes, the other complicating factor is that it's difficult to get things here and when they do they can often cost the earth. In this particular case, though, I'm not so much after the best quality, it's more just an exercise to try to get this particular player, which I own already, to work reasonably satisfactorily.