Hadcock 242 tonearm... Where the hells the VTA!

[SMEagol]

Where the bejinkies is the VTA!

I put a nice new felt mat on my LP12 (which I've never taken to bits) and the arm needs to go up by 1.5mm or so.

...To say the instructions are really crap, would lead people to assume they are more informative than they actually are!

Does it involve unscrewing the big nut under the armboard, and tightening something above? If so, thats rubbish. How do I get the arm board off an LP12?

I love the tonearm and have no gripes with its engineering or its musical merits, just find it quirky.

 

[YNMOAN]

To get the armboard off you need to remove the base; the armboard is held to the chassis by 3 small posidrive wood screws.
However, there is a good chance that you will not have to remove the armboard to adjust the VTA (hope not anyway or your adjustment is likely to be pretty rough).

 

[SMEagol]

Thanks YN. found a tiny allen key hole at the back of a big round chrome collet flush with the armboard, one of those special socket screws thats absolutely minute and incredibly stiff. Managed to lift the pillar. I hope thats right! Someone has used the cartridge mans isolator, then the ART1 cartridge. with a new felt mat this makes it a tall order for any tonearm, particularly a long-un like this. I played some records tonight that must just slightly bow upwards towards the centre, and even with the arm lift raised it was catching the vinyl. I think its on its last detent to get to the height where the stylus stops catching, not sure thats a good idea... hate to say it Len, I might have to take this thing off.

 

[YNMOAN]

Umm...I would definately think about taking the CM isolator off - sounds like you have made the right adjustment though. If the lift/lower device is the problem there should be another adjustment to move that - sorry, I know the LP12 but never adjusted a Hadcock.

 

[TonyL]

Thanks YN. found a tiny allen key hole at the back of a big round chrome collet flush with the armboard, one of those special socket screws thats absolutely minute and incredibly stiff. Managed to lift the pillar. I hope thats right!

Yes, that's it. The Hadcock is a remarkably frustrating yet rather wonderful arm. I ran one for a couple of years so know it's ins and outs if you need to know anything. It really is a PITA to set up, but once you nail it the thing really sings.

Tony.

 

[Listener666]

ha..............

Yes, that's it. The Hadcock is a remarkably frustrating yet rather wonderful arm. I ran one for a couple of years so know it's ins and outs if you need to know anything. It really is a PITA to set up, but once you nail it the thing really sings.

Tony.

frustrating......................very!
Bought mine about18months back..............wasnt impressed with the build quality or the finish. One part was machined to the wrong size (quickly replaced by haddcock mind). A month later one of the wires fell out of the connecting plug...........not impressed.

Sounds ok .......but a burger to set up.......i found the vta to be critical................if you get a good match cartridge wise let me know............i fancy trying an mm jobby

 

[SMEagol]

Audiotechnica ART1. Wow thats a good MC match, but these are old and a bit thin on the ground. It seems to have given my Clearaudio Accurate a last wheeze of life too. Tried the cartridge man isolator, but the hadcock was right on its last detent of VTA which I didn't think did it any favours, so I took off the isolator, and lowered it back down. Very nice sound, I'd say its easily better than the SME 309. I like the Hadcock arm very much. People have said, ooooh suspended TT and a unipivot is a no-go, but I'd beg to differ based on the sound.