Needle settings

[UnOwn]

Hey,
It was my birthday last Thursday and my girl got me some Sure M477's. I'm not sure if turntable questions should go in the Hardware section or not; so, I'll just stick it in the lab. Well, I just wanted to know what everyone's preferable needle and tonarm settings were. Mainly I read that some people say don't use the optional headshell weight, what is everyone's opinion on this? Keep in mind I have tables with straight tone-arms and I do scratch. Also, I read some suggestions about breaking in the needles, what do you all think about this?

On a side note, I bought myself some Alesis Monitors and a mixing console. For anyone who doesn't have monitors, move them up on your "to get" list. I'm in love. I was using really good headphones before and regular speakers through an amp, but the difference seems pretty amazing so far. I'm gonna get a new computer soon too. As soon as I can borrow a digi-camera I'll post a lab pic. It's lookin real nice now.

Well, hit it up, thanks,
UnOwn

 

[Equality 7-2521]

happy bday mate.

i use vestax pdx 2000 which also have a straight tone arm. i dont use the headshell and i set the weight of the tone arm to 3.

this is what ia recommended on the instructions and it works fine for me.

dunno about breaking in needles.

 

[DJDRAGN9]

hmmm the only time i used a straight armed ones is when a club might have them and i have to use them.how do they hold up? lol i was scared to try to really scratch with them cuz i think they might skip really bad!! but on my tables i just flip around the weight and set my height at around 2 and skate around 0.before i got my ortofons i also used to put the cartridge in the headshell at a angle so it goes along the groove of the record,i felt this helped alot in my opinion cuz i used really shitty needles and after i did that it didnt skip as much. are those shure's any good? ...HOLLA AT YA BOY

 

[UnOwn]

hmmm the only time i used a straight armed ones is when a club might have them and i have to use them.how do they hold up? lol i was scared to try to really scratch with them cuz i think they might skip really bad!! but on my tables i just flip around the weight and set my height at around 2 and skate around 0.before i got my ortofons i also used to put the cartridge in the headshell at a angle so it goes along the groove of the record,i felt this helped alot in my opinion cuz i used really shitty needles and after i did that it didnt skip as much. are those shure's any good? ...HOLLA AT YA BOY

A lot of people say the straight arms skip less than the curved, I've never used the curved but the straight have hardly ever skipped for me. I have my weight flipped around too and at about the same weight. The weight I am actually talking about is a little piece of metal that comes with the needles that you can add between the needle and headshell. I put it on but I have only put one of the needles on so far and it sticks like tape. I haven't had a skip yet and the needles aren't even broken in. I haven't used them a ton yet though. I'll let this quote answer the Shure question:

"Shure's flagship model is the (spherical) M44-7 and is arguabley the best needle out there for DJs who are serious about scratching because of it's anti-skipping capabilities."

So far I agree...

 

[DJDRAGN9]

ok cool thanks for the info! i have a friend whos lookin for a good set of needles ill let him know to try to scoop those up ....HOLLA AT YA BOY

 

[HCTarks]

hey sup,

i know this is going to sound weird, not everyone's needle settings are compatible with each other, especially if you are skratching (i am assuming you are, since the m447's are known for being the most solid skratching needle). reason being, there are people with heavy hands and light hands, and varying skratching styles.. hard skratching like chirps, stabs, tears, etc.. or finesse skratches like all the various flare/orbit combos...

my advice to you: follow the directions.. read them carefully..

after you install them.. turn your turntables off and leave the needle on the record overnight.. or.. let a record play continuously for an hour or so.. to break them in.. do not skip this step!

then.. cue up to a nice kick and perform really fast baby skratches.. if it doesnt skip, you are cool.. if it does skip, re-adjust per the instructions..

just make sure the cartridge is parallel to the vinyl.

also.. do not add extra weight..no quarters on top of the headshell, nothing.. the m447's dont need that after proper setting / breaking in..

okay bye

 

[UnOwn]

hey sup,
after you install them.. turn your turntables off and leave the needle on the record overnight..

also.. do not add extra weight..no quarters on top of the headshell, nothing.. the m447's dont need that after proper setting / breaking in..
okay bye

That overnight thing is actually the exact thing I was wondering about...

As far as the extra weight, not even the weight that came with them that goes between the needle and headshell, just that little metal plate thing...

And, yes, I scratch, as I mentioned a couple times....LOL

 

[HCTarks]

yeah not even the weight thing, i prefer not to use it.. u'll cue burn way too fast.. almost the rate of shure sc35c's... unless u dont mind buying new vinyl all the time.

u skratch.. dope dope.. glad to hear that.

 

[UnOwn]

u skratch.. dope dope.. glad to hear that.

And I know you skraTCH...but only backwards... LOL

 

[Formant024]

Like said before, read the manual. There's a part that appealed to me concerning the

" terror mode "

check it out.

 

[kwantize]

i just got the same ones and i took the weight off put it back on for scrachin i trun off all the music and i listen 4 crackell sounds comeing from the record .... u see the red dot on your needle when its gone that means the niddle is old....

 

[dacalion]

UnOwn, here's the best site that I've seen for dj'ing questions and issues...it may be helpful to you. Check it out. http://www.scratchdj.com/

dac

 

[HCTarks]

And I know you skraTCH...but only backwards... LOL

lol yea.. i been skratchin for just under ten years now

 

[DJFANTOM]

I use the shure 44 7's also. I have technic 1200's and I put the anti skate on 0 , push the weight all the way up. And set the height on 6. This works the best for me on my set and most places I play @. Oh and yeah those pdx 2000 don't skip for nothin. And believe me im a hard scratcher. Straight tone arms are better for scratchin. But curved is better for mixing.

 

[HCTarks]

i'm a ultra hard skratcher.. and finesse skratchin, i use the regular technics bent tonearms.. but those straight ones are coo.. however most battles feature the 1200.. so ur fucked if u depend on the straights...... from my experience

i'm faded, so sorry if i dont make sense