Hi!

I recently bought a Unamco Labs turntable from ... judging from the
looks,70s or 80s. It was dirt cheap (50 eur) but I'm little bit
confused about adjusting of this thing.

The tonearm has an adjustable weight of couple of grams at the
opposite end of the cartrigde side. It's connected to the tonearm with
a very thin piece of metal wire, so it hangs around, so to speak.

In the turtable there is a /\/\/\/\/ shaped very thick metal wire,
which I can use to tighten or loosen the weight.

The function of this thing is, as far as I can tell, to adjust the
antiskating.

Like You all hifists out there know, the XV15 has itself the brush tip
which does this function quite well.

There are 8 possible positions of the weight, but I'm quite not sure
which one to use, that I don't brake the stylus !

How should I proceed ?

(I've been too afraid to actually play anything with it! Just a couple
test tunes.)

And BTW; does anyone know about Unamco Laboratories company ? Is it
still around, and from which country is it ?

Best Regards;

Mikko Heinonen
Finland

On 5 Aug 2004 06:49:59 -0700, (dxrd) wrote:

Hi!

I recently bought a Unamco Labs turntable from ... judging from the
looks,70s or 80s.

A friend of mine bought his in 1973, if I'm not mistaken. A quick look
through the 'net seems to indicate that this product was sold mainly
up here in northern Europe. It was *the* turntable to buy in the '70s
in Sweden for hi-fiers.


The tonearm has an adjustable weight of couple of grams at the
opposite end of the cartrigde side. It's connected to the tonearm with
a very thin piece of metal wire, so it hangs around, so to speak.

In the turtable there is a /\/\/\/\/ shaped very thick metal wire,
which I can use to tighten or loosen the weight.

The function of this thing is, as far as I can tell, to adjust the
antiskating.

Correct.


Like You all hifists out there know, the XV15 has itself the brush tip
which does this function quite well.

There are 8 possible positions of the weight, but I'm quite not sure
which one to use, that I don't brake the stylus !

If you mean the antiskating weight, not much will break. The correct
way to adjust it by looking up the manual... :-)

But, you can adjust the antiskating force until the pickup stays when
"dropped" onto a flat groove-free surface on the LP, for instance
between the inner grooves. If you have a test LP, perhaps you some
part of it without grooves for this purpose. The idea is that the
friction force that pulls the stylus will make it go inwards (because
of the geometry) but be balanced by the anti-skating force so that it
does not go either inwards or outwards. Try both extreme cases and you
will se what happens.

(Hope you got that, it does not look very clear...)

And BTW; does anyone know about Unamco Laboratories company ? Is it
still around, and from which country is it ?

It could very well be from Sweden for all that I know, based on the
hits on the internet. i remeber this company vaguely. No they are not
around.


Best Regards;

Mikko Heinonen
Finland

Per Stromgren,
Sweden.

"Per Stromgren" wrote in message


But, you can adjust the antiskating force until the pickup stays when
"dropped" onto a flat groove-free surface on the LP, for instance
between the inner grooves. If you have a test LP, perhaps you some
part of it without grooves for this purpose. The idea is that the
friction force that pulls the stylus will make it go inwards (because
of the geometry) but be balanced by the anti-skating force so that it
does not go either inwards or outwards. Try both extreme cases and you
will se what happens.

This approach is flawed.

The skating force is due to the use of an offset cartridge mounting. The
drag of the cartridge stylus on the groove creates a force vector that is
resolved as a stating force acting around the arm's main pivot point.

The problem with using a groovless record is that it creates less drag than
a regular record groove, and therefore it develops less skating force than
is found in normal use.

BTW, since the groove's speed varies with radius, so does the skating force.

On Thu, 5 Aug 2004 12:29:30 -0400, "Arny Krueger"
wrote:

"Per Stromgren" wrote in message


But, you can adjust the antiskating force until the pickup stays when
"dropped" onto a flat groove-free surface on the LP, for instance
between the inner grooves. If you have a test LP, perhaps you some
part of it without grooves for this purpose. The idea is that the
friction force that pulls the stylus will make it go inwards (because
of the geometry) but be balanced by the anti-skating force so that it
does not go either inwards or outwards. Try both extreme cases and you
will se what happens.

This approach is flawed.

The skating force is due to the use of an offset cartridge mounting. The
drag of the cartridge stylus on the groove creates a force vector that is
resolved as a stating force acting around the arm's main pivot point.

But that is exactly what the above procedure tries to adjust for. When
the drag force plus the antiskating force equals zero, your
anti-skating force is applied correctly.

The problem with using a groovless record is that it creates less drag than
a regular record groove, and therefore it develops less skating force than
is found in normal use.

Do you know by how much? I suspect it is well within any error caused
by the above adjusment method and...

BTW, since the groove's speed varies with radius, so does the skating force.

.... the variation caused by differing skating force due different
radius. And, most anti-skating systems, Unamco's included, does not
take radius into account.

What method do you suggest, bar reading the manual?

Per.

Per Stromgren wrote in message . ..


Like You all hifists out there know, the XV15 has itself the brush tip
which does this function quite well.

There are 8 possible positions of the weight, but I'm quite not sure
which one to use, that I don't brake the stylus !

If you mean the antiskating weight, not much will break. The correct
way to adjust it by looking up the manual... :-)

From novice point of view, shouldn't this antiskating adjustment vary
from cartiridge to cartridge, so I should get a copy of a pickering
manual instead of the Unamco ? (Getting either manual is really hard,
I know)


But, you can adjust the antiskating force until the pickup stays when
"dropped" onto a flat groove-free surface on the LP, for instance
between the inner grooves. If you have a test LP, perhaps you some
part of it without grooves for this purpose. The idea is that the
friction force that pulls the stylus will make it go inwards (because
of the geometry) but be balanced by the anti-skating force so that it
does not go either inwards or outwards. Try both extreme cases and you
will se what happens.

(Hope you got that, it does not look very clear...)

Got it. It makes sense to me. I don't have a test LP though .

Do you happen to know any stores in Sweden that would sell
replacement belts for the TT ?

I noticed that the belts are quite gray and worn when I opened the
player to attach a grounding cord from the TT to my amp.

It played perfectly though.

Thanks for your advice!

Regards;
Mikko

On 6 Aug 2004 00:54:22 -0700, (dxrd) wrote:


From novice point of view, shouldn't this antiskating adjustment vary
from cartiridge to cartridge, so I should get a copy of a pickering
manual instead of the Unamco ?

No, in that case you need both. But, the drag force difference between
cartridges in probably very small anyway, and even if you could get
the figures for drag force, I haven't seen a pickup arm anti-skating
adjustment that is calibrated in pick-up drag force.

Most antiskating systems are adjusted proportiional to down force. An
educated guess is that every "step" in the anti-skating adjustement on
your Unamco is 2.5N (0.25 grams), going from zero and up. If you are
really, really inteterested I perhapd could find the manual for you, a
friend of mine still has an Unamco in service in his hi-fi system.

Got it. It makes sense to me. I don't have a test LP though .

Do you happen to know any stores in Sweden that would sell
replacement belts for the TT ?

No, I'm afraid not, but check with Josef Svalander, he has been around
long enough to know about the Unamco, and sells belts.
http://www.svalander.se/vinyl/remmar.htm

Ask Josef also about the anti-skating adjustment, he may even remember
that.

(His web is in Swedish, I hope your mother toungue is Swedish, or that
you are old enough to have picked it up in school...)


I noticed that the belts are quite gray and worn when I opened the
player to attach a grounding cord from the TT to my amp.

It played perfectly though.

Thanks for your advice!

You are welcome.


Regards;
Mikko

Per.

PS. I found a web page that confirmed that the Unamco is indeed
Swedish.

On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 09:47:00 +0200, Per Stromgren
wrote:


(His web is in Swedish, I hope your mother toungue is Swedish, or that
you are old enough to have picked it up in school...)

Sorry to scare you, there is an English version as well, click on the
Brit flag.

Per.

Per Stromgren wrote in message . ..


Most antiskating systems are adjusted proportiional to down force. An
educated guess is that every "step" in the anti-skating adjustement on
your Unamco is 2.5N (0.25 grams), going from zero and up. If you are
really, really inteterested I perhapd could find the manual for you, a
friend of mine still has an Unamco in service in his hi-fi system.

Sorry that my answering took so long, I've been very busy this
week. About the manual: That would be really great! Currently,
I live (study, networking technology) in Sweden, so posting the
copy isn't impossible either.

Of course, I'll pay you something about the work involved!


No, I'm afraid not, but check with Josef Svalander, he has been around
long enough to know about the Unamco, and sells belts.
http://www.svalander.se/vinyl/remmar.htm

Ask Josef also about the anti-skating adjustment, he may even remember
that.

OK. I'll contact him. By the way, really good site, they seem to stock
all kinds spare parts for the turntables !

Regards;
Mikko

On 10 Aug 2004 04:18:20 -0700, (dxrd) wrote:


Sorry that my answering took so long, I've been very busy this
week. About the manual: That would be really great! Currently,
I live (study, networking technology) in Sweden, so posting the
copy isn't impossible either.

I will check with my friend, as soon as he is back from his vacation
trip in a week or so. In the mean time I suggest that you adjust the
antiskating ad hoc and stylus force with at stylus scale. Did you get
in touch with Josef?

Per,
Karlstad.

Per Stromgren wrote in message . ..

I will check with my friend, as soon as he is back from his vacation
trip in a week or so. In the mean time I suggest that you adjust the
antiskating ad hoc and stylus force with at stylus scale.

I don't have the TT here with me in Övertorneå, so I'll have to wait
until I go to a vacation and back to Finland. I don't have a stylus
scale either, so I'll have to manage without one. (And I bet
that must be expensive piece of equipment!)

One more question: How can one tell, when it's time to replace stylus ?

I tried to look at the stylus when I bought the TT with a magnifying
glass,but with a little success; it just looked like well... stylus .

Did you get
in touch with Josef?

No, not yet, but soon I will.

Regards;
Mikko

On 13 Aug 2004 00:49:23 -0700, (dxrd) wrote:

Per Stromgren wrote in message . ..

I will check with my friend, as soon as he is back from his vacation
trip in a week or so. In the mean time I suggest that you adjust the
antiskating ad hoc and stylus force with at stylus scale.

I don't have the TT here with me in Övertorneå

Oh, gosh, we're talking serious northern hemisphere here, I can tell!

, so I'll have to wait
until I go to a vacation and back to Finland. I don't have a stylus
scale either, so I'll have to manage without one. (And I bet
that must be expensive piece of equipment!)

Not necessarily, I would guess 15-20 EUR or so.


One more question: How can one tell, when it's time to replace stylus ?

That is a hard one. You need at least 10 times magnification (i.e. a
loupe) and a feeling for what a new stylus look like. Do your LPs a
favour: buy a new one if you are not VERY sure the stylus is newly
installed.

Per.

Per Stromgren wrote in message . ..

I will check with my friend, as soon as he is back from his vacation
trip in a week or so. In the mean time I suggest that you adjust the
antiskating ad hoc and stylus force with at stylus scale.

I don't have the TT here with me in Övertorneå

Oh, gosh, we're talking serious northern hemisphere here, I can tell!

Yeah, Otherwise I live in Helsinki, it's been quite a change to move up
here in north.


, so I'll have to wait
until I go to a vacation and back to Finland. I don't have a stylus
scale either, so I'll have to manage without one. (And I bet
that must be expensive piece of equipment!)

Not necessarily, I would guess 15-20 EUR or so.

What ? That's really cheap. Maybe I'll invest to that too, that isn't
too much for my budget.



One more question: How can one tell, when it's time to replace stylus ?

That is a hard one. You need at least 10 times magnification (i.e. a
loupe) and a feeling for what a new stylus look like. Do your LPs a
favour: buy a new one if you are not VERY sure the stylus is newly
installed.

Alright, I'll keep that in my mind. All this LP playing stuff seems more
like science than enjoying good music ! Speaking about science...

Now that I can ask for experts opinion; what do you think about
actually washing the used records ?

There is some discussion about this on the usenet, but I haven't made
up my mind should I wash my records or not. Some chemists even trade
secret recipes for the ultimate washing solution...

I can gather that you shouldn't wash the LPs with isopropyl
alcohol or with any kind of strong solvent, that will most likely
irreversibly damage the LPs.

Well what should I use then ? Water ? or nothing ? Or give up
the idea ?

Regards;
Mikko

In article ,
dxrd wrote:

I can gather that you shouldn't wash the LPs with isopropyl
alcohol or with any kind of strong solvent, that will most likely
irreversibly damage the LPs.

Well what should I use then ? Water ? or nothing ? Or give up
the idea ?

I've heard quite a few conflicting reports about the use of
isopropanol or other alcohols for cleaning LPs. Some people believe
that alcohol-based solutions will leach the plasticizers out of the
vinyl, making it more brittle and subject to damage. Other people
believe that this is not a significant problem, for reasonable
dilutions (e.g. 1 part isopropanol to 3 or 4 parts distilled water)
and short surface-exposure times (i.e. wet it, clean it, dry it off
rapidly).

It's certain that you should *not* use any alcohol- or solvent-based
cleaner for acetate/lacquer/shellac discs - it'll destroy them!

The Nitty Gritty company uses a water-and-alcohol solution as their
standard cleaning product. VPI apparently uses an alcohol-free
(water-based) solution.

The Library of Congress has a recommendation for the manufacture of a
solution which they like for cleaning vinyl and other records. Its
active cleaning ingredient is Triton XL-80N, a surfactant made by
Union Carbide / Dow Chemicals. It also includes some ammonia (needed
only for cleaning acetate discs, which can develop white deposits due
to fatty-acid degradation of plasticizers) and an ingredient which
inhibits microbe growth and can also disinfect records which have
mold/mildew growth. This solution contains no alcohol of any sort.

See http://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/record.html for complete
procedures, and heed their warnings about the safety (or lack thereof)
of the chemicals involved.

I clean albums using a "Record Doctor II" (low-end Nitty Gritty
wet-wash-and-vaccum system) and a homebrew alcohol/water/surfactant
solution similar to the Nitty Gritty solution. For really cruddy
records (e.g. used ones with lots of fingerprints) I often pre-wash
with a water-and-detergent solution to remove the worst of the oily
crud, blot dry, and then wash-and-vacuum with the machine.

One such thorough cleaning should be plenty... as long as you avoid
re-fingerprinting your records, it should only be necessary to brush
off dust with a conductive brush before playing.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

Thanks alot for your suggestions and help!

Maybe I'll go for the hand cleaning method though, I think I can spare some
hours in the weekend once or twice in the year for washing my records.

Altough I'd like to get hold of that stuff the government uses, it seems
to be really heavy-duty .

Well, speaking of the manual method, does anyone know what is the
"correct" technique for cleaning up the discs ?

I know that this has also been discussed in the newsgroups,
but here we have a perfect opportunity to collect the
ultimate newbie guide to the record handling and listening

Here is how I would do it:

1. Dip the disc very quickly to the cleaning solution,
2. wash along the grooves with a brush*
3. Finally rinse off the detergent with a plenty of distilled water
4. Dry with a piece soft cloth eg. towel

* Brush of unknown variety, I don't think anyone sells RiKuRd ClEaNInG
brushes these days. Sorry for the jammed typewriter keyboard ;-).

BTW; This nitty-gritty thing, isnt it just a regular tt without
the tonearm ? If I salvage one old TT from the scrapyard, it shouldn't
be impossible to make one by myself... I'd like to see pictures of the
official machine.

(And yes, I'm being very cheap )

Regards;
Mikko