A Glossary Of Some Of The Turntable Terms Used:
A Glossary Of Some Of The Turntable Terms Used:
Anti-skate: The centrifugal force of a rotating record tends to pull the tonearm toward the center of the platter. Adding an "anti-skate" force equal to the tracking pressure will keep the arm from "skating" toward the center. Can only be seen if playing a record with no grooves, but wear to the stylus will occur if the anti-skate is defeated.
Base: A wood or plastic unit that is cut to the shape of the turntable in order for the turntable to sit in to play.
Cartridge: The unit containing the stylus (needle) that actually converts small elecrical impulses to sound.
Ceramic cartridge: A cartridge (usually with a flip-over stylus) that has a high output, but tinny sound.
Counter weight: The (usually) cylindrical part at the rear of the tonearm, used to lighten and balance the front of the tonearm.
D.C. servo motor: A lower-speed drive motor, electronically speed-controlled.
Cueing: Usually a lever or other device that mechanically lifts the tonearm from the record at any time. Damped cueing means there's either a pneumatic, hydraulic, or mechanical device to slow the rate of descent.
Head: The part at the front of the arm that (usually) will contain a headshell.
Headshell (or cartridge slide or cartridge mount):The part that detaches from the tonearm head, that the cartridge mounts on to and wires to.
Induction motor: A standard high-torque AC motor.
Induction/synchronous motor: Takes the best of both induction and synchronous motors. uses the induction section to get to speed quickly, then the synchronous part locks to the line frequency. The most well-known of this type motor is Garrard's "Synchro-Lab" series.
Magnetic Cartridge: A cartridge that will have only one stylus. It is a low-output device, but it's sound is superior to the sound of a ceramic cartridge. Most better turntables utilize this type. Most computers and many newer stereos will not be compatible, but a low-cost pre-amp will make them compatible.
Quartz lock: Uses a quartz crystal to accurately control the speed of a DC motor.
Spindle: the part that the record revoles around. There are 4 basic types. A single play manual spindle, a stacking small hole spindle, a spindle that is thick, made for stacking large-hole 45's, and a 45 "puck", for playing 45's singly.
Synchronous motor: An AC motor that "locks" onto the 60 (or 50) Hz line frequency. Tends to be a low-torque motor
Tonearm (arm): The long unit that holds the headshell, cartridge, stylus and counterweight.
Tracking force: The "weight" of the cartridge on the record's surface. Each cartridge has a recommended minimum and maximum for optimum performance.
Transit screws: Two or 3 screws that will hold the unit to the base when transporting. Usually, transit screws must be turned to their "full up" position to lock the unit in place.
Platter: The part that the record sits on when playing.
Stylus: The part that contacts the record and connects to the cartridge. Also known as a "needle".
Types of Turntables:
Manual: All functions must be done manually, from putting the arm on the record to taking it off.
Semi-Automatic: The arm will be manually put on the record, but at the record's end will either just shut the unit off, lift off the record and shut off, or return the tonearm to the tonearm "rest" and turn off.
Fully Automatic: Pushing a button, lever or similar will set the machine in motion. There may be adjustments for record size, so the arm will go to the proper start position. The tonearm will fift off at end of play, go to the "rest", and shut off.
Programmable: As in a CD player, you can set the order of play that you desire. These machines are rather rare, but they are around.
Changer, or "multiple Play": Same as a fully automatic unit, but will have a long center spindle that you can stack around 6 records on, and they will play one at a time, then the unit will shut off.
Turntable Drive Systems:
Idler drive: A high-speed induction or induction/synchronous motor will have a stepped pulley on it. An idler wheel (or "intermediate" wheel rides on the motor pull and the inner rim of the platter, thus transferring the motor's torque to the platter. Usually found on changers.
Belt drive: A lower speed induction, induction/synchronous, synchronous, or DC servo motor will have a pulley on it. A belt would go around that puller and either the outer edge of the platter, or an inner rim of the platter. A quieter drive system, found mostly in manuals, semi-automatics and fully automatics, but there are some changers that use this system.
Direct-drive: The spindle that the platter sits on IS the motor. It is always a fully electronically controlled motor. Usually found on manual, semi-automatic and fully-automatic units. Technics, however did make a series of stacking changers utilizing the direct-drive motor.
