HELP with M447 cartidge set-up

  • Thread starter Thread starter stsurly
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stsurly

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Hey,
I installed a new M447 cartridge on my technics 1200 the other day and i'm having some issues...

I've got the height at 4.5 and balanced the tonearm and have 3 grams of weight without the extra headshell weight, but when i pull back on the record it skips. I'm thinking I need more weight but i dont want to fuk up the stylus... I'm also noticing some distortion coming from the left channel.

I have read that it can take a couple of weeks for the 447's to wear in, but never having used them before i dont know if it's just that or i have set it up wrong...

Any tips/help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Saint Surly.
 
The TECHNICAL & STANDARD way of setting your M44-7 with Technics tonearm is... (with MK5.. should be same as other technics)

there should be no weight on the headshell since the M44-7's weight is 6.7g.... (you should add the weight if the cartridge weighs 3.5g to 6.5g)

There should be no auxillery weight... (you add it when the cartridge weighs between 10-13g)

The height of the tonearm should be 0.. since the cartridge is 15.9mm in height... (you start raising the tonearm when the cartridge is 18mm or higher)

The weight on the balanceweight should be 3g.. (it saids on the Shure M44-7 manual.. ignore the tonearm height of 4-5...)

The antiskate should be 0... (you can raise it when the stylus gets closer to the center of the record)...

and for the people that did the 32% angle for the extra resistance.. ITS FOR UNORTHODOX DJ ONLY!... unless you wanna totally destroy your records.. =)

Also the setup of the cartridge should be all the way back..(closer to the attachment of the cartridge..)

thats about all you need if you have Technics and M44-7..

I got all my information from the Technics SL-1200MK5 manual and the Shure M44-7 cartridge manual..

I hope this helps for people who want to do things the TECHNICAL & STANDARD way...
 
I had similar issues.
Now, never skips.
My setup:

12 MK5s,
Standard technics mats
Technics headshell

Weight:3
Antiskate:0
Height:4
Angle of cart in headshell:23ish

I had sounds problems also to begin with, but after a while it was fine.
The 23 degree angle made all the difference with skipping.

I broke them in by just leaving them sit overnight on the vinyl without it spinning for about 3 or 4 nights.

Goodluck
 
thanks for the replys fellas.

I have tryed a few different ways of setting up and it still skips when i try to scratch, so i guess its just a matter of breaking it in??
 
Yeh, dont be violent with them, they are delicate. Once broken in they never skip. I had problems, now they are skipless as I say.

Go for the 23degree angle if you havent already done so.
 
It sounds like you have the carts set up right. You just need to break them in. I suggest leaving the needle on the a record all night. it doesnt have to spin, it just needs to have weight on the suspention for an extended period of time.
 
i was wondering if someone could post a reply about my m44-7. i tried it on 2 turntables.
the sound only comes off on one side of my headphones. ill have to check if it does it with the master, my jbls.
i read that there was a way by which to connect the 4 colored wires to make sure that the m44-7 is wired properly.
it didnt change a thing. some wires are hot others are ground. does it have to do with that. could anyone help me cause this is driving me insane.
what is this about?? it should work the m44-7 is brand new. thanks. jean-nicolas
 
try this:
Put the needle on a record with the platter stopped, or hold the record still with your hand.

See if the needle looks like it is wiggling or trembling a little.

If it is your weight may be too much or height may need to be adjusted.

Mine skip the least when the needle looks stable.

You don't need to angle the cart with the 44 7s. I cut and juggle with them with no angle. Just play some records or do some simple/gentle scratches for a while to break in the needle.

I have my height at 5 or 6 (with stanton headshell), don't know if this is good or bad for the record or needle, i just know they don't skip.

And I only notice cue burn set up like this after juggling or scratching for a long time in the same spot. Mostly with juggling though. I'm sure it's happening with scratching but over a long period (months?)

I have my weight on backwards and use the adjustment i mentioned to make sure the needle is not wiggling.

Didn't realize the original post was so old.

Jnicolas123
I think you just match the colors on the headshell to the cartridge to set it up.

If you take the wires off I'm pretty sure the cartridge and/or headshell connectors are color coded.

It's possible the headshell is not making contact correctly with the tonearm. (or you have your mixer channel panned and you didn't notice).
 
Last edited:
Reseting the cartridge

jnicolas123 said:
i was wondering if someone could post a reply about my m44-7. i tried it on 2 turntables.
the sound only comes off on one side of my headphones. ill have to check if it does it with the master, my jbls.
i read that there was a way by which to connect the 4 colored wires to make sure that the m44-7 is wired properly.
it didnt change a thing. some wires are hot others are ground. does it have to do with that. could anyone help me cause this is driving me insane.
what is this about?? it should work the m44-7 is brand new. thanks. jean-nicolas
Click to expand...

i reseted a few times the cartridge by taking it out and it finally works. thanks

---------- Post added at 02:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:43 PM ----------

i reseted the cartridge a few times and the sounds was properly coming out of the left and the right side. thanks

---------- Post added at 02:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:44 PM ----------

i managed to get my sound properly coming out of the left and right channel. i managed to get the sound to work by reseting a few times the cartridge. there seemed to be a fuse the sparked and the m44-7 was working fine. the problem wasnt with my headphones thats for sure. thanks for the help.
 
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