AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Maiden voyage 
Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice
- Thread starter Joe Mac
- Start date
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
@HiFi Guy - I’ve got a quick question in regards to upgrading the tracking/sound quality on your system!
I’m going to be buying a digital tracking gauge force, and whilst looking for one, I came across the ‘Origin Live Cartridge Enabler’.
I’ve been doing some research and it has received high praise. From what I’ve read, it makes your cartridge operate more effectively which then increases the sound quality! People say they really notice a difference! The bass is improved and the vocals sound more natural apparently.
Do you have an Origin Live Cartridge Enabler?
Does anyone here here have that piece of equipment upgrade? I just received my Rega Exact MM cartridge and am buying a digital tracking gauge force to make sure it’s set to the right weight. I thought I might as well be this cartridge enabler too! I think it attaches nicely onto Rega tone arms/cartridges!
I’m going to be buying a digital tracking gauge force, and whilst looking for one, I came across the ‘Origin Live Cartridge Enabler’.
I’ve been doing some research and it has received high praise. From what I’ve read, it makes your cartridge operate more effectively which then increases the sound quality! People say they really notice a difference! The bass is improved and the vocals sound more natural apparently.
Do you have an Origin Live Cartridge Enabler?
Does anyone here here have that piece of equipment upgrade? I just received my Rega Exact MM cartridge and am buying a digital tracking gauge force to make sure it’s set to the right weight. I thought I might as well be this cartridge enabler too! I think it attaches nicely onto Rega tone arms/cartridges!
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
I've seen this pop up from a few vendors and it sounds interesting. I've never used one, but at this particular price point I would put this in the "give it a try and see for yourself" category. There's theory, practicality and personal preference that will be a factor in these little tweaks in my opinion
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
Mmmm yeah! I think I’ll buy it but I can’t see any videos on people installing it! I’m scared I’d do it wrong if I was to attach this Origin Live Cartridge Enabler onto my Rega tonearm. Apparently it’s very easy to install though so I would just read the instructions closely and it should be alright.I've seen this pop up from a few vendors and it sounds interesting. I've never used one, but at this particular price point I would put this in the "give it a try and see for yourself" category. There's theory, practicality and personal preference that will be a factor in these little tweaks in my opinion
By the way, I’m so scared to change cartridges. I’ve never done it before! And I’m scared of using a tracking gauge force too because it’s just all so overwhelming to me!
I just want improved sound quality and accuracy!
I want the HiFi News Test LP as well as it will apparently make a buzzing sound if my cartridge alignment is not right. Like I feel like this LP will be good for me but it’s just so overwhelming!
How overwhelming is all of this @Joe Mac ! Like I know my Rega Tonearm is not right and I’m scared everything is wrong and omg, I’m scared I’m going to break my new cartridge. I wish you lived close to me so you could help me install it and attach the Origin Live Cartridge Enabler and everything!
Mmmm yeah! I think I’ll buy it but I can’t see any videos on people installing it! I’m scared I’d do it wrong if I was to attach this Origin Live Cartridge Enabler onto my Rega tonearm. Apparently it’s very easy to install though so I would just read the instructions closely and it should be alright.
By the way, I’m so scared to change cartridges. I’ve never done it before! And I’m scared of using a tracking gauge force too because it’s just all so overwhelming to me!
I just want improved sound quality and accuracy!
I want the HiFi News Test LP as well as it will apparently make a buzzing sound if my cartridge alignment is not right. Like I feel like this LP will be good for me but it’s just so overwhelming!
How overwhelming is all of this @Joe Mac ! Like I know my Rega Tonearm is not right and I’m scared everything is wrong and omg, I’m scared I’m going to break my new cartridge. I wish you lived close to me so you could help me install it and attach the Origin Live Cartridge Enabler and everything!
Honestly not that overwhelming for me,
I can be pretty practical so long as I take the time to learn what I’m doing first, all my mistakes are made from rushing into things...
If you’re really not comfortable then buy all the bits you want fitting and contact a reputable hifi repair service to get a quote for them doing it for you. If you’re putting on a new cartridge and thinking of moving away from the rega ones then maybe a cartridge with a user replaceable stylus might be good for you. Then you can just do the yearly stylus swap, that’s just easy clip on and off rather than fully swapping the cartridge. I’d be shocked if you’re not spinning enough to need a new stylus every year.
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
I never thought of getting HiFi repair service person to do it for me! That’s a great idea! But at the same time I want to learn how to do this and don’t want to spend more money. So I’m going to be patient and research and take my time replacing my cartridge. Thank you for mentioning that though! Might honestly consider it if I fail installing the cartridge!
What exactly is a ‘user replaceable stylus’? I’ve never heard of that! Does that make it more easy to change your stylus/cartridge when you need to change it?
So you have cartridges where the stylus is fixed. When it wears out you have to buy a whole new cartridge and swap it out. Others (like the ort 2m series, the Grado prestige and the nagaoka) have a stylus that swaps out. You clip it off when it’s done and clip on a new one in its place. It’s a much easier process because you keep using the same cartridge body and don’t have to remount it every time.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
As @Joe Mac mentioned, it's not really a daunting thing unless you rush and don't do a little prep and research. Watch some basic cartridge mounting vids, get a better idea of what you need to do on your specific table. My only pro tip would be to leave the stylus guard on until your done aligning everything and remove it when you're ready to work on the VTF with your scale, which should be the last thing you do.Mmmm yeah! I think I’ll buy it but I can’t see any videos on people installing it! I’m scared I’d do it wrong if I was to attach this Origin Live Cartridge Enabler onto my Rega tonearm. Apparently it’s very easy to install though so I would just read the instructions closely and it should be alright.
By the way, I’m so scared to change cartridges. I’ve never done it before! And I’m scared of using a tracking gauge force too because it’s just all so overwhelming to me!
I just want improved sound quality and accuracy!
I want the HiFi News Test LP as well as it will apparently make a buzzing sound if my cartridge alignment is not right. Like I feel like this LP will be good for me but it’s just so overwhelming!
How overwhelming is all of this @Joe Mac ! Like I know my Rega Tonearm is not right and I’m scared everything is wrong and omg, I’m scared I’m going to break my new cartridge. I wish you lived close to me so you could help me install it and attach the Origin Live Cartridge Enabler and everything!
The more you get into this hobby the more I think you should take on these challenges, but, again, as @Joe Mac said, there are simpler options if it's not in your comfort zone
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
Ahhhh that makes so much sense!!! That’s wonderful to know! I’ll definitely be getting a cartridge where I can do that after my Rega Exact wears out! That’s brilliant to know!!!
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
I’m going to watch like at least 5 different cartridge mounting videos! I never knew cartridges came with a stylus guard. I think I threw mine away straight after I got my turntable!As @Joe Mac mentioned, it's not really a daunting thing unless you rush and don't do a little prep and research. Watch some basic cartridge mounting vids, get a better idea of what you need to do on your specific table. My only pro tip would be to leave the stylus guard on until your done aligning everything and remove it when you're ready to work on the VTF with your scale, which should be the last thing you do.
The more you get into this hobby the more I think you should take on these challenges, but, again, as @Joe Mac said, there are simpler options if it's not in your comfort zone
I think I am really passionate with turntables but this hobby is very academic/nerdy and is really hands on technical too and I really lack in that department. So it’s all really hard for me!
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Only if you want it to be, you can enjoy it just as much, if not more, without going knee deep into the "technical" part of all this
Thackeraye
Well-Known Member
Mounting my first cartridge is going to happen within the next week - Santa got me an AT-VM95E and a MoFi Geo-Disc. Reckon the AT is dirt cheap, so it's a good one to test the waters - a fuck up is inexpensive...
I've struggled to find good how-to videos on YouTube for the Geo-Disc though - it looks straightforward, but it would be good to see a step-by-step - any links would be appreciated.
I've struggled to find good how-to videos on YouTube for the Geo-Disc though - it looks straightforward, but it would be good to see a step-by-step - any links would be appreciated.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
The Geo Disc is pretty straight forward. My tips, get low when aligning the A-B ridge/line to the arm pivot point, this step will make or break your end results, do the same when checking the D-E line, get low and look down the line.
Hopefully this makes sense, lol
Thackeraye
Well-Known Member
You're wearing the t-shirt, so you must know what you're talking about!
Need to properly research it, but get what you mean with A-B, just need to work out where I'm aligning D-E.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
D-E is a little tricky depending on the cart. You're looking for the stylus "shaft" to be lined up with D-E.
So lets say the blue box is the cartridge, you want the yellow line, which would represent the stylus shaft to be straight along the D-E line, you should also line up the cartridge front with the grid on the GEO Disc, looking straight down on the cart, (White Line). Usually, lining up the white line will drop D-E into place, but it's always worth checking.
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
NathanRicaud
Well-Known Member
@AnthonyI - it’s actually so cute that you’re wearing a MoFi t-shirt in your display pic! Like you’re such a friendly, easy-going, cute vinyl nerd and I love it!!! 
I would love to come over to your house and see your setup and learn as well from how you enjoy listening to records/get the most out of your setup!
I would love to come over to your house and see your setup and learn as well from how you enjoy listening to records/get the most out of your setup!
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Boy, if that's all it took
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
I swear I didn't plan it, lol.@AnthonyI - it’s actually so cute that you’re wearing a MoFi t-shirt in your display pic! Like you’re such a friendly, easy-going, cute vinyl nerd and I love it!!!
I would love to come over to your house and see your setup and learn as well from how you enjoy listening to records/get the most out of your setup!
If you're ever in the neighborhood just let me know
The rega arm doesn't have vta adjustment so if that enabler adds 1 or 2 mm to the cart body you may need a spacer... Which kinda defeats the point of going for an easy swap with the exact and means you definitely have to take the Tone arm off the deck (it's a piece of piss to do still and makes fitting the cart less fiddly) but you can avoid it by, you know, not fitting a cart enabler.