Owner's Manual

tracking weight. The first objective is to "statically balance" the arm, which is to achieve the proper weight
balance such that the arm "floats" level. Practice a bit and you'll find it's fairly easy to achieve. Remember
to exercise caution so that the stylus and cantilever are kept clear of any obstructions and are prevented
from striking anything that could cause damage. After achieving static balance, adjust the counterweight
to the desired tracking force by bringing the weight in toward the cartridge. Do not apply anti-skate until
the cartridge is aligned. This will be addressed later in the setup process.
We recommend the use of a high-quality alignment protractor to determine correct cartridge positioning
for the minimum tracking error. If none are available, follow the tonearm manufacturer’s guidelines for
overhang and offset angle. Then, tighten the mounting bolts.
Note: Do not over tighten the mounting bolts as this may cause damage to the cartridge and is not
necessary for optimum performance.
Tracking Force: After achieving the correct alignment of the cartridge in the headshell, final adjustment
of tracking force can be made. The suspension systems and stylus types used in Oyster™ cartridges are
designed to perform optimally when a tracking force of between 1.7 – 2.3 grams is applied, depending on
which model. If under 1.7 grams tracking force is applied, the stylus will not securely seat in the record
groove, resulting in increased record and stylus wear. At greater than 2.3 grams tracking force, the
suspension is no longer functioning properly and dynamics will be lost. Record damage will occur more
readily with too little tracking force, rather than too much. A recommended optimum tracking force setting
is given for each model in the specification section of this manual.
Anti-Skate/Bias: Due to the rotational inertia of pivoted tonearms, the friction of the stylus on the record
groove produces a force pulling the stylus toward the center of the record. Anti-Skate (or mechanical
bias) is added to compensate for this force in order to equalize the stylus tracking on the sides of the
groove walls. Because this is a dynamic force, do not attempt adjustment using a blank or grooveless
record, as this will result in over compensation.
Because anti-skate is based on the mass and compliance of the cartridge design, the amount applied can
be quite a bit different for the varying designs available. The Oyster™ Series moving coil cartridges (Blue
Point No. 2 and Blue Point Special EVO III) are lower compliance and higher mass designs and are less
affected by the vector force applied by playing a record. For this reason, when using one of these
cartridges a value of roughly one half that of the tracking force is the ideal value. In other words, the Blue
Point Special EVO III has an ideal tracking force of 2.0 grams. Therefore, the anti-skate value on your
tonearm should be set to 1.0 – 1.5.
Vertical Tracking Angle/Stylus Rake Angle: The dimensions of the cutting stylus used in mastering
each vinyl record create a rake (forward-backward tilt) of the record groove. The rake angle may change
for different records depending on the method of mastering used. The corresponding rake of the playback
stylus will be one of the determining factors in the delivered performance of your Oyster™ cartridge;
however, all Oyster™ cartridges are designed to give excellent performance over a very wide window of
rake angles. If your tonearm does not have rake or adjustable height adjustment, you may rest assured
that your cartridge will deliver a very high degree of performance. The following is intended for those who
own a tonearm that allows for the adjustment of rake or arm pillar height. To optimize, start with the
tonearm oriented with the back of the arm lower than the front by ≈ 1/2 inch. Listen to a recording
of acoustical music, recorded in real space, to determine the tonal balance and soundstage presentation.
Adjust the tonearm pivot height upwards ≈ 1/6 inch at a time and listen to the changes. When the correct
orientation has been achieved, the soundstage will be better defined and the music will have a richer
harmonic structure. Additionally, surface noise will be reduced dramatically. If the soundstage comes into
focus and becomes very lifelike, but the sound has a slight hardness to the upper frequencies, the
azimuth is probably misaligned (see azimuth section for adjustment details).
Azimuth: For optimum tracking of the record grooves, the stylus must be in correct azimuth (side-to-side
tilt) alignment. Gross side-to-side tilt will result in an actual channel imbalance, but this is not a likely