Sony PS4300

[ravelax]

It's also possible the turntable wasn't set up properly by the shop when new, or that something got out of adjustment during transport or moving house or something (which is not at all unlikely). Anyway, any piece of machinery needs to be checked every now and then to see that it is working correctly, and some maintenance is generally adviseable even if everything is working as it should. Check the service manual for info on what needs to be checked and serviced and how it should be done.

As for how far in the future someone will be able to maintain it (if I interpret your question correctly)? It's hard to say... I wouldn't worry about that as long as everything's working as it should.

[Keesie25]

Thanks, maybe there are other with the same experience, that a 'new' player has to be adjusted.
I read in the manual that:
No lubrication is required .....the motor shaft is factory lubricated for the life of the turntable
and
At the factory the tonearm has been adjusted to have the correct drop point in the automatic playing mode.

Indeed not to worry. The unit plays as it should, so from now on it is playing time!

[ravelax]

Enjoy your turntable! :)

[Keesie25]

Thanks, but as I said, there is more. We went to clean up the house further, and I found this.....

https://i.postimg.cc/HxnQY6PJ/Sony17.jpg

[Keesie25]

It is mentioned on the forum before, but it is worth to mention it again. It is a tonearm gauge from 1960!

https://i.postimg.cc/X7sxbyvD/Sony18.jpgphoto hosting

As you can see, the guy was very carefull with his things. I examined it first, and as there was no manual with it, I searched the net.

https://i.postimg.cc/gjHpJH7h/Sony19.jpg

[Keesie25]

...to find there should be an extra 5 gram checking weight with it. I could not find it in the box, so thought it wasd missing, untill I saw a small text on one side, which reads 'test weight'. I discovered a small lid, which could be moved! There it was, the extra weight!

https://i.postimg.cc/V6s3Y0tG/Sony20.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/sxq89nNq/Sony21.jpg

Only then I found the manual sheet on the forum. I copied and printed it, and now I have a complete Garrard 1960 Stylus Pressure Gauge!

[ravelax]

Wow, what a nice find! These have a pretty good reputation from what I've read. Great to have the test weight too. Clever of Garrard to design a small compartment with lid like that, definitely lessens the risk of losing the weight.

[Keesie25]

Could someone tell me if there should be TWO extra weights for the PS-4300? As you can see in the picture I have only ONE extra weight. I don't think it is mentioned in the manual, but as there are two holes in the rear of the platter (see arrows) this could be.

https://i.postimg.cc/nr40zwn9/Sony2-1.jpg

[Japi Roelofs]

The other hole is there to store an extra headshell. You can see it has a slit for the pin on the headshell's rear end.

[Keesie25]

Thanks Japi, it seems both holes are the same. So were there TWO shells originally?

[Japi Roelofs]

Maybe... seems a bit odd, right? Does the user manual say anything about it?

[Keesie25]

No, it does not. It does not make sense to me:
It seems the extra weight is added for heavier cartridges.

suppose you do NOT put the extra weight on, balance the arm to zero, then adjust to 1.5
or
DO put the extra weight on, balance to zero, then adjust to 1.5

What would be the difference between the two?

[Japi Roelofs]

As you say, some cartridges are heavier than others. F.i. I have a Fidelity Research cartridge that is twice as heavy as my Ortofon OM cartridge. On my turntable, the tonearm cannot be balanced when that heavy cartridge is mounted (the counterweight will fall off the end of the arm), so I need to add the extra weight on the back of the arm.

[Keesie25]

Japi, thanks very much! NOW I understand: the weight will indeed fall off when the arm is too heavy!