Kuzma STOGI-REF130419 User Manual

Instruction manual

KUZMA STOGI REFERENCE TONEARM (with Stabi Ref turntable)

Serial Number: ….

2013-4

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KUZMA LTD

INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR STOGI REF

tonearm

The Stogi Ref tonearm is very precisely engineered pieces of audio equipment.
However the construction is robust and requires minimal maintenance for optimal
performance.

Azimut fixing

Azimut adjustment

Fig 1.

CONTENTS: Page

1.0. General description 3

2.0. Unpacking 4

3.0. Tonearm Setup 4-7

4.0. Tonearm adjustment 7-10

4.1. Adjustment of tracking force 7

4.2. Adjustment of tangential geometry 7- 10

4.3. Adjustment of VTA 10

4.4. Adjustment of azimuth 10-11

4.5. Bias adjustment 11

4.6. Adjustment of cueing device 12

5.0. Maintenance 13

6.0. Transport 13

7.0. Troubleshooting 14-15
Appendix 1-3 16-21

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1.0. General description:

The Stogi Ref tonearm shares the same construction with Stogi arm. The main
difference is that Stogi has a cylindrical and Stogi Ref a conical tube.
The Stogi Ref has a very sophisticated, precise and repeatable azimuth adjustment
mechanism with zero play and a very rigid locking mechanism.
The main structure, conical tube and headshell are machined from solid aluminum
blocks.
The quality ball bearings are carefully selected and individually checked and tested
before assembly. They can each support 20 Kg and are mounted free of play with
minimal friction in all planes.
Stogi Ref arms incorporate features such as an adjustable height cueing device,
precisely calibrated counterweight and simply adjustable bias.
The arm is wired throughout with high quality Cardas wires and comes equipped with
its own full accessories kit. It will accept all cartridges and can be fitted on most
quality turntables.

Technical data:

Mass: 850 gr
Effective length : 230 mm (9 inch)
Mounting distance: 212 mm
Offset angle: 23 degrees
Effective mass: 13 g
VTA adjustment: yes
Azimuth adjustment: yes
Bias adjustment: yes
Cables: single
Arm mount: Kuzma & Stogi

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2.0.0. Unpacking:

2.1.0. Packing list:

Tonearm with fingerlift; counterweight; armbase; instruction manual; two
protractors, one for mounting tonearm on turntable and the other for cartridge
geometry adjustment and a bag.
Bag:
Sets of 3 socket head screws M6x16 mm, M6x20 mm, M6x25 (for Stabi Ref), M6x
30 mm, three washers, three spring washers (wooden armboards) for fixing base.

Allen keys: 5 mm for attaching armbase to armboard, 3 mm for height adjustment
(VTA), 2mm for cartridge and azimuth, 1,5 mm for fixing counterweight, bias and
cueing device adjustment.

Small bag containing 2 headsocket screws M2.5 x 5mm, M2.5x8 mm, M2.5x 12mm
and nuts for fixing cartridge plus Allen key 0.7 mm for removing fingerlift.

Open the box carefully and remove the top cover. Ensure that the armboard on the
turntable has the correct cut-out (main central hole must be 30- 40mm in diameter).
Remove the armbase and prepare it for fixing onto the turntable.

Holding the pillar not the tube, lift the tonearm out. Observe bias and thread while so
doing.
The tonearm can be rested upside down on C shape.
Remove all other parts.

3.0.0. Tonearm Setup:

3.1.0. Armbase Setup:

3.1.1. Armboard cutout:

Take the tonearm mounting protractor and place on spindle of turntable. The Stogi
cut-out is similar to the standard Linn cut-out. You can also make a Kuzma cutout.

Mark position of holes on the tonearm mounting board as indicated on protractor.
Ensure that there is adequate space in front for tube and headshell and behind for
counterweight, in order to avoid problems of lid closure. Check also that screw
positions will be over cut-out on subchassis, unless screws are to be sunk. It is wise
before cutting to hold tonearm in position over marks and judge if position of
tonearm on board will be correct, bearing in mind these criteria. Otherwise the
precise position of tonearm is unimportant providing it lies on the protractor arc.
The height of tonearm with cartridge mounted is 55mm above record.
Remove tonearm board from turntable and check that thickness of board is between 6
mm and 22 mm, if so make cuts as marked.

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3.1.2. Armbase mounting:

To fix armbase to armboard you will need the correct length of three socket head
screws, washers and Alley key 5 mm. Fit washers on screws and insert into underside
of tonearm board and up into tonearm base. Position base so that height adjustment
(VTA adjustment) screw is at top right position, i. e. 2 o’clock and tighten screws
using Allen key.
Remember that the screws are of harder material than the armbase (aluminum) so do
not over tighten as this could damage base.

Note: if armboard is thicker then 22 mm:

Either obtain screws of a length that will go through the armboard and into the base to
a depth of approximately 5mm, or sink the screw heads by first drilling a large hole of
about 9 mm with drill and then drilling a hole of smaller dimension through this.

Put tonearm board back on turntable.

3.2. Tonearm mounting:
Note: Be sure that the tonearm is not too low.

Insert tonearm cable through hole in armbase, then the pillar and fix it at a suitable
height using Allen key 3 mm at height adjustment screw in base.

Screw on counterweight so that the thread is covered.

It may now be necessary to adjust the suspension on the turntable due to the added
weight of the tonearm.

Fix tonearm cable onto turntable ensuring that there is adequate cable to allow for
height adjustment. If the turntable has a suspended subchassis, position cable in such
a way that subchassis has freedom of movement.

The phono plugs are marked in the standard way: left - white, right - red, and
should be inserted into phono inputs. The connector at the end of the grounding
wire should be connected to GND on preamplifier.

Check that bias and thread are correctly positioned (it may have tangled during
handling).

For optimum performance you may wish to forego the convenience of the finger lift.
If so, this should now be removed using Allen key 0.7mm, loosening screw
and easing out lift. Replace screw in hole.

Remove wire securing arm tube.

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3.3. Setting up the tonearm:

3.3.1. Connecting tonearm:

Check the horizontal movement of the tube to ensure that the headshell will reach the
inner grooves.
Due to the high tonearm mass, turntable leveling and suspension should be checked
and adjusted according to the turntable manual.

3.3.2. Cartridge mounting:

You will need Allen key 2 mm plus the two screws and nuts M 2.5 (some cartridges
has already threads, nuts will not be need it).

Mount the cartridge with the appropriate set of 2.5mm screws and check its travel
above the record with the cueing device in the “up” position! Starting overhang is
achieved, if the needle is in line with the front edge of the headshell.

Keeping the stylus guard on cartridge, insert screws from underneath the cartridge
through the slots in the headshell. Screw on the two nuts manually. The tip of the
cantilever should be level with the end of the headshell (viewed from side).

Fix by slightly tightening screws using Allen key. Ensure that nuts have fitted into the
ledge around the slots.

Note: It may be found easier to remove tube from armrest to give a little
more room below headshell.

Using tweezers push the pin connectors into cartridge according to code
Red - right

Green - right ground
White - left
Blue - left ground

The connectors will slip snugly onto pins of the majority of cartridges, but:
Pins too fat: with tweezers firmly push connector onto pin. Connector will
open slightly. Do be careful, however, that tweezers do not slip and damage
cantilever.
Pins too thin: connectors should be squeezed with tweezers to make hole
slightly smaller. First squeeze as in A then as at B then slip connectors onto pins.

Put cueing device into ‘play’ position, ie. down, release tube from armrest and
adjust counterweight until tube is balanced ie. floats in a horizontal position slowly
back towards the armrest. Prior to final balancing remove stylus guard.

3.3.3. Balancing of the tonearm:

Balance the tonearm to zero tracking force by rotating counterweight along the thread.
The instructions with your cartridge will recommend suitable tracking force. We
recommend you choose the highest force given and set arm to that amount. A higher

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tracking force causes less damage to the record as the stylus maintains more stable
contact with the sides of the grooves.

The counterweight is marked with five red dots. One full rotation of the
counterweight increases tracking force by 0.5grams, therefore distance from one dot
to another corresponds to 0.1 grams.

With the cueing device in the ‘up’ position and tube in the armrest the counterweight
is turned anticlockwise (from front view) to increase the tracking force.

4.0. Tonearm adjustments:

4.1. Adjustment of tracking force:

4.1.1. Balance scale:

Set up the cartridge tracking force with the balance scale, which must be at record
height. Rotate the counterweight towards the tube to increase tracking force.

4.1.2. Manually:
Note: An inaccuracy of a few mm in the position of a dot is not critical.

Balance tonearm to zero. Then position of one dot should be noted and taken as zero,
(any dot will do, so choose the most easily visible). Then simply turn the
counterweight anticlockwise counting each dot that passes that position as an
increased tracking force of 0.1gram. For example a tracking force of 1gram will
necessitate turning the counterweight past 10 dots or two complete turns the
counterweight.

4.1.3. Counterweight fixing:

The counterweight is secured by gently turning one of the three screws M3 with the
Allen key 1.5mm. Do not, however fix securely at this stage until tangentional
tonearm adjustments are completed.

4.2. Adjustment of tangential geometry:

4.2.1. Tonearm height adjustment (rough Vertical Tracking Angle-VTA):
Note: Do not drop tonearm in armbase.

Put a record on the platter and adjust height of the tonearm- VTA in such a way, that
the central axis of the tube will be parallel to the record. This is only a starting point
for VTA.
Position the needle carefully in the normal playing position above the record with the
lift still “up”, to ascertain how low or high the arm is.

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