McIntosh MT10 alignment questions

[Andrew Zakon]

Want to crate this thread where forum mates will share the experience on alignment of McIntosh MT10 and share what problems I (and people from another forums) faced during alignment and adjustment procedures.

Several days ago I have received my long-time waited MT10 turntable, which is upgrade from my first TT - Clearaudio Concept 053 with MM cartridge. That TT was very good for the entry level and was plug&play from the box. But I love this hobby for all the time opportunity to look for better and there is no limits for further growth except the budget. So, being the big fun of McIntosh I push the button for top of the McIntosh TT line - MT10-6 turntable. I love the look very much. McIntosh is making a great products.

But after purchase and starting an assembling and alignment procedure using manual, included in supply assembly/adjustment tools and SMARTractor (acoustical systems - SMARTractor / P.A.S.) I faced several problems which I was try to clarify asking a question to Mcintosh and to Clearaudio.

Here are the Mcintosh answers:
Question: 1. As I wrote above my MT10 has a figure 6 at the end of the model name - MT10-6 (factory number is YJ****). It means a 6 generation or what?
Answer 1.The -6 is a version number, it means the unit meets European energy saving standards.

Question 2: My MT10-6 does NOT have a dot at the top of the tone arm between the n and t, (to which the manual refers as the center of the pivot) Older versions did. I have no idea why mine does not, and it makes using the plastic factory supplied alignment almost useless. I also have a more sophisticated SMARTractor alignment tool with the hanging "nail" which I can't accurately place without that dot. Can You comment why? And what is the way to solve it?
Answer 2. I am checking with engineering on this and I will get back to you

Question 3: The supplied cartridge is ALLEGEDLY a Clearaudio Talismann V2; however, the recommended tracking force for that cartridge is 2.8g, and the McIntosh literature states that the recommended tracking force for the MCC10 is 2.4g! Also, the output of the Talismann is .7mv and the MCC10 is .5mv! Why it is so?
Answer 3.The cartridge is not a Talismann V2, it is a cartridge co-designed by McIntosh and ClearAudio specifically for the MT10.

Here are Clearaudio answers:
Dear Andrew,

thanks for your feedback regarding the McIntosh turntable.
I’ll give you some answers from our point of view, please note that this is not an official announcement by McIntosh.
So let have a look:

1. As I wrote above my MT10 has a figure 6 at the end of the model name - MT-10-6 (factory number is YJ****). It means a 6 generation or what?
1.The model name is MT10-6 since a long time, I guess it since the beginning of this model. It’s not known to us, if there have been different versions. Although there are slight changes in the parts within the years the name of the turntable never changed.

2. My MT10-6 does NOT have a dot at the top of the tone arm between the n and t, (to which the manual refers as the center of the pivot) Older versions did. I have no idea why mine does not, and it makes using the plastic factory supplied alignment almost useless. I also have a more sophisticated SMARTractor alignment tool with the hanging "nail" which I can't accurately place without that dot. Can You comment why? And what is the way to solve it?
2.The manual of the MT10-6 is still from the early beginnings. The slight changes at the turntable (like the removal of the dot at the top plate of the arm) are not in the manual. All I can tell you, is that the latest models don’t have the dot, you are up to date with your MT10-6.

3) The supplied cartridge is ALLEGEDLY a Clearaudio Talismann V2; however, the recommended tracking force for that cartridge is 2.8g, and the McIntosh literature states that the recommended tracking force for the MCC10 is 2.4g! Also, the output of the Talismann is .7mv and the MCC10 is .5mv!........ YES! Why it is so? Comments?
3.Like I said before, the manual is from the early beginnings. At the beginnings there was a different cartridge in the package of Mt10-6. The current version if with the Talismann V2 cartrdige and that’s why I highly recommend to use the 2.8 g tracking force. You can refer to all out technical specs regarding the cartridge (such as output voltage etc.)

4) I put a cartridge tracking force 2.4 g and faced the problem that my tonearm lift does not go down to the end. How to solve it?
4.Please check again with 2.8. g tracking force. Another tip: move up and down the lift a few times manually to dispense the grease properly, it is necessary for a new unit.

5) And I have problem with speed sensor. The plate is running too slow. I feel the difference in speed very clearly compearing the same records with my previous Clearaudio Concept.
5.What is the display showing? I would recommend to make sure the speed sensor and the stroboscopic ring at the bottom side of the platter is clean. Then check the speed with stroboscopic platter and speedlight and if need be fine-adjust the speed with the potentiometers on the backside of the unit.

With the cartridge situation becomes really interesting......
May be somebody want to make a comment, share own experience or can advice something about alignment procedure.

[Andrew Zakon]

... to make this thread more attractive some photos of the adjustment tools and the process...

[Indytown]

I don't recall receiving those adjustment tools with my MT10.

Is this something new they started doing because the set-up was not spot on with the early units ?

[j3brow]

Those are most definitely his alignment tools, not Mc

[Andrew Zakon]

Today STROBOSCOPE TESTRECORD + SPEED LIGHT (Set AC076) and TRACKABILITY TEST RECORD (LPT 83063) from Clearaudio has arrived. The big advantage of the Clearaudio strobe disc is, that you can place your cartridge onto the strobe record, while measuring the speed, as there are grooves provided on the disc. This means, for the first time a real time speed analysis is possible under realistic circumstances. I checked the speed at my MT10 and it turns that the speed was properly adjusted at the factory.
Big thanks to McIntosh and/or Clearaudio ;-) One vinyl record I use before had a defect and It seems to me that platter is running slow, but after check with mentioned above tools - everything is fine.

[Andrew Zakon]

I was and You will be surprised with the attitude to the client from Clearaudio/McIntoch concerning my question on adjustment my MT10 raised in this thread. Giving You last answer from Clearaudio.

Hi Andrew,

I have some news for you.

We got in touch with McIntosh regarding your issues and changes in this details are scheduled.
(I guess you did too, right? J)

To help you out straight forward we would like to offer to send you an additional tool you can use to set up your arm precisely.
On top of that I will see to get you one of the new height gauges to check tonearm height.

Where are you located? Do you mind to tell me your address?

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Kind regards

i.A.
Stefan Kmuch
Technischer Kundendienst / customer service

Will see what will come ....

[j3brow]

That is great to hear. Excellent customer service, above and beyond actually

[little nellie]

Just wondering, what is the best way to adjust the anti-skate weight with the MT-10? The instruction say to place it at 1/4" (6mm).. 6mm is 0.236" and 1/4" is 0.250". What is the proper method in fine tuning this with the MCC10 cart.

[stereo_5]

To the OP, why didn’t you have the dealer set up such an expensive turntable to begin with?