Oracle PREMIERE User manual

The PREMIERE turntable isessentiallya synthesisofcreative
design, painstakingcraftsmanshipandadvancedtechnological
processes.
Theprimarygoalwhichshapedthedevelopmentofthe PREMIERE
was anuncompromisingpursuitofexcellenceinmusic
reproduction.The PREMIERE representstheculminationof
everything that wehavelearnedaboutdiscreproduction;itisan
evolutionarydevelopmentofourwidely-acclaimed ORACLE
DELPHI.
Butwehadan important secondary goal; toprovidea maximum
ofuser-convenience without compromisingthesoundquality,and
toengineertheproductsuch that allmusicloverscouldsetitup
torealizeits full potential— not just technicallyproficient
audiophiles.
We inviteyourcriticalexaminationofthe PREMIERE aswe
expandinthisbrochure.
Marcel Riendeau
President, Trans-AudioCorporationLtd.

Contents
Philosophy
andConcept
TheGroove:NatureandProblems.. 3
ThePREMIERE Turntable
Record CouplingSystem3
TheMat3
ThePlatter4
TheBearing4
TheSubchassis4
TheSuspension5
TheMotor6
ThePulley6
TheBelt6
TheControlUnit6
The FINALE Tonearm 7
TheHeadShell7
TheArm7
TheBearings7
VerticalTrackingAngle
AdjustmentSystem(VTA)7
AzimuthAdjustmentSystem8
Auto-lift System8
RC CompensationBox8
Technical
Informations
Unpackingyour PREMIERE 11
PREMIERE Assembly11
InstallingtheControlUnit12
CartridgeInstallation12
TonearmInstallation12
CartridgeAlignment12
Adjustingyour PREMIERE 13
Fine Tuningyour FINALE Tonearm13
TrackingForceAdjustment13
VerticalTrackingAngle
Adjustment(VTA)13
AzimuthAdjustment13
Anti-skatingAdjustment14
Auto-lift Adjustment14
AttachingtheDustCover14
MotorAngleAdjustment14
ControlUnitOperation15
Speed Calibration15
TighteningtheRecordClamp....15
TipstoMaximizePerformance...15
Maintenance15
Accessories 16
General Description16
Packing List16
2

TheGroove:
Nature and Problems
The musicalinformationona recordiscontainedinthewigglesofthegrooveas
itspiralsinacrossthedisc.Thesewigglesarea mechanicalanalogofthe
waveformsoriginallygeneratedbythemusiciansattherecording session, and
subsequently pickedupbythemicrophones with theultimategoalofbeingfed
fromthedisc into youraudiosystem without anymodificationwhatsoever.For
thistohappen,thestylusmustvibratemechanicallyin exact accordance with
theundulationsinthegroove.Sinceitisthemovementofthestylusrelativeto
thecartridgebody that enablesanelectricalsignaltobegenerated,itfollows
that thecartridgebodyitselfmustnotvibrate,otherwiseunwantedelectrical
signals wouldbegeneratedandsomeofthedesiredgrooveinformationwould
be cancelledout.Forthesamereason,therecord'sgroovesthemselvesmust
notvibrate.
Unfortunately,thisdelicateinterrelationshipisthreatenedthroughtheveryactof
playinga record.Airborneandstructure-bornevibrationsareconductedtothe
turntableasa directresultoftheacousticalenergyproducedbyyour
loudspeakers.
The vinyldiscisexcitedbytheveryactionofthestylusuponit.Thecartridge
bodyisalsoexcited into resonancebythemotionofthestylus,andthisenergy
is conducted into thetonearm,causingittovibrate.
Othersourcesofunwantedvibrationsincludetheturntablemotor,bearings— in
fact,allofitsmovingparts.
The measureofexcellenceofanyturntable/ armcombinationliesinitsabilityto
protectthecartridge/ grooverelationshipfromextraneousvibrations.
Every elementofthe PREMIERE turntablehasbeendesignedtopreservethe
integrity ofthisrelationship.
ThePREMIERE Turntable
RecordCoupling System™ ^-^^1
This system,whichhasbeensuccessfullyemployedinother ORACLE turntables
is comprisedofa specialturntablemat,a screw-onrecordclamp,anda tapered
spacer whichisinsertedthroughthethreadedplatterspindle.
The systemusestheelasticityofthevinylitselftoforcethegroovedsurfaceof
thedisc into closecontact with theturntablemat.Thisresultsinvirtuallyperfect
dampingofvinylresonanceswhichareabsorbedbythematandnotreflected
back tothestylus.
This treatmentalsoflattensallbutthemostsevereofwarps.
TheMat
Itcanbeseen that thepropertiesofthematareveryimportant.Itmustbe flat
(andhavenosculptedridges)toensure that noairpocketsaretrappedunder
thedisc;theseairpocketswouldresonateandexcitethevinylabovethem.It
mustalsobeslightlysmallerindiameter thant thediscinordertoavoidthe
formationofanaircavitycausedbytheraisedlipatthelead-ingroove.For
similar reasons,a recessshouldbeprovidedtoaccommodatetheraisedareaat
thelabel.
The compositionofthematmustbecarefullydeterminedtooptimizeits
absorbtivecapabilities.
All ofthesefeatureshavebeenincorporated into theGrooveIsolatorMat
included with the PREMIERE turntable.
3

The Platter
The platterofthe PREMIERE isprecisionmachined from a specialmagnesium/
aluminumalloywhichcombines rigidity andstrength.The majority ofits mass,
concentratedaroundtheperimeter,helpstheplatterachievea highmomentof
inertiawhichcontributestospeedstability,andreduces flutter inducedbystylus
dragduringtransients.ThePeripheralWaveTrap™— a specialrubberelastic
compoundsetintherimoftheplatter,reducesanytendencyofthealloyto
resonate.
TheBearing
The bearingofa turntablecanhavea criticaleffectonthesoundqualitywhich
itiscapableof.Meredurabilityisnotsufficient.Thebearingmustachievea
verylow friction coefficientinordertoensureaneven,smooth rotation ofthe
spindle, andtoreduceloadonthemotor.However,itisalsoimperative that
thereisnoplayinthebearing.
The spindleofthe PREMIERE ismachinedofhighstrengthsteel within a
toleranceof.0002".A specialchromesurface treatment resultsinanextremely
goodhardnessratingof70Rockwell.Thetungstencarbideball,whichis
inserted into thediamond-lappedtipofthespindle,hasa hardnessratingof
over90Rockwell,makingitvirtuallyimpervioustowearinthisapplication.
We chosea speciallycoatedtungstencarbide thrust pad (with a hardnessrating
ofapproximately92RockwellA)formaximumdurabilityandresistanceto
flexing.
The bushingsusedinthe PREMIERE'S bearingsaremanufacturedofa special
alloywhichproducesalmostzero friction wheninterfaced with thechrome
surface ofthespindle.Infact,thismaterialdoesnotcreatenoisebutactually
absorbs anddissipates into thesubchassisanyvibration that might becreated
as theplatterrotates.
TheSubchassis
The useofa special7-layerlaminateconsistingof4 layersofa magnesium/
aluminumalloyseparatedby3 layersofa specialbondingagent,welded into a
single structureunderveryhighpressure,resultsinsomedistinctperformance
advantages. Theentireassemblyisveryrigidbutalsoextremely inert. Thisisof
greatimportancesincethesubchassishastobequitelargeandistherefore
pronetovibration.Thisiscontrolledbythe3 innerbondinglayerswhichactas
barrierstovibrationtransmissionbydecouplingeachofthe4 metallayers.
These bondinglayersalsoabsorbanddissipatevibrations.
The geometryofthesubchassisisalsosignificant.Wehaveminimizedits
surface areasinceanylargesurfacetendstoactasa diaphragm,while
concentratingthe majority ofitsmassaroundthecentretoabsorbanddissipate
bearingvibrations.
The tonearmmountingplateiscompletelyenclosed within therigidand inert
confinesofa circularextensionofthe subchassis. Thisminimizesanytendency
ofthemountingplatetoactasa diaphragm,andkeepsitatthesameoverall
level asthesubchassiswhichenablesthetonearmmasstobeintegrated with
theoverallmassofthefloatingassembly.
4

TheSuspension
The fundamentalpurposeofa turntablesuspensionistoactasa mechanical
filter foroutsidevibration.Themajorsourceoftheseoutsidevibrationsisyour
loudspeakers whileplayingmusic,andthisinterferenceisconductedthrough
theair,andviathestructuralmembersofyourlisteningenvironment.These
vibrationsare difficult todeal with becausetheyconsistofthewiderangeof
frequencies foundinmusic.
Any vibrationalenergyabovethetunedturntablesuspensionfrequencyis
preventedfromenteringtheplayingsystem,andforthisreasonitcanbe
generallystated that thesuspensionfrequencyshouldbeaslowaspossible.
The suspensionofthe PREMIERE istunedto3.5Hz— wellunderthe
bandwidthofanymusiclikelytobereproduced.Itshouldbenoted that while
the PREMIERE'S suspensionhasbeenoptimizedto filter outmusicalfeedback,it
maybepronetodisturbancearisingfromfootfallsoncompliantfloors—
particularlywherethefloor'sresonantfrequencycoincides with 3.5Hz.Insuch
instances, theremedyconsistsofmountingtheturntablesecurelyona stable
foundation,forexample,a loadbearingwall.
Intheinterestof GROOVE ISOLATION™,itisofvitalimportance that the
suspension displacesthesubchassisina vertical direction only. A sprung
subchassis turntablemustexhibitnotendencytowardsa rockingorswaying
motion. Such movementwouldcompromisethe filtering capabilityofthe
suspension andadd flutter distortion.Thisisbecausetheplatter(andtherefore
thegroove)isdecoupledfromrotationalmovementofthesubchassisbythe
bearing, butthetonearmisnot.In that case, thetonearmwouldshovethe
cartridgeforwardsandbackwardsasthesubchassisoscillates,resultingin
changes intheeffectivegroove speed.
We havepaidparticularattentiontothisprobleminthedesignofthe
PREMIERE. Incommon with previous ORACLE turntables,thecentreofgravity
oftheentirefloatingassemblyisatthesameheightasthefixingpointsforthe
springs. Thisinitselfgreatlyreducesanytendencytowardsrotational
movement. Also incommon with other ORACLE turntablesisthemethodof
levelingthesuspensionbyraisingorloweringtheentirespringassemblyinstead
ofcompressingorexpandingthemwhichwouldvarythetuningofthe
suspension inanunpredictablemanner.Inordertoabsorbverticalshock
transmission effectively,allspringshavetobetunedtoanequalfrequency.
Twomajorproblemsremain.Thewidevarietyofdifferenttonearms(ofvarying
mass) availableonthemarkettodaymakesitalmostimpossibletoreacha state
ofperfectsuspensionequilibrium.Eveniftheuserpainstakinglytuneshis
suspension toaccommodatehischoiceofarm,theoftenbulkytonearmcables
workagainst GROOVE ISOLATION™bycouplingthesubchassis with the
unsuspended base, andbyencouragingrotationalmovementofthesubchassis.
These problemshavebeeneliminatedinthe PREMIERE bydesigningthe
tonearmandturntableasoneharmonioussystem.Witha preciseknowledgeof
the FINALE tonearm's mass, wehavebeenabletoadjustthesuspensionofthe
PREMIERE accordingly.The FINALE'S cablesdonotconnectatthebaseofthe
arm, but into a boxwhichcanbeplacedontotheunsprungacrylic base. Since
theonlyconnectionbetweenthetonearmandthejunctionboxarethethread-
likeinteriorleads,theproblemofcable/ suspensioninteractioniseliminated.
ThePREMIERE'S suspensioncanbetunedtoaccommodateanyothertonearm
iftheusersodesires.

The Motor
ThePREMIERE isequipped with a brushlessDCHalleffectmotorwhichwe
jointly developed with Papst.Themotordevelopsenoughtorquetoachievethe
desired speed within oneplatterrevolution.Themotoriscarefullydecoupledat
theacrylic base, eliminatingcontact with theplayingsystemexceptthroughthe
belt.
ThePulley
A precisepulleyiscriticaltotheperformanceofthedrivesystembecauseeven
minutevariationsinconcentricitycancausesignificantspeedfluctuationand
improperbelt/ pulleycontactcangeneratevibrationnoise.
ThePREMIERE'S pulleyhasbeencombined with a massiveflywheelwhich
combines with theplattertoprovidedoubleinsuranceagainstspeedinstability.
TheBelt
ThePREMIERE'S belthasbeenmanufacturedusinga precisioninjection
moldingprocesswhichresultsina grainorientationfreeofinternalstresses.The
beltisthengroundtoexactspecifications,virtuallyeliminatingvariationsin
thickness andhorizontalplay.Thebelthasbeendevelopedtomaximizethe
transferoftorquewhileminimizingvibrationtransmission.Bykeepingthebelt
underlowtension,wear-causingstressonthemotorbearingandshaftis
reduced whilethelifespanofthebeltisincreased.
TheControl Unit
The electronicsandcontrolsbywhichtheusercanselectthedesiredspeedof
the PREMIERE turntablearehousedina separate unit. A one-metreconnection
betweenthe unit andtheturntableaffordsflexibilityofplacement.
The pitchcanbeadjustedi 5 percentofthestandardplayingspeedto
accommodate thegrowingnumberofprofessionalmusicianswhohavenoted
speed errorsinproduceddiscsoftheirperformances.Theselectedspeed
appears ona digitaldisplayanda memorychipallowsautomaticreversaltothe
33.33 and45standardswheneverthespeedselectionbuttonsaredepressed.

TheFINALETonearm
The samedegreeofengineeringfinesse that distinguishesthe PREMIERE
turntableisevidentinthedesignofthe FINALE tonearm.Whilethegoalofthe
turntableistoisolatethegroovefromextraneousvibration,thegoalofthe
tonearmistoisolatethecartridge.Wehaveexploredtheroleofeachelement
makingupa tonearminordertoreacha newstandardofperformanceforthe
FINALE.
TheHeadShell
The non-detachableheadshellonthe FINALE andthemainarmtubearemade
ofanaluminum/ magnesiumalloywhichprovides rigidity andlow mass. The
diametersoftheheadshellandthemainarmtubearecarefullycontrolledatthe
couplingjunctureso that anextremelyrigidconnectionresultswhentheyare
pressure-fitted.Thismethodensures that thecouplingwillremainrigidthrough
changes inhumidityandtemperatureduetotheharmoniousexpansionand
contractionofthealloys used.
Finally, to further reducetheresonance,theheadshellismadeoftworigidly
assembled sections.
TheArmTube
The armtubemustberigidinordertoresistflexingwhensubjectedtothe
vibrationalenergyradiatedbythecartridge,butrigidmaterialsareinherently
pronetoresonanceswhichifreflectedbacktothecartridgewouldresultin
coloration. Designs that employrubberdecouplers(forexampleatthehead
shell) achievelowcolorationattheexpenseofrigidity,henceinformationlost.
The FINALE'S armtubehasbeenbrokenup into twosections,joinedtowards
thepivotendbytworigidcouplingbraces.Duetothedifferingcharacteristics
ofeachelementcomprisingthearmtube,theresonancesaresplitup into many
frequencies ofdiminishedamplitude,andmanyoftheseareconvertedtoa
frequencyrangeabovethebandwidthofthecartridge.
This means that the FINALE allowsthemaximumamountofinformationtobe
retrievedfromthegroove without thepenaltyofhighcoloration.A further
design benefitarisingfromthisapproachis that thecounterweight,mountedon
thelowerarmtube,hasitscentreofgravityatthesameplaneasthestylus.
This resultsinsuperiorwarp-ridingcharacteristics.
TheBearings
The bearingsofa tonearmarefaced with thenear-impossibletaskofproviding
rigidity andlowfrictionatthesametime.Thefourbearingsofthe FINALE that
controlverticalandhorizontalmotionsina gimbalconfiguration,are Swiss-
sourced andmanufacturedtothehigheststandards that moderntechnologycan
provide.
VerticalTrackingAngleAdjustmentSystem(VTA)
Itisessentialtoadjustthetonearmsuch that thecantilevereffectstheproper
VTA whenthestylusissetinthegroove,inorderforittoaccuratelyretracethe
actionofthecuttingmechanismatthetimeofthe disc's manufacture.
Conventional tonearmmanufacturersinstructtheusertoraiseorlowerthearm
base such that thetubeisparallel with the disc's surfacewhenthestylusisset
inthegroove.Thisprocedureisunsatisfactoryfora numberofreasons.
7

Record manufacturershavechangedthestandardforthecuttingangle,soolder
and newer discs requirediffering VTAs. Inpractice,recordmanufacturersrarely
adhere strictlytothestandardanyway,andmarkeddifferenceshavebeen
observed amongvarious releases. Variationsinvinylthicknesscanalsoeffect
changes intheVTArequired..Tocomplicatetheissue further, cartridgesoften
exhibitgrossvariationsinVTA(when"properly"mounted with thearm-tube
parallel)notonlyfrommanufacturertomanufacturer,butfromsampletosample
duetoqualitycontrolproblemsofsmall-scaleengineering.
Due tothesefactors,nosingleVTAsettingissatisfactoryfortheaccurate
reproductionofa recordlibrary.Thebearingassemblyofthe FINALE isrigidly
anchored toa VTAadjustmenttower,throughwhicha threadedstemattached
toa calibratedknoballowsminutevariationsinheightas little as.001"ata
time.Furthermore,thisadjustmentcanbeaccomplished while the record is
playing.Thusthe FINALE allowstheusertooptimizetheVTAforeachdiscvia
theonlyreliablemethod— byear.
Azimuth Adjustment System
Micro adjustmentofthecartridge'ssidetosideanglecanbeeasilyachievedto
provideoptimumtrackingandchannelseparation.Provisionforthisadjustment
is locatedatthejunctionofthemainarmtubeandthe front couplingbrace.
Auto-lift System
The FINALE features auto-lift actuatedbythecueingmechanism,allowing
listenerstosavourmusicalperformancestotheendintranquility.Thesystemis
mechanically triggeredasthetonearmreachestherun-outgroove,andits
inclusion doesnotresultinanysonicpenalty.
RC Compensation Box
The oxygen-freelitzwires that connecttothecartridgeterminalsareconducted
throughthearmtubeand into theRCCompensationBoxwhichcanbeplaced
ontheacrylic base. Insidethisboxisa printedcircuitboardwhichallowsthe
user tooptimizetheresistive/ capacitiveloadingforthecartridgeofhischoice.
This featurealsoensures that thesuspensionwillremainunaffectedby
interferencefromthebulkytonearm cables.
8

Technical
Section

SUBCHASSIS
PERIPHERALWAVETRAP
PLATTER
MAT
SUSPENSION
LEVELLINGKNOB
DOWEL PIN
DRIVE BELT-
MOTOR
BEARING HOLDING PLATE-
COUPLING DISC
TAPEREDWASHER
SPINDLELOCK RING
BUSHINGS
SUSPENSION
LEVELLINGSTEM
POLYETHYLENESLEEVE
ANDRUBBERDAMPERASS'Y
BELLSHAPEDSPRING—,
SUSPENSION
HOUSING
SPINDLE
MOTOR BASE
BEARINGASSEMBLY
TUNGSTENCARBIDETIP
THRUSTPAD
BASE PLATE
STUD
FELTPAD
ADJUSTABLEFOOT
LOCKNUT,
POLYETHYLENE
SPRINGSUPPORT
SPONGE RUBBER-
FELTDAMPER-

Unpacking
your PREMIERE
1) Remove the inner boxby lifting it
straight upandout.
2) Remove the strapsbinding the pack-
agingassemblytogether.
3) Select a clean, flat work surface for
setting upthe turntable makingsure
that there is adequate light.
4) Remove the polysterene cap piece.
5)The tonearm is mounted inthese-
condlayer of packaging andisnot atta-
ched tothe subchassis.Carefully re-
move the secondlayer of packaging
and setiton your work surface;hold the
tonearm bottom plate from under the
polystyrenepiece.
Locate the properAllenwrench to
remove the threescrewsholding the
arm and leave itin place until ready for
installation.
Put the bottom plate and screws with
the armandsetthe polystyrenepiece
aside.
6) Remove the acrylicbase / subchas-
sis assembly and place iton your work
surface.
NOTE: Your PREMIERE'S packaging
has been carefully designed to protect
it from the hazards of shipping. It is ad-
viseable to save it for future use.
PREMIERE Assembly
1) Remove the laminatedsubchassis
from the threesuspensiontowers bylif-
ting it straight up,andsetit aside.
2) Remove the polystyrenesupport
blocks from the suspensiontowers.
Next,remove the protectiveplastic film
from the acrylicbase.Remove the three
suspensionhousings andthe springs in
order to clean the acrylicbase with the
sample canof Brillanceacryliccleaner
supplied.
3) Regroup all suspensionpartsmaking
sure that the color-codedsprings are
positioned as follows:
Front left — gray
Rear left — yellow
Rightside — green.
NOTE: Each spring is optimamly tun-
ed at the factory to evenly share the
load as presented by the subchassis
with the FINALE tonearm. It is impera-
tive that the spring is not twisted or
moved in the support housing or this
relationship will be disturbed.
4) Locate the threerubberdamper
assemblies and installthem onthe sus-
pensionheightadjustmentstem.
5) Pick upa springassembly anda
spongerubberring.Position the sponge
rubber ring wellaround theliponthe
top ofthe polyethylenespringsupport.
Repeat the procedure forthe other two
springs.
11

6) Install the springsinto the suspen-
sion housings, and place the entire
assembly onto the appropriatesuspen-
sion heightadjustmentstemobserving
thecolorcodepreviouslymentioned.
NOTE: Align the marks on the spring
supports such that they face the centre
spindle of the turntable.
7)Level the base by adjusting the
height ofthe feet,mounted on threaded
shafts. (Onlyroughleveling is required
atthistime:preciselevelingoccursafter
theturntable is moved toits final posi-
tion.)
8)Install the subchassisonto the sus-
pension towers,usingextremecare.
9)Retrieve the platterfrom the polysty-
renepackagingandinstall it on the spin-
dle.
NOTE: The platter hole and the spin-
dle are tapered. Extreme care should
be taken during installation, making
sure that there is no dirt on either sur-
faces.
The belt must not be installed yet.
Installing the Control Unit
1) Locate the control unit inthe packag-
ing. Connect theAC inputlineinto a
convenientwalloutlet.
Plug the 7-pin DIN connectorcoming
from the motor-baseassemblyinto the
controlunit.
2)Nowsetthe turntableaside soyou
can use the worksurface to prepare the
tonearm.
Cartridge Installation
1) Select the right screws for mounting
yourcartridge.Remember that steel
screws are two-and-a-halftimes the
weight of aluminumscrews, andany
unnecessary increase in massherewill
have an adverseeffect of warp-riding.
27Beforeinstalling the cartridge,make
sure that the stylusprotector is firmly in
place. Tighten the screws just enough
so that the cartridgecanstill be moved.
When theuseofa nutis required, we
recommendmountingfrom thetopof
thehead shell. Cartridgealignmentwill
be completedafter the tonearm has
been installed.
NOTE: We do not recommend the use
of any putty or damping compound
between the cartridge and head shell,
or the use of nylon spacers and screws
since these materials will not allow a
firm enough coupling.
Place the turntablebackonto the work
surface. Youare now ready to install the
tonearm.
Tonearm Installation
The tonearmbase andthe subchassis
areaccuratelymarked to facilitatetheir
installation.
1)Setthe FINALE onthe subchassis
and align the markscarefully.
2) Locate the tonearmmountingplate
and screws inthe secondlayer of pack-
aging, andmountthem onthe subchas-
sis.
Tighten the screws gradually.
3)TheRC Compensation Boxmaybe
placed onany convenientsurface oron
theacrylic base. The connectingwires
are too compliant to interfere with the
suspension. A printedcircuitboard is
housed inthebox whichcan be remov-
ed forthe soldering of resistors and
capacitors which maybe desireable
dependinguponyourchoice of cart-
ridge.
NOTE: The assistance of a qualified
technician may be required to achieve
RC compensation. Consult your deal-
er.
4)To remove the PCboard,remove the
screw holding thebox together and
gentlyslide the circuit outofthe alumi-
numhousing.
5)To reassemble,simplyreverse the
procedure.
Cartridge Alignment
NOTE: Make sure that you use the
section of the protractor marked
"FINALE".
1) Place the GrooveIsolator matonthe
platter.
2) Locate the CALIBRATOR disc inthe
packaging andsetitonthe platter.
3) Remove the stylusprotectorand set
thetrackingforcewithin the range re-
commended bythe cartridgemanufac-
turer.
NOTE: Refer to the instruction for
tracking force adjustment on page 13.
4) Set the tonearmdownsuch that the
tip ofthe stylusrestsprecisely inthe
identation inthe center ofthe adjust-
mentgrid.
5) Turn theVTA knobuntil thearm
tube is parallel tothe disc.
NOTE: Refer to the instructions for
VTA adjustment on page 13.
6) Move the cartridgeforward or back-
ward inthe headshellsuch that the
sides ofthe headshell are lined up with
thegridwhenviewedfromabove.
Make sure that the cartridgebody is
also parallel tothe grid (and therefore
parallel with the headshell).
NOTE: Extreme care should be taken
during all stages of this procedure to
prevent damage to the delicate stylus.
12

Adjusting your
PREMIERE
1) Locate the belt inthe secondlayer of
packaging. Remove the platter andin-
stall the beltaround the innerrim.Hold
thebelt with onefinger so that you can
mount the platter onthe spindle and
loop the beltaround the pulleymaking
sure that there areno twists.
NOTE: Extreme care should be taken
to avoid overstretching of the belt.
Make sure that your hands are clean
and dry before handling the belt.
2) Locate the taperedwasher inthe tool
bag supplied,andplace it over the spin-
dle, taperedside up.
3)Remove the threesuspensionadjust-
mentknobfrom the secondlayer of
packaging, and installthem onthe sus-
pension adjustmentstemaligning the
slot inthe knob with the guide pin.
4)Adjust the suspensionheight to19
mm(3/4");thismeasurementshould be
takenfrom thetopofthe acrylicbase to
thebottom ofthe suspensiontower.
The finallevelingwill be donewhenset-
ting the turntable inits permanent loca-
tion, butitis required at thistime to faci-
litateproperinstallation and fine-tuning
of the tonearm.
5)Level the acrylicbase by turning the
adjustablefeet. A spiritlevel is required
forthisoperation.
6)Level the floatingassembly by turn-
ing the suspensionlevelingknobs.Turn
theknobcounter-clockwise to raise the
suspension and clockwise to lower it,
using the spiritlevelmounted onthe
subchassis asa guide.
NOTE: In order to obtain an accurate
reading from the level, position your-
self directly over the centre of the level
and view it with one eye closed.
7)Retrieve the clampfrom the bottom
section ofthe packaging and screw it
lightlyonto the threadedspindle.
FineTuningyourFINALE
Tonearm
TheFINALE armisa precision in-
strument and should be treated as
such. No unnecessary force should
be applied tothe bearings.
TrackingForce
Adjustment
1) Remove the appropriatecounter-
weightfrom the secondlayer of pack-
aging and mount ittothe rear ofthe
tonearm.
2)Obtain a trackingforcegauge and
adjust the downforce tothe recom-
mendedvaluegiven bythe cartridge
manufacturer.
Vertical TrackingAngle
Adjustment (VTA)
1) Place the CALIBRATOR disc onthe
mat.
2)Cue thearm down so that the stylus
rests onthe center ofthe blackreflec-
tivesquare onthe disc.
NOTE: Looking from the side of the
cartridge there should be an even angle
reflection on each side of the sty/us.
3) If this isnotthe case, loosen the VTA
tower-lockingscrew.
4)Rotate the calibratedknobclockwise
tolower thearm andcounter-clockwise
toraise it. Each mark onthe calibrated
knobindicatesone-thousanth of aninch
(.001") of verticaldisplacement.
NOTE: With the VTA tower locking
screw loosened, this adjustment can
be performed while the record is play-
ing so that the optimum setting can be
judged by ear.
Azimuth Adjustment
1) Loosen thearm tubelocking-screws
on topofthe couplingbraces.
NOTE: The azimuth adjustment screw
is located on the right side of the front
coupling brace.
13

2)Cuethearm such that the stylus
rests onthe blackreflectivesquare on
thedisc.Looking atthe stylusfrom the
front, thereshould bean evenangle
reflectionfrom the surface. Ifnot,usea
flat screwdriver and screwclockwise to
tiltthe cartridgetowards the right, and
counter-clockwise totiltit towards the
left. Once the correctangle has been
reached, tighten the lockingscrews
gently.
NOTE: If a major correction has been
required, the VTA adjustment should
be redone.
Always support the lower endofthe
armtubewhiletightening the lock
screws or tuning the azimuthadjust-
mentscrew to protect thearm bearings.
Anti-skating Adjustment
Due tothe nature of tonearmgeometry,
thegroovetends to pull the stylus
towards the centre ofthe discandsome
amount of forceshould be applied in
theoppositedirection to counteract
this.Thisamountvariesaccording to
thetrackingforce andthe type of stylus
shape employed.
This amount of anti-skatingforcecan be
increased by sliding the weightalong
the L structurelocated atthe bottom
right ofthe tonearm base, to give theL
moreleverage, or decreased by sliding
it towards thearm base.
In order to determine the amount of
anti-skatingforcerequiredvisually, exa-
mine the stylus and compare its posi-
tionrelative tothe cartridgebodywhen
atrestandwhenplaying the groove. Ifit
inclines towards the centre ofthe disc,
increase the anti-skating; ifit inclines
towards the outsidegrooves,decrease
theanti-skating.
An insufficientamount of anti-skating
audiblymanifestsitself as right-channel
distortion. If there istoo muchanti-
skating, the left channelwill be more
prone to break-up.
NOTE: We recommend the use of a
test disc to determine the optimum
amount of anti-skating. Consult your
dealer.
Auto-lift Adjustment
The auto-liftadjustmentscrew is
located atthe base ofthe anti-skating
levers atthe rear ofthe tonearm. Place a
record onthe platter andcuethearm
down just before the run-outgroove.
The auto-liftshouldengage 10mm
before the deadgroove. To adjust,
loosen the lock-screw and adjust the
length ofthe thread as required.
Attaching the Dust Cover
1) Locate the dustcover and hinge
assemblies.
2) Place the dustcoverupsidedown on
yourworksurface with the back (the
longside with two sets of holes)
towards you.
3) Use a Phillipsscrewdriver to remove
thescrewsfrom the hingeassembly.
4) Place the hingeagainst the outside
of the dustcover with the angledhinge
facingawayfrom the cover.Position the
loose metalplate onthe inside ofthe
cover, align the holes,insert the screws
and tightenmoderately.
5)Setthe turntable so that the rear
edge ofthe acrylicbasehangs out over
theedge of yourworksurface,provid-
ingeasy access tothe hingescrew
holes.
Using a 1/8" Allenwrench,remove the
mountingscrews.Attach the hingesup-
ports onthe acrylic base. Install the dust
cover by sliding the supportinto the hin-
ges.
Motor Angle Adjustment
Before proceeding with this adjust-
ment, verify thatthe acrylicbase
and the subchassis are still level.
Three screwshold the motor in place.
The two screwsparallel tothe rear of
theacrylicbasearefactoryadjusted and
should requirenofurtherattention.
The front screw canbe adjusted toen-
sure that the beltrides inthe centerpart
of the pulley.Thisadjustment is done
fromunder the acrylic base.
14

Control Unit Operation
1)Startthe turntable bypressingthe33
or45speedselectionbutton.
2) Press the"OFF" button tostopthe
unit.
3)Increasetheselectedspeedby
pressingthe button tothe right ofthe
digitaldisplay.
4)Decreasetheselectedspeedby
pressingthe button tothe left ofthe
digitaldisplay.
NOTE: There is a 1/100 RPM speed
variation every time either button is
depressed. The speed can be varied to
amaximum of ± 5 per cent of the 33
or 45 standards.
5)Depressingthe33or45speed selec-
tion buttonsinstantlybringsthespeed
backtothesetreference.
Speed Calibration
Potentiometersforspeedcalibrationare
locatedatthebackofthecontrol unit.
Todetermineiftheserequireadjust-
ment,usethestrobediscsupplied with
theturntable.
Ifadjustmentisnecessary,depressthe
45speedselector button and turn the
potentiometerusingthe flat screwdriver
suppliedinthe tool kit.Anincreasein
speed iseffectedby turning thescrew-
driverclockwise,anda decreaseby
turning itcounter-clockwise.
Nowperformthesameoperationforthe
33RPM speed.
NOTE: Make sure that the digital dis-
play reads "45.00" and "33.00" res-
pectively before carrying out this ope-
ration.
NOTE: The AC circuit is protected by
a.5 ampere fuse.
Tightening theRecord
Clamp
Overtighteningtherecordclampcould
resultindamagetoyourrecords.For
optimumperformancetheclampneeds
onlybefinger tight. Gentlytappingthe
run-out grooveareausinga penorpen-
cil will provideanaudibleindicationof
howwelltherecordiscoupled with the
mat.
Improperclamptighteningmayresultin
misalignedazimuthasthediscassumes
a concaveratherthana flat surface.This
can bedeterminedbyclampinganLP
with anunusuallyshortplayingside,us-
ingthesmoothblacklead-outareaasa
reflectivesurfacetocheckazimuth.
Tipsto Maximize
Performance
1)Your PREMIERE turntable isequip-
ped with a superbsuspensionsystem
capableof filtering outvirtuallyallun-
wantedmechanicalenergy.Likeallturn-
tables,however,itperformsatitsbest
whenlocatedona solid platform well
away from yourloudspeakers.Foropti-
mumsoundquality,werecommend
that youmountthe PREMIERE ona
solidfoundation— preferablyona shelf
anchoredtoa load-bearingwall— away
from thedirectpathoftheloudspeak-
ers.
2)Ifyoursystemiscapableofgene-
ratinghighsoundpressurelevels(SPL)
at20Hzandbelow,tryusingthe PRE-
MIERE without itsdustcoverattached.
Undersuchcircumstances,thedust-
covermayactasa diaphragmandtrans-
mitenergytotheacrylicbaseexceeding
the filtering capabilityofthesuspen-
sion.
3)Whenthe turntable matbecomes
dusty,itshouldbecleaned with Bril-
lance, thefoamwipedoff with the lint-
freeclothsupplied.Allowthecleanerto
dryby itself.
4)Makesure that theperipheralwave
bandis firmly andevenlyseatedaround
the platter.
5)Certaintypesofrecordwarpsmay
beflattenedmorereadily with thetaper-
edwasherplacedontopofthemat(in-
steadofunderneaththemat).
Maintenance
1)Thebearingandspindleassembly
aredesignedtooffermanyyearsof
trouble-freeoperation. Each bearing
assembly onthe PREMIERE isspecially
lubricatedandpermanentlysealedto
thespindle.Noserviceisrequired.
2)Allmetalparts (with theexceptionof
thebearingandthespindle)aremanu-
facturedofanaerospace-grademagne-
sium/ aluminumalloytreated with a
durablebakedacrylicfinish.Theymay
beperiodicallycleaned with a softcloth
anda milddetergent.Donotusea sol-
vent-based cleaner which would
marthe acrylic finish.
3)Allacrylicpartsshouldbecleaned
with Brillanceanda lint-free cloth.
4)Every6 months,removetheplatter
andcleanthebelt,themotorpulley,and
theinnerrimoftheplatter with a few
dropsofdenaturedalcoholanda clean
lint-free cloth.Checkthebeltforsigns
ofdeterioration,suchascrackingor
hardening.Undernormalcir-
cumstances, thelifespanofthebelt
shouldbeapproximately2 years.
15

Accessories
1)Replacementpartsareavailable
throughyourdealer.
2)Transformer/ powersuppliesare
availableintwoversions:
a)100-115-130VAC(50-60Hz).
b)200-220-240VAC(50-60Hz).
Power consumption:500mAat24
volts.
General Description
PREMIERE Turntable
Speeds: 331/3and45RPM(adjust-
able+ or- 5 percent).
Drivesystem:Precisioninjection-mold-
ed flat belt.
Motor:DCOracle/Papst(Halleffect,
3-phase, brushless).
Suspension: Spring-suspendedfloating
subchassis tunedto3.5
Hz.
Dimensions: 80cmx 60cmx 26cm.
Weight (with FINALE tonearm):16kg.
PackingList
FINALE Tonearm
Effectivelength:250mm.
Effectivemass:8.5g.
Overhang: 16.5mm.
Offsetangle:22°.
Allowablecartridgeweight:From5 g
to25g.
Horizontalandverticalfriction: Less than
15 mg.
Recommended cartridgecompliance
range:50to10jum/mN.
Weight:0.54kg.
16
-DUST COVER
GROOVE ISOLATOR
AND CALIBRATOR DISC
-LINT-FREE CLOTH
-HINGES BASE
-TONEARM COUNTER WEIGHTS
-HINGES
-BRILLANCE
-RC COMPENSATION BOX
-FINALE ARM
-ADJUSTMENT KNOB
-SUBCHASSIS
-REMOTE CONTROL UNIT
-POWER CORD
-COUPLING DISC
TOOLS AND
TAPERED WASHER
-ACRYLIC BASE PLATE
-BELT
-PLATTER
-PERIPHERAL WAVE TRAP

TRANS AUDIOCORPORATIONLTD.
505 Industrial Blvd.
Sherbrooke, Quebec,Canada
J1L1X7

iff. CONCEPTIONGRAPH1QUE ET LITHOGRAPHS
LITHOCANATWGAUVIWETASSOCIESSHERBROOKE QUE.