Introduction: How to Connect and Get Started With Your DJ Equipment

The purpose of this instructable is show you, the reader, how to set up your turntable and how to connect your DJ equipment.

Step 1: STEP 1: Materials (or in This Case Equipment )

  • Technics SL-1200 (Turntable)
  • Pioneer DJM-S9 (Mixer)
  • Power cables for mixer and speaker. (The technics SL-1200 has a power cord attached to it already)
  • Cartridge
  • Active speakers
  • Quarter inch jack to quarter inch jack
  • USB 2.0 Type B
  • Serato DJ (or any digital vinyl system such as Rekordbox, Traktor, Virtual DJ, etc.) on a laptop.

Step 2: Step 2: Balancing the Tone Arm on the Turntable

  1. Before we start, make sure everything is unplugged
  2. Attach cartridge to the head shell then attach to tone arm. Screw it in. Do not trust it if its pre-installed.
  3. Now we must balance the tone arm
  • To do this, we must adjust the weight of the tone arm but before you do this, here’s what you need to know about the weight.
  • The weight has two parts: the weight itself can be adjusted with the back adjustment and the front adjustment is used to calibrate the tone arm. We must balance the tone arm. Trying to create a zero-tracking force. The tone arm has to be completely balanced.

4. Turn the weight adjustment clockwise until the stylus is leveled with the platter of the turntable. (see photo)

Step 3: Step 3: Calibrating Your Cartridge

  1. Clamp the tone arm since its balanced.
  2. Turn the front adjustment (where you see the numbers), to calibrate, to ZERO without turning the actual weight (back part).

NOTE: The weight should not be moving only the front adjustment.

3. Now that the calibration adjustment is at zero, research how much tracking force (pressure) is recommended for your cartridge. For this part we will turn the whole weight (the back part), which will turn the calibration adjustment as well, until its adjusted to the recommended weight. For the M447 stylus, it is 2.5 grams.

4. Turn the weight to 2.5 grams.

Step 4: Step 4: Connecting Equipment

After you have calibrated your tracking force, connect your turntable and speaker into the mixer. In this example I’m using the DJM-S9.

  1. Connect your power source into your speaker and then to an outlet
  2. Connect quarter inch jack into the mixer where it says BOOTH and the other end into the speaker.
  3. Connect your RCA cables from the turntable to the mixer where it says CH1 PHONO.
  4. Connect your ground wire from the turntable to the mixer. (PHOTO)
  5. Connect the USB into the mixer
  6. Connect the power source for your mixer.
  7. Connect your power source from your turntable and mixer to an outlet. (PHOTO)
  8. Turn on your turntable, Mixer, speaker, and your laptop.
  9. Connect your USB into your laptop.

Step 5: Step 5: Setting Up DVS (Digital Vinyl System)

  1. Run Serato DJ or another DVS system (Rekordbox, Traktor, Virtual DJ, etc.) on your laptop.
  2. Make sure it’s in absolute mode (press F1 if using Serato DJ) and not internal or relative mode. Absolute mode is an accurate digital way of playing music as if it was real vinyl.
  3. Drag a song from your library onto the left or right virtual deck.

Step 6: Step 6: Adjusting Anti-Skate

  1. Gently set stylus on vinyl and press play on the turntable.
  2. If you hear a “S” or a distortion on your record, then adjust antiskating to make the music sound clearer.

NOTE: Skip this step if music sounds clear.

  1. The Anti-skating is also an adjustment that can be turned clockwise or anticlockwise. It is located right next to the weight. (Picture of antic-skate). When the stylus is following a groove of a record, and the platter is rotating, there’s a natural tendency for the stylus to want to go to the center. Tendency to go inward (to the center). The anti-skating adjustment is a counter action, it will let us adjust it to go the opposite way.
  • Rule of thumb: Set the anti-skating to be the same as the stylus pressure. For this example, the anti-skating will be set to 2.5. However not all anti-skating systems on turntables are the same.

Step 7: STEP 7: ENJOY YOUR MUSIC

Play good music and enjoy it!

Step 8: Conclusion

I hope this was useful in some way or another. If you have any questions or would like to know more, you can contact me on here. Thank you