Hi Lyyn,
I talked to chatgpt and I think he had a good idea. He told me that gluing a 1.5g coin to the back of the stationary counterweight will not reduce the weight by 1.5g, because the effect depends on the distance from the axis of rotation. 1.5g at the end of the counterweight ≠ 1.5g reduction in pressure. This complicates things a bit, but having a scale and gradually adding weight I can supposedly reduce the tracking force.

He gave me these instructions:

Get your equipment ready:

-Record player on a flat surface.
-Scale to measure stylus force
-Small coins, washers or pieces of lead tape.

Initial measurement:

-Place the tonearm on the scale (where the stylus would normally rest on the record).
-Measure the current force. It will probably be too high (AT3600 requires ~1.8-2.2 g).

Adding a counterweight:

-Stick a coin (e.g. 1 euro cent = ~2.3 g) to the back of the counterweight.
-Measure the force again.
-If the force is still too high, add another small coin or something else to increase the weight.
-If the force is too low, add something with a lighter weight.

Fine adjustment:
-Once you are close to the desired range (e.g. 2.0 g), you can improve the accuracy by using smaller weights for small adjustments.

Secure:

Once you have the correct pressure, make sure the weights are securely attached (e.g. with double-sided tape).
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If it worked, I could finally attach the desired weight there in a more aesthetic way and use my Analogis Dual DN 251 E needle | BLACK DIAMOND.

It looks quite easy and can be done in a short time, the only question is whether the method provided by chatgpt will work.

Hi Lynn,
Thanks a lot for your answer :)
Do you think that the trick of gluing an additional weight to the back of the counterweight, such as a coin, will not reduce the tracking force? Logically, it should work. Am I wrong?
I have a brand new Analogis Dual DN 251 E | BLACK DIAMOND (nude elliptical) needle, the needle is compatible with the Audiotechnica AT91/3600 cartridge. I don’t want to install it in my current turntable for now, but wait with it until I buy a new one. I like the functionality and design of this fiio tt13, but it’s the tracking force that worries me. Replacing the AT3600LA needle with a spherical cut with a nude elliptical cut needle would definitely be a big upgrade for this turntable. I would only have to reduce the tracking force to about 2g, preferably 1.8g.
Cheers

Hi Bartosz,

In order to adjust tracking force to accommodate a different cartridge (or stylus) you have to open the TT13 up and adjust internal workings. As for how, FiiO didn’t let us know the steps necessary to change tracking force.

If I ever change anything on this, I would only “upgrade” the stylus to the ATN3600LC (another conical stylus) or the ATN3600LE (elliptical stylus), sine both require 3.5g +/-0.5g tracking force. They are plug-and-play replacements for the existing AT3600LA.

I hope this helps.

“FiiO confirmed the factory-set adjustments were accurate, but manual adjustments are possible with effort.”
What did you mean when you wrote that adjustments are possible with effort.

Thank you for the kind words. The TT13 continues to impress me in my office system, and sees much use. As for upgrading the stylus, that is the easiest method as long as you can somewhat match the high tracking force of the AT3600LA. If you change the whole cartridge, you would have to specifically match to the same weight and tracking force.

Some upgrades will work, but would require adjusting the tracking force, which on the TT13 is internal. A couple of recommendations, that are plug-and-play stylus changes that I might recommend would be the ATN3600LE (essentially the same tracking force), which is an Elliptical stylus providing a more detailed sound. Two others in that range that are about the same cost and may work would be the ATN91, and ATN91R.

While waiting for the review unit, I researched reviews on the AT3600LA (or equivalents) cartridge and upgrades. In reading, mentioned was how “forgiving” the AT91 was (the N stands for “nude elliptical”) with a warm, natural sound. The AT3600L (a variation, but essentially identical for a different turntable) came across as more well-rounded, but not as good with worn albums. The downside to the ATN91 is that it requires less tracking force (better for albums), and that cannot be readily adjusted.

To me (personally), the easiest would be the ATN3600LE, elliptical. It’s easy enough to keep the existing stylus and the 3600LE so that you could change in a short time. Plus, they both require essentially the same tracking force, so you wouldn’t have to worry about opening the TT13 up. The stock cartridge is quite good, but not that forgiving on less than perfect albums. The ATN3600LE would be more forgiving on less than perfect albums while providing a more accurate detailed sound due to the stylus shape.

The limitations of “budget TT’s” such as this is usually the cartridge and lack of adjustability in tracking force, which limits upgrades. The good thing is the existing AT3600LA is a pretty decent cartridge that mates well to the FiiO. I hope this helps, and please let us know how you proceed. Now I am thinking about options as well. ;)

Cheers

Thanks again