Cartridge Alignment

shaizada

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Oct 19, 2008
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Hey Guys,

Though I have the VPI alignment jig to setup cartridge alignment, I wanted to look into other popular free online alignment protractors.

I have a pivot to spindle distance of 300.8mm.

What do you guys like to use?
This is one that I came across and I'm leaning towards using his Lofgren A arc to setup.

Conrad's Free Stuff

If you guys have a favourite, preferably one that you've used personally with highly satisfying results ;)

Arup, what is your friend using to setup his millions of cartridges? I hope its not a mint or best lp or something. I have no want or desire to spend a $100 plus for a custom one. I'd rather spend that on buying vinyl!

Fire away gentleman. I just want to fine tune the analog rig even further by myself. I had a professional setup my cartridge earlier, but as I start playing around with different types of cartridges, I'd want a better tool than the supplied VPI jig.

Only a few of my LPs display inner groove distortion, but I really want to minimize that as well.

And deeper down the rabbit hole I go....damn the red pill!!
 
I think you must be knowing about this but just in case ....
"HiFi News Test LP" will not only help fine tune your setup but also comes with some new Protractor for cartridge alignment.
 
Hey Guys,

Though I have the VPI alignment jig to setup cartridge alignment, I wanted to look into other popular free online alignment protractors.

Hi

You probably know that the VPI specs are not 100% accurate! I do not own vinyl but one of my good friend does. He was mentioning a while ago about an article that analysed the specs and proposed alternate methods for calculating the alignements to compensate for the errors. I will try to get the article or the link to it from him.
 
You can go to vinylengine.com if you have not already done so. They have a few protractors that you can download.

I have a NAD TT (a rega clone) and the only protractor which worked for me was the one I downloaded from vinylengine for rega arms.
 
kamalji and i met a gentleman here in delhi who too seemed quite particular about this aspect, during our recent visit to his pad. handle : Sunnyboy 1956.

he had a conrad johnson+nagra+quad 2905+rel, etc., rig (AudiogoN Forums: Sunnyboy in 2007).

i'm hoping this share is ok.

Edit : Oh, you guys hav already met here....
 
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I just used the gauge that came with project debut 3 manual. The cartridge sounds alrgiht. I won't even know if I am missing something.Tried to do the azimuth correction with a big magnifying glass but couldn't really see if the tip was vertical or not. Might need a more powerful magnifying glass.:)
 
Thanks for the replies gentleman.

Mahiruha, the best way I found to do the azimuth setting is to get a thin mirror surface and simply look at the actual cantilever. Just place the mirror on the platter and lower the cartridge on the mirror. Then look at the actual cantilever instead of the cartridge body. You want the reflected image and the actual cantilever to be a straight line. If the cantilever is not exactly 90 degrees form the surface (perfectly vertical), the image will tell you which way it is bent. Adjust for that and you will have a perfect azimuth tuned to the actual cartridge.

Audio_engr, I knew he would be using some expensive tools. I might look into actually getting the Feickert, but every time I think of buying an alignment tool (and this one is $250 new!), I start thinking of all the records I can buy with that money.

Hifiashok, I'm aware of Sunnyboy and his system actually. We might have conversed once on the forum and I know about his system on Audiogon. Definitely would love to hear his setup next time I'm in Delhi (probably this october).

Thanks for the answers guys...now I just have to research the best alignment tool for my setup.
 
I see...the KAB Stereo canceler was also Harry Pearsons must have piece in 2006.

Frankly, apart from that damn expensive Feickert, I was also thinking of looking into the Mint/Best protractor. it is a custom protractor that is made to the Spindle to Pivot distance that we measure and supply. It is a 2 point protractor and is supposedly accurate to a 10th of a degree. He makes an even more accurate one, but says it is impractical in the real world (but he uses that himself).

Anyhow, after ALL my research, its down to either the Feickert or the Mint. In fact, I'm actually contemplating picking up a second arm tube for mounting a second cartridge....a JMW 12.7 armtube. It would be awesome to be able to switch cartridges within 10 seconds :)

Damn it....thoughts are all over the place. Unless I'm planning to buy another table down the line, the customized mint protractor might be a better way to go. Here is a link:

Best Tractor / Arc Protractor / Mint Tractor / tonearm alignment / Yip Mint Protractor / Mintlp Protractor

Arup, thanks for checking with your buddy :) I figured he must have a good way of setting up his multiple cartridges :)

EDIT: On a side note, if 45rpm Music Matters Jazz didn't sound so good, I'd get ALL LPs in 33.3rpm. I have to run to the table every 10 minutes once a side is over! gees! Just ranting...hehe
 
Even the standard Mint looks good but the Customized should serve your purpose very well.
How much is it? The Feickert is 250 bucks :eek:

But do keep the 70 bucks aside for the KAB as repeatedly he kept saying, it WILL make that last bit of difference which cannot be fixed even by Feickert!

The mint is $110 shipped and is supposed to blow the Feickert away. Only issue is that it IS customized, so it always stays with the table. The Feickert is more universal and can be used again in the future. But then again, I have no plans to sell my current table ever. It is magic even when I compared the sound with $60k plus tables. So I don't know anymore...laws of diminishing returns is hitting REALLY REALLY hard with this current analog setup.

I'll probably pick up the KAB sometime in the future. Right now I have an extra JMW 12.7 armwand, more LPs and second cartridge on the menu.

hehe! Gaurav-saab: this is the reason why I got out of it 14 yrs back. :eek:hyeah:

Yaar, teek hai...it is an issue, but listening to even one song on 45 that is recorded well is like a finely sipped wine. You don't consume it like Soda :) I have digital for that ;)

But the wine....aaaah that is where the heart lies.

I really think you should get back into Analog. It's isn't about convenience...it's about the ultimate musicality, best served warm and analog :eek:hyeah:
 
Thanks sbg....I've been studying those protractors for almost a week now :) Lofgren A is my choice, but the problem with those protractors is when printing them on paper. The printer correction factor keeps changing! I must have wasted 10 sheets of paper because the reference 200mm on the X and Y axis don't check out to exactly 200mm. I set the printer correction factor and it still doesn't work out.

Even a 10th of a mm counts as that is how small the vinyl grooves are. So you can see how it can easily get frustrating when you are a few mm off due to the printer.

Thanks for the link anyways!
 
extremely painful exercise since one never really knows when it's 'good' enough cos there's always possibility of re aligning to get a little less distortion in the inner grooves. i used the stupid i think baerwald protractor and spent a week adjusting every evening listening and re adjusting. ain't gonna touch it now! shudder shudder
 
Man I'd stay away from Baerwald and Stevenson....I don't think they are the best ones to use for modern equipment...but again, experimentation is knowledge. And that can be painful as you and I both know ;)
 
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