Cartridge adjustment

[Pelliott321]

327_1_sm.jpg (145.51 KiB) Viewed 25444 times

been trying to come up with a visual method of setting up VTA
This is a rebuilt Alpha Genesis 1000 with a Peter Lieberman ruby cantilever.
My Arm is an Alphason HRS 100 and VTA is a pain in the whatever

[SoundMods]

My experience has been to do it visually initially then listen to music. If the sound seems to have a hard edge common to all recordings with a relatively flat sound-stage and a somewhat opaque mid-range then the stylus rake-angle is too steep. Lower the arm a tad and listen again to the same recordings. If you feel you are heading in the correct direction where things sweeten up and the sound-stage opens up -- you are getting there. If further adjustment takes you in the opposite direction where the sound starts to darken and the "life" seems to be missing -- you've gone too far and need to back up to where you were previously. Or visa-versa. Line trace styluses are a bitch to get right and you'll have better luck if you listen to the inner groves where things get a tad tight -- that's where the line trace earns its keep when set up correctly. Sometimes following the opinions out there on the WEB regarding the subject can be misleading. Not all cartridges are created equal and one man's experience with cartridge X that has certain inherent characteristics because of the cantilever material, body material, cartridge behavior, coil, former, tone arm wiring, tone arm resonances, platter material and resonances, turntable plinth isolation, etc, is different than your own with cartridge Z and your set-up. There are too many variables and I haven't even discussed amplification and transformers. Also, don't get me started on interconnects, anti-skating, head-shell mass, head-shell construction, and on-and-on-and-on.

Don't you just love vinyl?

[tomp]

Not talking about the inherent sound of the cartridge, a good way to set the vertical tracking is to use a test record and look at the output with a scope. You can clearly see the difference when the cartridge set up changes from optimum. I have a test record and scops and can help if you want to try that.

Tom

[SoundMods]

I forgot to mention that one way to start is to adjust the arm height so that the cartridge-body bottom is parallel with the record. Most cartridge manufacturers recommend that procedure based on their recommended tracking force. Of course I found that the recommended tracking force typically is not sufficient and a heavier force usually gets the job done. Then there is the issue with head-shell mass. Low compliance cartridges need a certain amount of head-shell mass to provide enough of a moment of inertia that helps the cartridge stay in the groove rather than "bounce" out when confronting heavy modulation. This is independent of tracking force. Once again -- the devil is in the details.

[Pelliott321]

Tom
I have test records and o-scopes
educate me

[SoundMods]

Tom: You're up.

[tomp]

The best way to do this is for me to come over with my test record and scope. Let me know if you want me to do that and when. I'm retired so I'm usually flexible but do have some weekly committments like a pistol league.

Tom

[SoundMods]

Guys -- let me know when and I'd like to see the method and her the result.

[Pelliott321]

I am reasonably intelligent and can follow instructions and can learn to do this with a little guidance
can you point me to a white paper or something

[tomp]

Paul:

I'll email you an article I did on rebuilding my old Dual 701 turntable. At the end of the article I described some of the tests I did using the scope.

Tom