Adjusting SRA using macro lens vs microscope

Thanks for taking the time to post and detailing what to listen for. I certainly have some work ahead.

I did receive the scope today and it took only 15min including installation, taking a pic and measuring an angle.

It yielded an SRA of 89.3 degree which I previously set by setting the arm tube of Phantom parellel to record surface with just using a ruler (no fine tuning by ear).

As long as one can fine tune by ear for 2 degree, the usb microscope is really not that necessary.

However, I find it is actually more helpful in aligning cartridge using the mint LP. It is better than the 10 times lupe. My back and neck are much happier. I have multiple arms and very difficult to stick my head between the arms.

When record is spinning, it would apply small amount of force on the stylus. IS stationary/static SRA the same as the SRA with record in motion? All the more reson to do by ear.

"Of course within reason it really doesn't much matter where you start. What matters is where you finish. :-)"

That's deep.

Dear Glai: Good to know that now you are " there ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Peterayer: I don't try to dimish in anyway Doug/Paul approach. I know very well Paul and Doug and I consider them my friends along that they are very dedicated guys on the subject with wide experience and good ears.

What I tryed through my post is to point out how complex is our analog hobby and if we want to take the " perfect " road then we have to know that is a nightmare road for say the least.

Btw, Doug I'm , like Paul, more oriented to bass frequency range on the SRA set up. I mean more oriented because for me is more easy that way but that does not means that the other side in frequency spectrum is not important too.

+++++ " We all make trade offs in this analog hobby, I agree with you. I don't plan go to the effort of changing cartridge alignment for each LP. The "effect" of changing the VTA/SRA setting is enough for me once a good average alignment is achieved and if the arm is capable of easy VTA adjustments. " +++++

the trade-offs we choose to achieve our targets are the ones that could define each one approach in the cartridge set up subject.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

What I find interesting is the focus on correct SRA whether set by sight or sound but the consistent dismissal of the anti-skate issue. We are so focused on SRA and setting it for each record but everything from disabling anti-skate to setting it to match VTF seems appropriate.

Dear Wntrmute2: As other cartridge/tonearm set up parameters the anti-skate is an important one that we don't have to dimish because it has a very precise role in the whole analog set up subject and not only because VTF.

As this parameter IMHO the Azymuth set up is extremely important and critical and many of us are not given that importance and I would like to say that many times if we " play " a little with Azymuth set up we could be surprised how tiny azymuth changes can make a high difference, I think we need to " work " a little on Azymuth set up too.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.