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Advice on setting VTA

I have set it before, but not exactly certain if I’m going about it the right way. I am generally setting it by eye, eyeballing the botton of cartridge body to get it as parallel as possible, sometimes using a 3x magnifier to assist.  I have also in the past used playing cards as a reference for some cartridges, so I have something to fall back on. Generally using the cards stacked at the tonearm base, similar to using feeler gauges. I’ve read that using an index card on top of record can be a good way to set it due to the parallel lines on the card. My question is what am looking at to get parallel? The bottom of tonearm, top, or the bottom of cartridge? The tone arm is a carbon fiber/aluminum 9 inch pro-ject. It does appear to have a slight taper towards the headshell end of arm.
128x128audioguy85
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I personally can hear a difference in the VTA setting. Right now I have my hana el slightly ass down as I think it sounds nice this way. Too far tilted in opposite direction I feel it to be a bit harsher and the bass not as well defined.

What you’re using called "negative VTA" @audioguy85
What i remember from an old Dan den Hul interview is the benefit of the "positive VTA" for high frequency reproduction. I can’t find this interview, would be nice to post it here.

Keep in mind that VTA setting should NOT be a tone control. There is one correct setting for a disk. But with a disk you should be close enough not to change for each disk unless you are particularly obsessive. Many of us are. Setting vta (really, sra) is like aligning the reading head on a tape machine. There should be one correct setting. It’s not really an opinion issue. But it’s also not very easy for most of us.

@melm great post
I agree, i do not change VTA often (if i do not change a cartridge).
It is definitely not a tone control and i wouldn’t use it this way.

Some very nice tonearms like my Reed 3p, FR-64s in B-60 vta base, or Technics EPA-100 mkII ... are all have precise VTA on the fly to experiment. It’s a good option to adjust a cartridge, but once it’s adjusted and tested for few month with well known records i do not change it anymore.



dwette
174 posts
 
I use this to make sure the arm is parallel then adjust from there.

http://aaudioimports.com/ShowProduct.asp?hProduct=81

Damn! $85? I have one of these. Got it on eBay for about $5. 😳
dwette
174 posts
 
I don't get too hung up about VTA, but I do have dynamic VTA adjustment. I find settings each for 200 gr, 180 gr and older thinner records. Spend some time listening/adjusting (a tad tail down with my DV XV-1S) and note the position for each record weight. I dial that in for each record I play which is easy. 
avanti1960
1,480 posts
 
setting the headshell level is a great baseline starting point since most cartridges are designed to sound their best at that position.  i use a small bubble level on top of the flat part of the headshell while the stylus is in the groove.  make sure the plinth is level and that vtf temporarily compensates for the weight of the level.  
run it this way and adjust to taste, raising slightly if the sound is muffled or bass heavy, lowering slightly if the sound is bright or edgy.  rsise or lower in 1/2 mm increments and note your original height and your adjusted heights using a log book.  
good luck, you will get there!
vinylvalet
902 posts
 
The analogmagik system is "A Scientific & Repeatable Method To Calibrate: Speed, Wow & Flutter, Azimuth, VTA, VTF, Anti-skating, Loading, Gain, Vibrations & Resonance Frequencies." to quote from their website.
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