Analog Set-up Tools

Doug, you're right.... I was forgetting myself.

Frankly, I don't think I've expended more sweat and tension in any physical activity - and I mean any - than aligning my Benz L2 in my Rega. What a workout!

Patrick

Now, Patrick. Let's not forget that setting up a Rega is such good training and discipline, a real character builder. Any moron can set up a Graham! :-)

If you've ever used the Graham cartridge alignment tool, which unfortunately only works with the Graham arms, it's extremely tough to ever use anything else.

At least the old-style built-into-the-headshell Ortofons, which I'm using these days (original SPUs and the Classic reissues), when plugged into an Ortofon arm, require no alignment whatsoever. In fact, you can't align. So long as you've got the arm's pivot-to-spindle distance correct, everything else lateral is taken care of.

VTF and VTA and azimuth remain to be done, of course. But the Ortofon arms make all that relatively easy - if not as easy as the super-versatile Graham.

Aligning a Rega or any of its spin-offs drives me absolutely nuts.

J!

Thanks to all who responded. The turntable basics protractor looks good to me, and I agree no VTA gauge is necessary.

Previous post refers to turntablebasics.com stuff

The reflective surface helps. It's not as precise as Wally's stuff, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

I also use the cheapo stylus weight gauge that Tim sells. I think it's fine for getting in the ballpark, you should fine-tune by ear anyway. But a nice digital scale allows finer comparisons while fine-tuning.

The Mo-Fi Geo-Disc has served me well

how about a string level to balance on the arm to tell when level? I picked one up from Home Depot for aruound $2. I just put the stylus guard on and estimate the height of the cart. while playing a record and find a relative level position and then adjudst by ear. This gives you a good starting point.

Another protractor worth a look is at www.turntablebasics.com. Just $20 and virtually identical to the Wally. It's more universal, since there's no scribed arc for the overhang of one specific arm. It will do nearly as good a job, though not as quickly.

With an OL arm you have to be careful with some of these gauges, since the geometry of Rega's (and OL's) isn't ideal for Baerwald alignment. What TT is your OL arm on? If you can shorten the spindle-pivot distance slightly from the standard 223mm to about 219-221 then you should be okay, though you may need to move the cartridge toward the forward end of the slots. If your tonearm mounting position is fixed at 223mm then many cartridges won't just align at the Baerwald points. It depends on the dimension from stylus tip to mounting holes. Some carts are too short.

I've never understood the point of Wally's (or anyone's) VTA gauge. VTA (technically, SRA) should be set by ear while listening to music. The optimal setting varies from record to record, so if the armtube ends up perfectly level it's an accident. What's the point of scientifically dialing in a randomly changing parameter? I suppose if you have an unusually short cartridge, like an old Colibri, you'll want to put spacers below the headshell to get the armtube level at a normal SRA. But you shouldn't need a fancy jig for that. A 50c bubble level will do.