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Cart not parallel after Mint LP alignment?

Howdy,

So after reading about 1000 paragraphs on how good the Mint LP Tractor is - I purchased one and had a marathon session yesterday with my new SL-1210 M5G, AT440MLa and Zupreme headshell...

After all was said and done - the alignment itself took 90 hard minutes - I am finding the cartridge sitting about 5-7 degrees "right" of center. The actual cantilever and stylus are about as dead on as I wanna go with it for now.

Now a comment and a question....

Question: Is this non-parallel result in the headshell normal? It's making me think I may have a bent cantilever or something.

Comment: I have run 10-12 sides thru the rig so far and I must say - I have not yet heard the "revelation" that others have described when comparing their alignments to other protractors or even the white Technics alignment gauge. The rig sounds good...but...what I am missing here.

I must temper the above by saying I have changed phono stages frequently in the last month as well...I was getting nicely familiar with a Bellari VP-130 and then moved that for a Cambridge which lasted less than a week and I now have a Moon LP3 with maybe 25 hours on it...Even my AT440MLa might have 40-50 hours on it as well....

I am thinking that a whole bunch of stuff might need to "burn" in before the system starts to really reveal itself.

But I am very concerned with the stylus/cantilever on the cart...even with all the moves the Mint required...I expected the cartridge to sit straight in the headshell...perhaps expecting too much?

Appreciate any feedback.

Cheers!

VP
vocalpoint
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rauliruegas
13,097 posts
 
Dear Lewm: +++++ " do you really think a bent cantilever straightens itself out under dynamic conditions of playing an LP? " +++++

I don't think it I already tested on three different cartridges and that's what happen. Maybe not on all cartridges with all kind of deviation. So we have to test first than make the alignment.
If you have one why don't you try it and see for your self?

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
lewm
13,124 posts
 
Right now, I have no cartridges with "bent" cantilevers, I am happy to say, but it did occur to me that the forces that bend the cantilever in the first place (usually skating force in a pivoted tonearm) are either present or neutralized by anti-skate. If you apply sufficient anti-skate, I suppose the cantilever will move back to a neutral position during play. Sometimes I think also that if the cantilever mount has become that flexible in the lateral plane, the mount is not in good shape. Sorry, VP, this is off-topic I suppose.
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rauliruegas
13,097 posts
 
Dear VP: We on the MM/MI long thread start/follow ( last 12 post there. ) your thread subject.
Could be interesting to read about. This is one of my posts there on the subject:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667&openflup&2114&4#2114

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
siniy123
166 posts
 
yes, Lew.
in single point suspension cartridge system if the record plane and tonearm and its headshell planes are level, anti skate is properly applied: the diamond tip should be in the same plane as cantilever pivot point under VTF. This plane should be perpendicular to to record plane. It all taking in account that VTF force vector is big enough to correct cantilever suspension. Twisting cartridge in headshell created different weight distribution that tonearm was originally designed for. May be cartridge weight distribution plays some factor when there is synergy or opposite of it between cartridges and tonearms.
siniy123
166 posts
 
Lew, it is better to be flexible in all planes from the get go. That the purpose of cantilever suspension to be flexible.
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