Help with turntable setup?


Hi, I’m a vinyl novice with a clear audio concept wood TT. I’m not sure I’m getting the best out of it because I haven’t got the setup perfect—tracking etc. I know it’s supposed to be over off the easiest to set up, but still…

Anyone in the Santa Fe/Albuquerque/Taos area who can help me? Would love to understand the art.  I’m fully vaccinated.

Thanks. 
ssmaudio
Thanks millercarbon. Well, I set it up. According to Stereophile it’s one of those that doesn’t take much set up. That’s why I got it. I’m happy with the concept MC cartridge that came with  it, but am not sure whether it’s tracking properly, how to tell etc. there’s also something about the azimuth in the owner’s manual that I’m Mitr sure about.

 I’ll check out the YouTube videos as someone suggested. 
According to your Clearaudio Owner's Manual your table came with the cartridge already set up and aligned. So you can forget about that. Did you level as instructed? Then that is done. Did you double-check VTF? That probably is correct but always good to be sure.

Everything from here on out is done by ear. VTA will be first but your arm doesn't make it very easy. 

VTA works like this. If you increase VTA by raising the arm base up the sound will become more tilted up with more emphasis on the treble and the attack or initial first transient start of notes. If you decrease VTA by lowering the arm down the sound will become more rich and emphasize the full body tone of notes. So if you go high lots of detail but no body, low lots of body but no detail. Nail it perfect, exact middle, you get the best of both.

This is entirely a judgment call. Wherever it sounds best to you, is best for you. Main thing to know, we are talking very small adjustments here! Like a tiny fraction of a mm can make a difference you can hear. Your arm makes this very hard. So don't sweat it. Just do what you can.

Always remember, if you like it you are done!

By far your biggest "setup" gains will be from things you will think of as tweaks not setup. The gains you can get from your table with this kind of attention to setup are huge. You can make that thing sound like a whole new turntable. 

What is it on? Townshend Pods or Platform will be huge, but also expensive. Nobsound springs will be impressive and very inexpensive. Put that table on Nobsound springs, on MDF or a butcher block sitting on an inch of packed sand, grand total investment maybe $50, well just try it you will see.

TA-103 fO.Q tape, Synergistic PHT, those two together will be about $200. Together with the springs and sand $250. Between adjusting VTA and doing these you can spend way more time and money on alignment and have much less to show for it. Those are not the setups you are looking for. These are.
I could understand a VTF (tracking force) discrepancy if your Concept Wood has the Concept/Verify magnetic tonearm as they are far from being dynamically stable. The other non-magnetic versions are much more stable.
The Soundsmith website has good explanations and how-to on setup.

@sryeager -- Sadly, it looks like the Soundsmith website has been
suspended.