How important is Cartridge Overhang? Need help

HI Tom. That is very true, and the MintLp is not a universal-type protractor. The actual mounting distance of the arm has not been verified either. If that is off, everything is off. Sure, it will play, but not optimally. Project wouldn't be the first manufacturer to not mount their arm with any kind of precision.

Thanx Hififile if I can figure out how to contact you off thread I will.

Measured everything today and sent photo to Yip. p2s is 212mm.
the measurement from pivot to the tip of the head shell is 235mm not the 230mm posted in spec.and the MHST on the HMC-20 is definitely 8.5mm. I played with the Mint some more last night(for about 2 hours) think I got things a little closer. so now it sits about a mm to the left at the outside or a point and a mm to the right at the other end.just doesn't ever land on both. I'll see what Yip says about the pics.

also Thank You to everyone for you help and suggestions it is very much appreciated

Hi, Wilson667; hopefully things all work out with your Mint protractor. What is the distance from the vertical tone arm pivot to the center of the headshell slots? You should get something around 220-221mm if the effective length is correct at 230mm. (220.5mm + 9.5mm holes-to-stylus = 230mm)

I measured the distance on my Pro-Ject 9 aluminum 'arm and the center of the headshell slots is just over 220mm from the pivot, which is correct for a typical 9.5mm mounting hole-to-stylus distance. It could easily accomodate the 8.5mm distance of the HMC-20.

Tom

As many of you know, but perhaps the OP does not, if the actual spindle to pivot distance on the table is not to spec, and if the Mint was built based on manufacturer's spec (rather than measured pivot to spindle), then the Mint will not be "correct". Since the stylus to pivot distance is "variable" in an arm w cart mounting slots, it really does not tell us all that much, unless there is a gross mismatch.

Hi, Swampwalker; pivot to stylus distance is not really variable with the Pro-Ject 9 series tone arms. The headshell was designed such that installing a cartridge with typical mounting holes will put the holes at about the midpoint of the headshell slots and the stylus at the designed 230mm effective length. The slotted headshell allows for a range (~6mm) of cartridge mounting hole configurations but there is only one correct effective length for the intended alignment geometry.

If the distance from the pivot to the center of the headshell slots (~220.5mm) is grossly different for the OP's Pro-Ject 9cc tonearm, then the stated 230mm effective length may be in error. As to whether the pivot-to-spindle distance is grossly different than the stated 212mm, it's an easy task to measure that distance on the Pro-Ject 'arm. I get ~212mm with an aluminum 9 tonearm installed on a (Pro-Ject) mmf-7 turntable.

If Wilson667 takes a few quick measurements it may eliminate a couple of the obvious variables.

Tom