Is Wally tool preffered for Graham 2.2?

Hi Thom,

Just a minor point about the Wallytractor. You said "The defunct Cartalign (like Wally's) is mirrored, and works similarly to Wally's, in that you need to rotate it so that an index line points from the record spindle to the bearing pivot's center."

There is a line on the Wally tractor that points from the spindle to the pivot point. But you do not need to align this line with anything. According to the Wallytractor directions you need to verify that the pivot to spindle distance is within + or - .5mm of the pivot to spindle distance inscribed on the Wallytractor. Once the distance is verified, you place the Wallytractor over the spindle hole and rotate the Wallytractor so that "Point 0" (the outer edge of the arc, is directly under the stylus. Then you move the tonearm in to "Point 1" which is just outside of the label area. If the stylus is outside the arc at "Point 1" then the cartridge needs to be moved back towards the pivot point or away from the pivot point if the stylus is inside the arc. Change the overhang and go back to "Point 0" and start all over. Eventually, the stylus will follow either the Baerwald or Lofgren arc all the way from "Point 0" to "Point 1". No visual sighting of the spindle to pivot line is needed. Getting that sight line accurately has always been a problem for me when I used other protractors. That is why I like the Wallytractor - no sight alignment required.

As you know, I change cartridges quite frequently. I find the Wallytractor to be, for me, easy to use and more accurate than any of the other protractors that I have tried. Wallytractors are expensive, but to me are worth the extra cost. YMMV.

This is why I've not bought into the WallyTractor as an alignment progress. While I have not used it, it appears to be excellent at describing the solution, but not very good at defining the process to arrive at that solution - you're still doing the stylus hokey-pokey.

If you do get the stylus to follow the WallyTractor arc from Point 0 to Point 1....guess what? You've got your P-to-S distance correct and your overhang (effective length) correct. However, you're manipulating multiple variables simultaneously, and this can cause one to gouge out one's own eyes in frustration. Yes, you can perfect your alignment this way, but in all reality, this particular aspect of alignment is simple 2-dimentional geometry and doesn't have to be that frustrating or time consuming.

Also, for the WallyTractor to facilitate an efficient setup, as stated above, the pivot to spindle distance must be within + or - 0.5mm of the pivot to spindle distance inscribed on the WallyTractor. For tables that have a variable-distance mounting hole for the tonearm (like my Teres) that margin or error is pretty tight. If you screw up the P-to-S, you could be playing the hokey-pokey all night (instead of spinnin' vinyl).

Here's my process (using my template).

1. Level the table.

2. Attach tonearm to base. Cut out templates using a razor blade and a straight edge. Fix platter to base using tape.

3. Make sure the head shell is level (when measured perpendicular to the tonearm).

4. Set the pivot-to-spindle distance using the supplied Baerwald Protractor template. The tip of the template should exactly center over the small hole where the tonearm wires come through on the base of the tonearm (specific to an Origin Live Silver tonearm).

The thickness or placement of the tonearm wires may make this impossible. If this is the case, shear off the tip of the protractor. This should compensate for the wires and facilitate accurate alignment. Fix template to platter using tape.

5. Mount the cartridge and preliminarily set the Vertical Tracking Force (VTF). It is recommended to initially set the VTF in the top third of the recommended range. However, at this stage, precision is not critical as VTF will be fine-tuned later in the process. Set the anti-skate mechanism to 0.

6. Set effective length using the template (at point #1).

7. Set offset angle (at points #1 and #2). You may have to *slightly* rotate the cartridge so when looking at the cantilever straight-on the lines at 66 mm and 120.9 mm “run right up into the suspension tube.”

Note that it is the alignment of the cantilever that matters – not the cartridge body (that’s why there is only a single line to guide this setup). A Baerwald-aligned cartridge will be nearly (but *not* exactly) square to the head shell on a Rega style arm.

8. Set Stylus Rake Angle (SRA). As a baseline, set the SRA 1-degree forward (top away from the tonearm pivot). Use the SRA Protractor template as a guide.

9. Repeat steps 6 – 8 until no additional adjustments are necessary to satisfy all 3 steps.

Yes, this process is pretty generic, but it's easier to follow and understand than many I've seen (and tried). If I would print out my template on a mirrored piece of plastic, it would make it an even more powerful tool. Feel free to tell me where I've gone awry.

In glancing at this latest thread with my name on it, I just looked at a rew responses and immmediately noted a serious mis-understanding of the use and design of my alignment tools. In particular, Albertporter (4-15) is wrong on at least two points: first, he states that "...Graham estimates that distance and is frequently off by several thousandth's of an inch".... This is wrong, as the cross-hair intersection is exactly to the right specificaiton, and engraved with a laser to prevent any possiblity is template misalignment.
After that, it is up to the user to be accurate in placing the cantilver along the alignment guide and next to the proper overhang distance. No different than any other setup tool in that the final accuracy will be up to the user.
Our instruction book also points out another fact that the writer missed: the flip-over target plate of the alignment gauge DOES place about 1.25 grams of load force on the stylus, thereby placing the cartridge in it's dynamic operating position. That feature is part of our patent on this device, by the way.
The next correspondent, Dougdeacon, is similarly misinformed about this and concludes that alignment can only be made reliable when VTF, VTA and azimuth are all set together. The stylus tip doesn't really know or care about azimuth as far as overhang is concrened. And, as previously noted, our gauge does load the stylus tip so that typical VTF/VTA forces are applied.
Then I would add that one of the features that make this design so attractive, I believe, is that all this can be done with the removable armwand of our 2.2 (and also with the higher-performance Phantom)safely and conveniently off the turntable.
None of this is to reflect (no pun intended, but it's there, if you are familiar with the Wally protractor) on the excellent Wally tools; they certainly are among the best I can think of. But I did want to stop any misconcptions about the design or use of our own product in this regard.
While these sites are a lot of fun, and often provide a useful dialogue, I would suggest that one might also keep a wary eye on some of the threads, as sometimes a misunderstanding, once initiated and continued, can become "fact" in the eyes of other readers. It's like telling the jury to disregard an inappropriate statement made by a witness; how can they really forget it?
By the way, we are updating our alignment gauge to have an adjustable height feature, the better to accommodate really tall cartridges as well as the more typical short ones.
Happy spring to all!... Bob Graham

Hello Bob, long time no talk to.

You said:

"...Graham estimates that distance and is frequently off by several thousandth's of an inch".... This is wrong, as the cross-hair intersection is exactly to the right specification, and engraved with a laser to prevent any possibility is template misalignment.

Unless I missed something, or the set up tools have changed, a unipivot design allows for several thousands of an inch variation in the measurement between spindle and tone arm pivot, regardless of how accurate the laser engraves the target.

Also:

Our instruction book also points out another fact that the writer missed: the flip-over target plate of the alignment gauge DOES place about 1.25 grams of load force on the stylus, thereby placing the cartridge in it's dynamic operating position.

Perhaps my own failing, but I was never able to hold the cartridge, depress the plastic gauge against the diamond to an extent to feel comfortable with the alignment. Add to that, the user has no way of knowing how much stylus force is being exerted with one's fingers, assuming you could hit the 1.25 gram’s and if that were the correct force needed (which for my cartridge is WAY off).

Like all set up systems, there are limitations. I have an easier time with the Graham system than the Wally and easier with the (discontinued) Cart Align than the Graham.

Discussions here at Audiogon are partly for our own amusement and to exchange ideas and technics.

You know I respect your arm as I have defended it in countless threads here at Audiogon. My own methods for set up are personal and like many choices in one's system are based on trial and error.

Hello Albert - yes, it's been quite a while, indeed. Nice to hear from you and allow me to answer your newest questions a bit: On your first point, which suggests that a typical unipivot can have play accumulating to perhaps several thousanths of an inch, I would first state I cannot speak for other unipivot designs; however, on ours, the pivot point is firmly, and I mean FIRMLY, anchored by gravity and the very fine, matched pivot and cup surfaces of our Swiss-made bearing set (made to our own specifications and not available elsewhere). Any such variation in setup would also be present during play, and that's completley unacceptable.

Of course, one can yank on the arm during alignment and move it, but on a proper turntable installation, with the armbase cutout at the right angle, there will be no internal interference and, thus, no fore-aft movement of the pivot during alignment. This bearing (and especially in the new Phantom which has an even improved bearing design over the 2.2) it will just stay as centered as a fixed-bearing arm. No, don't worry about that one.

On the second point, the downward force of the stylus gauge is automataic; you do not need to push down during use, nor should one try to. Admittedly, this downward force is "average" and some cartridges may benefit from a little more or less force; still, I believe this method results in more EASILY obtainable accuracy than typical protractors due to the fact that you're aligning the cantilever directly, rather than the cartridge body. Of course, Wally's gauge also works with the cantilever, and very well, too, but we like to think our "off turntable" system allows for a bit more safety and freedom from eyestrain than the on-turntable protractor approach
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And I agree the forum is a fun place, as I said. But as I also said, one must watch our for well-intentioned, but neverthless inaccurate theories to be started about things, lest others take it as gospel...

I also agree that audio is such a personal thing, and perhaps analogue is the most personal of all, what with the various combinatins of products, each proporting to have solved everyone else's design problems...! I believe strongly in what I have designed and explained on my website. In the end, it's all about enjoyment and music; and so in that we're all heading in the same direction ...!