The best alignment for 7 inch singles?


Hi guys

Has anyone done any listening tests on what alignment sounds best with 7 inch singles.

My assumpton would be Stevenson since it has less distortions in the last 3rd of any LP.

I am currently using Dertonarms extremely good Uni alignment, but I am pretty sure for 7inch vinyl, Stevenson would sound better. For the majority of my LP listening Dert's alignment is musically superior.

I am currently listening to the tamla motown 20 classic 45's - super box set.
downunder

Downunder

There are no LP alignments ideal for 7" records. Least bad would be Stevenson IEC.

If you wish to get the best from a 7" record, draw yourself a protractor with nulls at say 53mm and 73mm (which should accommodated singles with inner radius down to 50mm) and use that to align your cartridge. You will probably find it is impossible with an arm mounted for a normal LP unless you can elongate the slots on a standard headshell to reduce overhang, or have a sliding base like SME, or can rotate the armboard. The offset angle is much reduced also, so the ideal would be to adapt a headshell to enable twisting the cartridge sufficiently.

Even if you are way off with you template by a couple of millimetres it will still give you way better alignment than a standard set up, provided you align accurately, potentially under 0.1% for a standard 7".
.
Dear Downunder, interesting request - 7" singles .....
I will design an UNI-template for 7" and ( while we already at it ....) one specific for 10" records too.
Will ship both to you in mid september after my return from holiday.
Cheers,
D.