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The importance of azimuth

Not a particularly sexy topic, I know, but I recently had a rather ear-opening experience with my VPI Aries 2/JMW-10/Denon 103D. I been enjoying playing records for hours--sometimes days--on end during the few weeks I've had the new 'table and arm (the cart I've had for years). But after endless tinkering with the VTA (adjustable during play--perfect for neurotics like me), even at the "ideal" setting for any given record, there was an unpleasant edge to the sound. It was almost as if everything was digitally remastered!

Needless to add, this was not exactly what I'd hoped for in a record-playing system, though it *still* sounded leagues better than my digital rig (Sony SCD-1), even with the latter playing SACD (no, it does *not* sound as good as vinyl--not yet, anyway). I added some damping fluid. No audible change.

Then it occurred to me (duh!). I'd only made a token adjustment of azimuth when I'd set up the 'table. It looked straight, the channels were well-separated and balanced, and basically I didn't want to screw around with it.

Big mistake. (I'm sure you were all mouthing those words already.) A loosening of the set screw and a bit of twisting, and...everything looked the same. Stylus descended to record...drum roll...oh...my...God! Voices and instruments beefed up and acquired shape, tape hiss magically appeared (where appropriate), and hard left and right images seemed to float about a foot outside the speakers.

I'm sure there are more scientific ways of setting azimuth, but I'm now in one of those situations where everything sounds so fulfilling of my expecations that I don't want to lose it.

Folks, never forget that in set-up *everything* matters. These are tiny increments of adjustment we're talking about here. Take care with everything and your hardware will reward you with the gorgeous sound we know is inside those records.
bublitchki
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albertporter
4,949 posts
 
Yea, just wait until your adjusting a high end cartridge within hundredths of a gram and it's clearly obvious which setting is better.

For my Koetsu it is EXACTLY 1.97 grams with the Walker. It was 1.99 with the Graham.

Crazy ain't it that such a small change in stylus pressure should effect tonal color, tracking and dynamics?
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drubin
3,274 posts
 
Albert, how do you keep that force stable? It must be sensitive to climate, time of day, who knows what else.
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albertporter
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It was with difficult with the Graham, in fact it often took two or three days to "sneak up" on the settings because the rubber parts in the counterbalance stored energy and would move over time.

These changes occurred within a few minutes to as long as overnight. Could be frustrating with this unipivot design where the VTA and azimuth are affected as well.

My Walker. Which I have had for several years never moves. I can literally set the tracking and check a day, week or month later and have no change at all.

In case anyone wonders, I use the Winds stylus gauge with hundredths of gram measuring ability. This is particularly nice if you take the turntable apart for some reason and want to hit the correct setting the very first time.

Setting by ear is important, especially when experimenting to see what works for that cartridge and in that arm. However, its also important to be able to return quickly to the perfect setting, once that has been determined.

The Winds will let you do that.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Nice post Bublitchki, and a good reminder for us all.

My VTF experience is similar to Albert's (except for the Walker part!). My Shelter 901 is exquisitely sensitive to very small changes in tracking force. Changes of .03g or even less are very audible. The best force can only be found by listening and it changes with any significant swing in outside temperature. (Yes, my home is heated.)

During the January cold spell it wanted 1.94-1.96g. With daytime temps now all the way up to 35F, the Shelter wants to see 1.90-1.93g. When the hot weather of summer returns I'll be down around 1.80g. These changes have a big effect on HF extension/cleanliness and the amplitude of dynamics.

Like Albert I have a digital scale that measures to .01g, though mine was much less expensive than the Winds. I've also got a mod on my OL Silver that allows instant VTF adjustments over a .15g range without moving the counterweight. Very handy with such a touchy cartridge. There are no rubber parts anywhere in the arm, so any setting that I choose tends to be pretty stable.

Gosh, if we weren't fretting over stuff like this, think how much damage we could be doing in the real world!
rcrump
427 posts
 
Azimuth is the most important adjustment in a tonearm and best set with a test record and scope......Set it for the same crosstalk per side.....Azimuth must be correct or VTA can never be ascertained.....Recall Dave Shreve spending about three hours setting up azimuth on my new tonearm and then five minutes setting proper VTA.....That was fifteen years ago.....Andy Payor used a test record and gadget that Audioquest made years ago and got the azimuth right in half an hour......Wish someone would make that gadget again as they are hard to find used........
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