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Tonearm Alignment Conundrum

I have recently installed a Hana ML into my Technice SL-1200G. I use a template generated from an application found on the Vinyl Engine.

In my normal procedure, I level the arm, adjust the arm assembly so that the stylus tip is in the same plane as an LP (medium thickness), apply a bit of down force and some anti-skate to align to the template. I balance stereo separation with an azimuth adjustable headshell, and then perform the final tweaks to tracking and anti-skate forces. I've been doing this procedure for many, many years.

The ML alignment was a bit peculiar. With the tonearm level, the (detachable) headshell is pointed down by a lot (using a clear acrylic block with level markings resting on the LP). I decided to level the headshell. The arm now definitely points down. Now, this is supposed to be a big no-no. However, since the stylus is attached to the cartridge body which is attached to the headshell, this is the proper way to perform the leveling. The arm can have all kinds of bends to it (with MOI implications, of course). The headshell is what matters.

The level-the-tonearm-step is the industry standard preferred method. I've used it for years. But I decided to break this paradigm for one that makes more sense.

I have not investigated the source for this issue. It might well be the fit of the headshell into the arm. If so, this implies that only the mounting area matters, not the entire arm, since every headshell cam be different (for an arm that has a detachable headshell, of course)

I'd like to hear other people's opinions and experiences are. Am I missing something?

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kevemaher OP
98 posts
 

@stereo5 The overhang has nothing to do with my current problem.

Judging from the number of posts, you are probably very knowledgeable on the care, optimization use of audio equipment. Therefore, you will understand that there are three alignments that have been rigorously demonstrated to have the lowest tracking error and distortion. Since there is a trade-off between these two, the alignments are optimized for one or the other or a compromise. We call these alignments Lofgren A, Lofgren B and Stevenson. I use Lofgren A. This is my own personal preference.

The gauges provided by table manufacturers do not create any of the three alignments noted above.

The Vinyl Engine has an application in their "Tools" section called "Tonearm Alignment Pro" that will allow you to enter your own alignment. This app then calculates tracking error and distortion performance for that alignment.

I have found that the gauges that TT manufacturers supply creates a rough form of the Stevenson alignment, probably to avoid inner groove distortion. But it is not an optimum alignment.

So that's why I use gauges that create the Lofgen A alignment.

 

 

kevemaher's avatar
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kevemaher OP
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@lewm I popped a few headshells into the arm today. Since I wasn't looking for an alignment, I put a level on top of the HS with the arm on its rest, locked in. I was looking for differences.

All five of the headshells I measured have shown the same tilt as the one that has the the cartridge mounted on it.

Therefore, the problem is not in the HS, but somewhere else, such as the arm itself or the bayonet mount on the arm.

The sound is very, very comparable to the Koetsu and Shelter cartridges I had mounted previously, although I don't remember the tilt being so out of whack for them. Could it be the cartridge body itself ???

Aaargh. Troubleshooting is hard!

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stereo5
6,428 posts
 

@kevemaher , gotcha.   

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