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  3. 1304552009

VPI Classic/Clear Audio Maestro Wood Question

I just bought a CA Maestro Wood cartridge from an A'gon member. Per the seller, the cartridge is practically brand new and hasn't even broken in yet. The seller has great feedback and I found him to be very reliable.

I mounted the Maestro Wood myself, being careful to double check alignment, azimuth, VTF and VTA. My turntable is a VPI Classic, with the stock JMW 10.5iSE arm. As far as I can tell, the turntable and arm are in good working order. As regards azimuth, I adjusted it with both the little aluminum rod provided by VPI AND with a bubble balance. Azimuth is perfect. Ditto VTA. Oh, per VPI's suggestion, I am NOT using anti-skating force AND made sure the tone arm wire is not twisted.

After all mounting procedures were performed and double checked, I "eye-balled" the cartridge and cantilever alignment while playing a record. I noticed that as best I could tell, it seemed as though the cantilever was pulling slightly inward towards the spindle, maybe 10+ degrees. Same thing with the cartridge just sitting on a record with the platter not turning. However, when I lifted the arm, the cantilever seemed to hang straight down. Sound imaging is spot center in play mode. Ordinarily, I would have thought the cantilever was pulling slightly inward towards the spindle because of excessive anti-skating force, but as stated above, I am NOT using the anti-skating set-up.

Ok -- the question: Is it normal for the Maestro Wood cantilver to pull slightly inward towards the spindle under the circumstances described above?

One more question: I also own a CA Virtuoso Wood which needs a new stylus and cantilever. Does anyone know who the Clear Audio contact is that does the re-tips?

Thanks for the advice.
bifwynne
markd51
763 posts
 
I'm certainly far from being the "house expert" here when it comes to cartridges, particularly the Clearaudio, which I've never owned, nor have I ever owned a Table with a VPI Arm on board.

But, when you say you "eyeballed" the cartridge, and cantilever alignment, this of course leaves lots of room for mis-interpretation by others.

Perhaps then, you might wish to further elaborate as to your alignment methods, what tool-tools you used?

I would assume if you're noting a cocked cantilever while in play, that perhaps at no point on the record is your cantilever-stylus properly aligned (azimuth angle) to the groove.

From the sound of it, you're possibly under an assumption that the seller somehow perhaps mis-represented what he sold you, that you're having some doubts about the hours of play, and/or the integrity of cantilever-suspension being possibly damaged from whatever possible mishap?

There may be the possibility that you may indeed have to implement some slight bit of anti-skating force, then try again, and see what the results are?

I'm of the camp that believes that absolutely no anti-skate force applied is going to necessarily be the best choice per any given application. Mark
markd51
763 posts
 
I meant to say that at no point is "Zenith Angle" correct, not Azimuth, sorry. Mark
bifwynne OP
2,206 posts
 
Mark, as I mentioned in the OP, I used both VPI's very thin aluminum bar that fits on top of the tone arm head to set azimuth. I checked the results by putting a bubble level on the top of the tone arm head. Azimuth should be fine. I used a VPI balance to set VTF and checked the results twice. I adjusted stylus overhang and offset angle using a Dennison protractor (based on Baerwold geometry) and checked my results twice. I think that's it.

And btw, I did NOT intend to imply that the seller misrepresented anything about the cartridge, including hours of use or the integrity of the cantilever. To the contrary, the seller has impeccable feedback and was a great communicator with me.

Thanks for the suggestions.
markd51
763 posts
 
Sorry, I'm not trying to twist your comments into something else.

I see where you mentioned later about having some other clearaudio cartridge rebuilt, and I wrongly assumed you were referring to the cartridge on the table, my mistake.

But it does seem you are seeking opinion as to why this issue you note is occuring, and I assume you hadn't ever noticed such occuring with another cartridge on this table?

Hopfully, you'll get all solved, and hopefully too, others can give you better advice than I have.

Choosing not to mention any names with this reference I once read, by a very knowledgeable person who I know that posts to this forum once made a comment, along these lines I believe that if one sets up antiskate to track neutrally on a blank test track, that antiskate will most likely be set much too high.

And to further go on, he mentioned that too high antiskate will often be the cause of a cantilever that will take a permanently skewed-crooked set.

But that no antiskate at all can never cause this to happen?

And that's where I'm a bit at a loss to understand this priciple? Where one can be detrimental, but the other isn't?

Hopefully more folks can enlighten up both, and please do keep us posted on your findings. Hope you get all sorted out. Best of luck, Mark
bifwynne OP
2,206 posts
 
Follow Up Note:

I rechecked my adjustments using different methodology and tools. I rechecked cartridge alignment and overhang using a recently acquired VPI jig rather than my Dennison protractor. Although both tools incorporate the Baerwald (sp?) geometry, the VPI jig enabled me to make more accurate adjustments. The VPI jig lays flatter on the platter and the brightly painted alignment grid is easier to use as a reference. I also used my bubble level in a different way to check VTA. It turns out that additional adjustments were required, especially VTA -- the tone arm had to be raised quite a bit to achieve the right SRA/VTA.

I rechecked the cantilever alignment after I made the adjustments described above. Interestingly, because I raised the tone arm to achieve better SRA/VTA, I actually had a better "look-see" of cantilever alignment. I believe the cantilever is pretty straight. It might always have been ok, it's just that because the tone arm was hanging so close to the platter, it was hard to get a good look at its position relative to the cartridge body.

Moreover, consistent with other posts in this forum, I believe the various adjustments affected the sonics somewhat. In particular, the music playback is more airy and less bassy. Imaging is correlatively improved as well. I'm still fine tuning SRA/VTA, but the adjustments are now pretty small -- on a "tweak" magnitude of change. Overall, an improvement!
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