Cartridges: Complete Scam?

Dear @larryi : I understand your last post statements, even that the issue is that no one should need anykind of protractor not even a shop. Problem is the same: responsability of tonearm/TT manufacturers.

In the other side seems to me that you are proud of the alignment you choosed:

"""  my alignment (change to UNI DIN)  """

That is nothing special. Here you can read about:

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/uni-din-versus-l%C3%B6fgren-b-just-clarify

in those times even MF did not understand in deep the whole critical tonearm/cartridge/TT alignment set up. Read the thread and pay attention to the last 3 posts in that MF thread.

You can have your own special alignment and call it: USA-IEC or USADIN, to do that you only have to change the input data in the calculations. The real differences in between any kind of alingments is where we have the distortions levels and I means higher or lower levels and where: in between null points and out of those two null points. That it's.

I said that in protractors could be something as a " scam " taking advantage of we customers ignorance levels. No one knows everything about everything in audio. In that thread MF did not understan it in full and this confirm my statement.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@rauliruegas I have to quibble a little with your assertion that it is the responsibility of tonearm manufacturers to provide universal mounting templates. While I absolutely agree that a tonearm manufacturer must provide a very precise mounting jig (i.e. to allow drilling of the mounting holes and correcty P2S -- which is btw somewhere many fall down) I question if we can expect them to provide tools to mount any cartridge. Given the vagaries in cartridge design and geometry tools such as the UNI Protractor I own (the more specialized precursor to the SMARTractor) allow one to get a much better view of the cantilever and stylus alignment -- yes you could get your own lens and set up and use it with the Mint but the UNI makes it so easy and precise it should better anything you expect from a tonearm manufacturer, and is priced accordingly.

As an aside I remember seeing one of the online retailers (maybe Music Direct) offering to give you a deluxe turntable setup using the SMARTractor (along with USB microscope for VTA, Foz for azimuth and so on) for $500 on top of the cost of a new table -- gives you a sense of what they think this service is worth

Anyway I accept that we should expect more from our arm manufacturers but there's still room for the top end tools some of us like to use

"For the OP and because what I’m telling here the best option is the MINTLP protractor that is dedicated/custom made for its analog rig and that have all the advantages you name it for a hundred buks."

IMO Raul nailed it direcly on the head. I was using a dB protractor for years and decided, based on many positive reviews of the MINT, to order one custom made for my SL1200II. Readjusting every cartridge about 2-3 mm back in the headshell, relative to where they had been previously with the dB, resulted in a MAJOR improvement in focus and coherency. To me, the device is indispensable for accurate and easy, quick overhang and alignment adjustment. WELL worth the $100 or so bux I paid for it. No scam here.

I thought you cartridge guys would align by ear. It might take a lot of time, true. When using alignment tools, any tools, how can you be sure that they give you the best result ? Very uncool of you. And incorrect.

I use Dr. Feickert Analogue Protractor (Next Generation) to choose between Baerwald, Loefgren or Stevenson on different tonearm and this is a great tool compared to others i have used before. Not necessary to buy new to pay full price, they are much better priced on second hand market. For example another one that comes with HiFi Test LP is free.