Will fine tune adjustments with protractor help with "brightness?"


Hello everyone-

I've had my TT setup now for 2 months. System looks like this:

Piega C10 Ltd speakers
McIntosh 402 amp
Technics SL1200GR TT
Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE II phono pre
MoFi Master tracker cart

My ears may be deceiving me, but I swear my vinyl cuts sound slightly brighter at the beginning of the album and soften a little as we near the middle. I set the cartridge by using the little white piece provided by Technics and it sounds great. I've been told by reliable sources that a good protractor, maybe even  Feickert Universal Protractor can help me get even more out of my carts. 

Would enjoy hearing your thoughts on this. Thanks! Brent

128x128knollbrent
@chakster 
 The Technics alignment gauge does not make it as easy to be accurate with alignment as a precision protractor does.  Especially sighting the cantilever to be parallel with the gauge because the gauge does not have any runway lines.  I wish it did.  
In addition the alignment "flavor" that Technics gives us it the Stevenson alignment which tends to favor the middle to inner grooves- at the expense of the outer grooves. 
I personally prefer the Lofgren alignment which sounds much better in the outer grooves and overall IMHO.  The mint best tractor has a longer overhang consistent with a lofgren alignment.  I love the sound of my 'GR with the mint tractor alignment.  
@avanti1960 maybe it’s just me with a very long experience with those Technics, but when i quickly set-up cart with Technics overhang i am spot on, it’s easy to check with protractor. But if the cantilever of the cartridge is not centered then it’s another story. Technics is not exactly Stevenson, it’s close, but different. Anyway i have tried all 3 alignments on my Dr. Feickert protractor. 

I’m just tried to say that Technics demo was made with ART-1000 and surely with their own alignment. Everybody were impressed, so i do not see any problem to use this first as supposed to be (and to experiement later with different methods).
@knollbrent

I’ve been wondering if there’s a "set up" album for about a week now. I’ve been curious regarding a few albums with the voice placement and thought how nice it would be if there was a record you could test your system to too. Would this album have this voice placement test?

I test with real music, some properly recorded LPs which i know very well, most of them are originals from the 70’s, some Japanese pressings, there are many.

To check channel balance, polarity, or to set up anti-stating i use Hi-Fi Test LP and Cardas Sweep LP. The Hi-Hi Test LP comes with free protractor, also there are tracks to check resonance frequency of your cartridge/arm combo. I do not have any test records anymore.
@terry9 
What setting do you use on your torque screwdriver?

@avanti1960 
When I contacted Yip about a Mint Protractor for my SL-1200G, he said he only supplies the Stevenson alignment, no Lofgren. How were you able to get a Mint Protractor with Lofgren?