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What angle should I set the VTA on my VPI turntable?

I can't believe after all these years, I am asking such a basic "analogue 101" question, but here it goes. I own a VPI turntable that has a "VTA on the fly" knob.  I thought the best VTA setting was for the arm to be 100% parallel to the record surface.  

However, based on some research, I am not so sure that is correct way to set the arm to achieve optimal VTA and correlatively, optimal SRA.  Not sure, ... but I think I have to raise the pivot side of the arm.

Any advice would be appreciated. 

Thanks.     
bifwynne
pratorious
127 posts
 
https://www.wallyanalog.com/
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
The "tone control" aspect is once again putting the focus on only the most gross, crude, entry-level aspect of VTA adjustment. The idea of adjusting according to some table of record thicknesses is equally fruitless. Either put in the time and effort to learn to hear what is going on, in which case you will almost certainly agree fine tuning is an art well worth mastering, or don’t in which case set it and forget it.

In any case you already have the one and only thing needed to perfectly fine tune VTA: your ears. 

pedroeb
493 posts
 
At best it is always going to be compromise as record lathe cutter head angles can vary between manufacturers, then there's record thickness and finally VTF can impact cantilever angle.
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