Best Alignment Protractor?

Easiest, cheapest, most precise, most customizable, with user selectable alignments (Lofgren A or B, Baerwald, Stevenson), radii, user input of pivot to spindle distance (any arm ever made!), is the Conrad Hoffman Arc Protractor. Just line your tip to the entire arc swing, then make parallel to ONLY ONE null point, and you’re done. No trial and error, no guessing. Takes about 5 minutes per alignment. I’ve had no troubles using Micro Ridge, or any other tip profile. Always accurate. And…. It’s free. It’s customized to YOUR arm, your table.

In my experience, skill and patience is more important than the tool you are using. You need to know what to look for when listening. The better tool only bring you faster and closer to the ball park. I have used Mint, Dr. Feickert, SmarTractor, Tri-planer. I admit that I haven’t used the Wally or Dennesen.

I don’t know but my turntable came with a simple but effective paper alignment “protractor” to make sure it was set up properly and that is worth its weight in gold.
 

I wonder what other reasonable priced modern turntables provide that?   Would definitely influence my buying decision.  A good table set up ineffectively  is a waste IMHO. 

clearthinker

Best protractor is no protractor. Get a parallel tracker.

Parallel tracking arms also require alignment. Azimuth, VTA/SRA, overhang.

Parallel tracking arms also require alignment. Azimuth, VTA/SRA, overhang.

No overhang on a linear tracker.

My Eminent Technology "protractor" is clealy more accurate than for any pivoted arm I have seen - you align the stylus to a very fine scribed line. The ET protractor aligns to the bearing housing ensuring that the stylus is at precisely the correct position for accurate tangential tracking.

For pivoted arms I use the Dennesen ( metal ) - the Feickert is easy but the size of the dot on which you place the stylus is far too big compared to the Dennesen and not anywhere near as precise as the ET. In fact a traditional accurate cardboard protractor with a pin prick for the stylus to drop into is probably more accurate than most - I have the old Garrott Bros protractors and they are very very accurate.