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Anxiety help needed. New instal of Hana ML

Good morning everyone. Last evening I finally got around to installing my brand new Hana ML. I installed it on my MOFI Ultra deck using the Dr. F protractor. All went well despite my coffee fueled sausage fingers. I really took my time to get the alignment right, checking and re-checking. I left the stylus guard on while installing onto the head shell and wiring. Took it off obviously to use the protractor.

I hooked up the TT to my Parasound JC3 jr. and fired things up for a quick listen. I was completely blown away to say the least. Put on John Lee Hooker "The Healer" and it knocked my jaw clean off.

What gave me some restless sleep? The fact that the cantilever just looks like it’s ever so slightly oriented to the left as you view the front of the cart. I mean maybe a couple red hairs.. I didn’t notice any sound difference left or right, no increase or decrease, no hint of distortion either.

Please tell me to just take my Lexapro and drink my coffee and relax. That’s all I’m asking.

Thank you,

Dumb Doug

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theflattire
128 posts
 

Probably not a great help, but recently I've taken to aligning the cantilever and giving the cart only a fast check to make sure it's not way off.

Given the different cart body designs, aligning the cantilever seems to be easier and in my mind, makes more sense.

lewm
12,495 posts
 

Technically, that's what you should do, align the cantilever. The problem is that for many cartridges, the cantilever is very hard to see while the cartridge is sitting on the grid of a protractor.  Only a few protractors provide help, like the Smartractor.  At the very least, you need a bright light and magnification to get it right.  Also, since you want the cantilever to align with the cartridge body longitudinally, then its just as good to align to the cartridge body if it is squared off with respect to the cantilever.

theflattire
128 posts
 

Yeah I use a flashlight on a grid.

elliottbnewcombjr
5,185 posts
 

OP,

could you select a photo or two, show us what yours looks like:

do a google search ’crooked stylus’, select images

select/enlarge appropriate image(s)

right click, copy image address, insert the images (top bar, 6th icon)

.................................

or, your cartridge, take photos, get the photos on the web (not your computer). one way is to create a virtual system on this site, and upload the pics there. then open them, copy image address, back to your post here, 6th icon, insert (box waiting for image address, paste it in).

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 

I have an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze that’s visibly skewed, certainly by more than a couple hairs. Align for the cantilever, and it sounds great. I know because I had another one with perfectly straight cantilever. If it starts drifting a lot then you’ve got a problem, but as its stands enjoy the fact you’ve got a great sounding cart. If the channel balance L/R is perfect, that’s the important thing!

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