How to set SRA after determining true vertical?


Here is a picture of a stylus with zero rake angle:

http://members.cox.net/nsgarch/SRA@%200.0%20deg.jpg

Since all modern styli are symmetrical in the x and y plane about the verical z axis, the tapered stylus and its reflection will make a perfect "X" when vertical (z axis perpendicular to the groove) and viewed from the side.

This condition is established by raising or lowering the tonearm pivot post. Once you find this point, and assuming you have a typical 9" tonearm (about 230 mm from pivot to stylus) then each 4 mm you raise the post from the zero
SRA point will apply one degrewe of SRA to the stylus.

A test setup is shown in these two pics:

http://members.cox.net/nsgarch/SRA%20setup1.jpg
http://members.cox.net/nsgarch/SRA%20setup2.jpg

Equipment includes:

a mini Mag-Lite flashlite,
a first surface mirror from old SLR cameras -- easy to find at photo repair shop)
a 50X pocket microscope
bean bags

Don't forget to first remove antiskate and set VTF.

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128x128nsgarch
Dear Neil, Greg, Doug: This thread is really informative for all of us, unfortunatelly we can't do nothing different that what we all already do to set up the right SRA and as a fact we can't set up the correct SRA, our best is only an approach.

The main differences here are our ears frequency response at both extremes of the frequency range, our patience to setup the SRA on each record/track or to conform on an average figure, the accuracy of the RIAA eq. on our phonopreamp, the cartridges that we own ( stylus design ) and certainly our tonearms, our experience with live music and in the case of tube electronics: with which kind of " temper " wake up the tubes " that " day.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear Sirspeedy: Tks for all the Lp info.
+++++ " ,there is a series called "The Twilight Zone"! " ++++

Well, this is the first time I read about these recordings. I will try to get it.

Regards and enjoy the music.Raul.
Raul,

Exactly right, "our best is only an approach". That is true of everything in audio of course. All the expertise, good will, time and money in the world will not turn a pile of wires and silicon into a violin.

But we keep trying, because it sounds so good when we take another little step closer...