Is Wally tool preffered for Graham 2.2?

Rgordonpf, Doug, and others have given you advice which echoes my experiences and observations.

This is yet another case of the tool with which you best relate being the best tool for your needs.

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THE TOOL AS A TEACHER:

This concept of the tool serving as a teacher reminds me of some of the sophisticated bicycling computers - specifically the ones with a cadence sensor. After using this feature for a few weeks, you get a sense of your body's rhythms and how quickly you are turning over the pedals. You will likely not use it again.

That it gets you to that point however can serve as an invaluable teaching tool. There are features in all of the cartridge alignment tools which may end up serving this purpose for you. If you can learn from them, then you will be wiser and will better enjoy your record collection.

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THE DB SYSTEMS PROTRACTOR:

This is a tool that I cannot relate to at all - unless that is, you throw away the translucent top section, which to my experience introduces parallax.

With the DB, I don't understand how you can precisely locate the stylus over the null point when the stylus rests on a second translucent (frosted acrylic) sheet about 1/8" above the white opaque protractor. Without this additional piece, it's like every other generic protractor which is to say, fine but not as good as the mirrored protractors I favor (see below).

Now, if the small graded scale (the translucent sheet) helps you to visualize the setup better, then it serves a valuable purpose, but once you "get the point", I would file it away and never use it again (see "the tool as a teacher", above).

Carrying this argument a step further (the idea of relating to your tool), Frank Schröder uses a protractor of his own manufacture - produced on card stock - bare bones simple. No one who has inspected Frank's work would argue that the does not produce a great setup.

If the tool better helps you to visualize what you are doing, then it is a good tool.

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CARTALIGN and WALLY TOOL:

I cannot comment fully on the Cartalign device that Albert favors. I actually purchased one in 1987, and not understanding it perfectly, I returned it. This was a bonehead move on my part, as it is at a minimum, a cool tool to have around. Several years after returning it, I met someone who owned one, and we did several setups with it - very satisfactory ones. I worked with it a bit, but I'd prefer to have it in hand to comment further than what I have to say below.

The defunct Cartalign (like Wally's) is mirrored, and works similarly to Wally's, in that you need to rotate it so that an index line points from the record spindle to the bearing pivot's center.

The Wally tool allows you to verify that you've sited (rotated) the protractor correctly and the Cartalign does not to my recollection do so. When the Wally tool is correctly oriented, the stylus will perfectly trace the arc scribed on the protractor - either overhanging the arc or being collinear with it.

There is no such arc on the Cartalign, and I don't remember a means of verifying the accuracy of the orientation. I recall making a simple device for my friend - to aid in positioning the Cartalign. This consisted of a small washer with a hole drilled through it. Through this hole, I affixed a piece of nylon thread.

The idea was to slip the washer over the record spindle and stretch the thread to a position over the bearing pivot. This facilitated locating the Cartalign's alignment line so that its index line pointed from the record spindle toward the bearing's pivot. This wasn't perfect, but it helped.

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MIRRORED PROTRACTORS - TURNTABLE BASICS, TRIPLANAR, etc.

Mirrored protractors help you to site down the cantilever and correct for parallax - verifying that you are looking at the cantilever "head on". I currently use one manufactured by Ortofon in the early 1980's, but the Turntable Basics and the Triplanar protractors both have mirrored surfaces. The Wally and the Cartalign are mirrored, and because of their different usage, I discussed them above.

While Frank Schröder's trained eyes don't require a mirrored surface, I am not quite so good at verifying that I am looking at the cantilever "head on" and find the mirrored surface helps me to do so.

Tim's (Turntable Basics) protractor is - a very nice and reasonably priced tool. I recommend it to people and keep a link to Tim's website on my Support page - along with a link to Wally under the section - "Commercially Produced Tools".

My understanding is that the Triplanar setup protractor is made in the same factory as the TT Basics tool. I can't remember the exact conversation with Tri Mai about this, but I recall walking away with that conclusion.

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THE DENNESEN:

I've only briefly encountered this tool. It helps you to verify the pivot to spindle distance easily, but I find that the alignment surface is a bit difficult to use. If it were a mirrored surface, I'd put it in the category of the Wallytractor and recommend it more highly.

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THE GRAHAM ALIGNMENT TOOL (only for Graham tonearms):

I encourage Bob Graham to comment on his alignment tool. I think that it has the potential to be the best tool extant, but in its present configuration, I have found that I can effect a much more accurate setup using a traditional tool.

My suspicion however is that many individuals who may not be quite so careful will benefit from using Bob's tool.

The problem I see with it is that it is predicated on precisely setting the pivot to spindle distance of the tonearm. This is absolutely wonderful in theory, and if the Graham had a captive bearing rather than a unipivot, it would be the perfect tool.

What I've observed is that you cannot perfectly set the pivot to spindle distance due to the rocking of the arm on the bearing. This rocking skews the pivot to spindle distance and invalidates the setup - resulting in alignment errors of 1 to 1.5 mm of overhang - the best results I could achieve with it.

The solution - which would then make Bob's device the best one on the planet is to develop some sort of stabilizing collar to hold the bearing assembly perfectly rigid and parallel to the record surface. Bob's would then be the perfect tool.

If I still owned a Graham tonearm, I would do the following:

1 Use the device as described in the instruction and perform your setup.
2. Cross validate the setup with a regular protractor like the Turntable Basics.
3. If you find any discrepancy (you may be better than I am at holding the bearing in the right position), use the intentional play in the arm mounting holes in conjunction with the Turntable Basics protractor set the overhang perfectly.

After this one-time, initial setup, you can then use the Graham alignment tool - knowing that you've perfectly dialed in the pivot to spindle distance.

Bob may have some tricks to getting a perfect pivot to spindle distance which his tool is predicated on. If anyone smarter than me can comment on this, we will all be richer for it.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Tom, I pretty much agree with all you have said.

When I set up using my Cart Align, I use a tiny nylon thread around the turntable spindle to locate the spindle bearing to tone arm pivot. As you pointed out, having the mirror helps me do the other parts of the setup and I like the sound I get from the Cart Align formula.

The one thing on the Graham tool that seems to be missing from the discussion is the alignment of the cartridge in the head shell. As I remember (from the three I've owned) the user presses a plastic device against the cantilever to sight the correct overhang. While in theory this appears to be a clean solution, it does not take into consideration the exact stylus pressure during playback, which effects overhang and VTA.

I agree with your assessment of the Graham tool for setting pivot to spindle distance. I got where I could feel the side to side pressure of the unipivot and could get pretty close, but never 100%.

I also owned the Dennison and as you pointed out, the spiked metal outrigger allowed for very good sighting of the pivot to spindle, much easier than the tiny thread on the Cart Align system. I could never "read" the Dennison once I had it in place and for that reason, sold it as I did the WallyTractor.

Truth is, I keep my set up tools to help others (which I do all the time). My Walker does not benefit from any of these, but I enjoy hearing all turntables and arm setups because I love analog so much.

Thom--Do me a favor and stop being so damn helpful,and NICE!!You will make it increasingly difficult for me to debate you in future threads.I'm already considering having a grandchild named after you(should one of my kids get married)!!

Albert,---Ditto!

BTW,I do have some additional set-up stuff in my accessories box,and will bring them to my friend(you know who,Albert)next month.I will,also,re check my own set-up which is "down" for updates at the present time.

One thing I am most likely guilty of, is the fact that though I have been fanatical with the Graham set-up tools,I have NOT taken into account the Very slight "play" in the actual armboard holes,of my table.Naturally I set bearing to spindle distance in the original setup,but I have taken off the armboard(with attached arm)to check certain stuff.There is very slight play,and I always knew I should recheck the original position.This is really looking like "sloppiness" on my part,and I must recheck the pivot to spindle again.You can all hold this over my head in future debates,as to my competence!I obviously have to check my friend's set-up too,as he relies on my "hands of a vascular surgeon" stillness,when working in close quarters.-:)I guess being in constant training for a strenuous sport helps the nervous system,here.

I'd love to squeek out a bit more from my 2.2!Hmm,maybe that slight "sibilence",that I never hear(in both set-ups) will disappear!-:)

Best!

Hi Thom,

Just a minor point about the Wallytractor. You said "The defunct Cartalign (like Wally's) is mirrored, and works similarly to Wally's, in that you need to rotate it so that an index line points from the record spindle to the bearing pivot's center."

There is a line on the Wally tractor that points from the spindle to the pivot point. But you do not need to align this line with anything. According to the Wallytractor directions you need to verify that the pivot to spindle distance is within + or - .5mm of the pivot to spindle distance inscribed on the Wallytractor. Once the distance is verified, you place the Wallytractor over the spindle hole and rotate the Wallytractor so that "Point 0" (the outer edge of the arc, is directly under the stylus. Then you move the tonearm in to "Point 1" which is just outside of the label area. If the stylus is outside the arc at "Point 1" then the cartridge needs to be moved back towards the pivot point or away from the pivot point if the stylus is inside the arc. Change the overhang and go back to "Point 0" and start all over. Eventually, the stylus will follow either the Baerwald or Lofgren arc all the way from "Point 0" to "Point 1". No visual sighting of the spindle to pivot line is needed. Getting that sight line accurately has always been a problem for me when I used other protractors. That is why I like the Wallytractor - no sight alignment required.

As you know, I change cartridges quite frequently. I find the Wallytractor to be, for me, easy to use and more accurate than any of the other protractors that I have tried. Wallytractors are expensive, but to me are worth the extra cost. YMMV.

This is why I've not bought into the WallyTractor as an alignment progress. While I have not used it, it appears to be excellent at describing the solution, but not very good at defining the process to arrive at that solution - you're still doing the stylus hokey-pokey.

If you do get the stylus to follow the WallyTractor arc from Point 0 to Point 1....guess what? You've got your P-to-S distance correct and your overhang (effective length) correct. However, you're manipulating multiple variables simultaneously, and this can cause one to gouge out one's own eyes in frustration. Yes, you can perfect your alignment this way, but in all reality, this particular aspect of alignment is simple 2-dimentional geometry and doesn't have to be that frustrating or time consuming.

Also, for the WallyTractor to facilitate an efficient setup, as stated above, the pivot to spindle distance must be within + or - 0.5mm of the pivot to spindle distance inscribed on the WallyTractor. For tables that have a variable-distance mounting hole for the tonearm (like my Teres) that margin or error is pretty tight. If you screw up the P-to-S, you could be playing the hokey-pokey all night (instead of spinnin' vinyl).

Here's my process (using my template).

1. Level the table.

2. Attach tonearm to base. Cut out templates using a razor blade and a straight edge. Fix platter to base using tape.

3. Make sure the head shell is level (when measured perpendicular to the tonearm).

4. Set the pivot-to-spindle distance using the supplied Baerwald Protractor template. The tip of the template should exactly center over the small hole where the tonearm wires come through on the base of the tonearm (specific to an Origin Live Silver tonearm).

The thickness or placement of the tonearm wires may make this impossible. If this is the case, shear off the tip of the protractor. This should compensate for the wires and facilitate accurate alignment. Fix template to platter using tape.

5. Mount the cartridge and preliminarily set the Vertical Tracking Force (VTF). It is recommended to initially set the VTF in the top third of the recommended range. However, at this stage, precision is not critical as VTF will be fine-tuned later in the process. Set the anti-skate mechanism to 0.

6. Set effective length using the template (at point #1).

7. Set offset angle (at points #1 and #2). You may have to *slightly* rotate the cartridge so when looking at the cantilever straight-on the lines at 66 mm and 120.9 mm “run right up into the suspension tube.”

Note that it is the alignment of the cantilever that matters – not the cartridge body (that’s why there is only a single line to guide this setup). A Baerwald-aligned cartridge will be nearly (but *not* exactly) square to the head shell on a Rega style arm.

8. Set Stylus Rake Angle (SRA). As a baseline, set the SRA 1-degree forward (top away from the tonearm pivot). Use the SRA Protractor template as a guide.

9. Repeat steps 6 – 8 until no additional adjustments are necessary to satisfy all 3 steps.

Yes, this process is pretty generic, but it's easier to follow and understand than many I've seen (and tried). If I would print out my template on a mirrored piece of plastic, it would make it an even more powerful tool. Feel free to tell me where I've gone awry.