Is Wally tool preffered for Graham 2.2?

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.

In glancing at this latest thread with my name on it, I just looked at a rew responses and immmediately noted a serious mis-understanding of the use and design of my alignment tools. In particular, Albertporter (4-15) is wrong on at least two points: first, he states that "...Graham estimates that distance and is frequently off by several thousandth's of an inch".... This is wrong, as the cross-hair intersection is exactly to the right specificaiton, and engraved with a laser to prevent any possiblity is template misalignment.
After that, it is up to the user to be accurate in placing the cantilver along the alignment guide and next to the proper overhang distance. No different than any other setup tool in that the final accuracy will be up to the user.
Our instruction book also points out another fact that the writer missed: the flip-over target plate of the alignment gauge DOES place about 1.25 grams of load force on the stylus, thereby placing the cartridge in it's dynamic operating position. That feature is part of our patent on this device, by the way.
The next correspondent, Dougdeacon, is similarly misinformed about this and concludes that alignment can only be made reliable when VTF, VTA and azimuth are all set together. The stylus tip doesn't really know or care about azimuth as far as overhang is concrened. And, as previously noted, our gauge does load the stylus tip so that typical VTF/VTA forces are applied.
Then I would add that one of the features that make this design so attractive, I believe, is that all this can be done with the removable armwand of our 2.2 (and also with the higher-performance Phantom)safely and conveniently off the turntable.
None of this is to reflect (no pun intended, but it's there, if you are familiar with the Wally protractor) on the excellent Wally tools; they certainly are among the best I can think of. But I did want to stop any misconcptions about the design or use of our own product in this regard.
While these sites are a lot of fun, and often provide a useful dialogue, I would suggest that one might also keep a wary eye on some of the threads, as sometimes a misunderstanding, once initiated and continued, can become "fact" in the eyes of other readers. It's like telling the jury to disregard an inappropriate statement made by a witness; how can they really forget it?
By the way, we are updating our alignment gauge to have an adjustable height feature, the better to accommodate really tall cartridges as well as the more typical short ones.
Happy spring to all!... Bob Graham