Tranfiguration Orpheus description

Dan,

As I just posted, we did not run the Orpheus (or UNIverse) VTA tail down in our setup. The only *cartridges* we've ever run tail down were Shelters, which most people agree prefer that attitude. We're chasing a false lead on this one.

Doug

Neil,

Thanks for the offer. I have a mirror, a good lamp, 10x and 20x loupes, a 100x microscope and cards with reference lines at 0, 1 and 2 degrees. What other tools does one need to see and adjust SRA. (And yes, I understand that straight vertical is not optimal. Sorry for the shorthand.)

Are you EVER going to read or acknowledge that article I mentioned? You are not the only one who understands this, nor were you the first (and I certainly wasn't either). We should all give credit where credit is due.

You didn't by any chance read it in the smallest room of your house and put it behind you, I hope? :-)

Now now Doug, let's not get testy ;--) I never upstaged Mr. Risch, not that there's anything "pioneering" about his his method, or mine for that matter. Both are pretty much intuitively obvious to anyone with a mechanical bent. I simply offered a technique which proves more accurate and reliable when calibrating a cartridge setup, which BTW, I discovered years ago due to a separate interest in optics.

N
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Doug, as a matter of fact, yes you do need some other (actually slightly different) tools. Loupes are out. Not strong enough and in any case too bulky to get their optics right in where you need them to be.

The 100x (pocket?) microscope is too strong (too small a field of view to see both the stylus AND its reflection easily) A 30x or (I prefer) a 50x scope is just about right as far as magnification goes. In addition, it has to be of a physical design that allows the objective to focus on the stylus without actually hitting the cartridge body. And it must be small enough in diameter to "find" the stylus in its optical axis without the barrel of the scope hitting the little mirror. This is a rather tall order, and I bought a half dozen scopes before I found one or two that I could use.

Also, bean bags are essential to get all the optics just right -- although a good strong Zip-lock filled with sand, salt or preferrably sugar (so you can suck any excess air out through a straw before sealing ;--) will work just fine as well. (see the pictures with my SRA post: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1140840022&read&keyw&zzsra)

I totally admit this procedure IS A HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS, TEDIOUS, AND FRAUGHT WITH DISASTEROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR DELICATE CANTILEVERS IF ONE DOES NOT KEEP THEIR WITS ABOUT THEM. But that's just the first time. (Unfortunately, by the SECOND time, you've probably forgotten all the little tricks you learned the first time!)

I've sent mirrors, scopes and even bean bags and Maglite to others who've had no touble using these techniques with great success (usually with a little telephone guidance from me.) So anyone who wants to borrow my stuff, just let me know.

N
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Dan,

In my system I run the tonearm with a slight tail-up. I haven't verified what the SRA is exactly. As I recall, we ran the O and Univ in Doug's system with a slight tail down. According to Doug this provides a positive vta/SRA.

Anyway, I'll try adjusting the tonearm up and down from my exisiting setting and report back.

All,

Please allow me to take the blame for walking into a premature comparison and maybe not an extensive of enough evaluation of system parameters. I realize that this has only caused controversy and ill feelings between Zyx and Tranny owners. There are a lot of emotions going back and forth and it's too bad to see this. You guys are very proud of your knowledge and I'm sorry to see this thread get so testy.

I realize that it was wrong to compare an unbroken in, quickly optimized O to the Universe given the competitiveness and fallout likely to occur. In retrospect, we probably should have kept our feelings between us until a more thorough comparison could be made. Oh well. i'm new to this club and I guess I'm learning the hard way.

Doug, Paul, Nsgarch and Raul are great guys and have a lot of knowledge that has enabled me to prevent many mistakes and optimize my system. Obviously not all:).

At the end of the day, I really like the sound of the Orpheus in my system. i'll let you know how it improves in another 100 or 200 hours. Maybe then we can make a more thorough comparison.

Andrew