setting azimuth on VPI turntables

How low does the A/C voltage scale on the Digital Multimeter need to be?

And where do you measure it?

Thanks, Jerry

Jerry, the ac voltage scale should be at the 2 scale, the 20 scale is not low enough for precise readings.

You measure at the speaker binding posts on your amp.

Stingreen, it would be interesting to measure your crosstalk with a DMM. I contend the DMM method is by far the most precise method because of production variations in tonearm mounting pads, cartridge mounting surface, cantilever, flatness of record, and in your case the Myrtle wood blocks. In the case of VPI's method you also have the possible variations in straightness of rod, ruler precsion and reading it.

My initial reading after having set azimuth according to the VPI method was around 20% deviation in crosstalk between channels. I also found that inperceptable movement (with the naked eye) of the counterweight resulted in quite different crosstalk measurements, ie., what may measure equal using any physical means may still not be within the 5 to 10% crosstalk tolerance level. Also, there may be added value in getting it down to about 1% vs. 5 to 10% tolerance level(I didn't listen to musical passages at different crosstalk valuations).

Your suggestion of tightning up the counterweight set screw close to its stop could be very helpful, I had the screw set loose which may have resulted in counterweight moving about too easily. Also, I wasn't setting VTF and azimuth in discrete steps, I already had the VTF set correctly. It was in trying to move counterweight about it's axis that I was inperceptably moving counterweight forward and backward which changed VTF, your suggestion of pre-tightening some may help in keeping this from happening.

Slowhand, I took it for granted the VPI allignment jig was correct. In the Fremer DVD he does allignment with the Wally tracker and it jibes perfectly with the VPI jig. I will have to go back to my DB protractor and double check allignment.

Almost forgot, another thing that may result in azimuth error is how tight each screw is. At one point in the midst of doing my measurements I had gotten crosstalk deviation within specs, I decided to retighten the cartridge screws just to be sure, this changed crosstalk deviation beyond specs.

To reiterate, my experience teaches me no physical measurements protocol will result in proper azimuth settings. One may get lucky and find the mark, but for proper azimuth it is absolutely necessary for an electronic measurement.

With practice this method is actually quite easily accomplished, not rocket science here. Purchase or borrow the Fremer video, the PDF files alone are worth the price. Actually, now that I think of it, it may be necessary to buy that video as it has the Wally azimuth voltage to decibel conversion chart that is absolutely necessary. It may also be available elsewhere on the web for free, I haven't checked. You also need a record with 1kz test signal for both left and right channels, I used the Cardas record.

While we are on the topic of cartridge allignment, it may be interesting to note that the vacuum state website (in their white papers) has another take on cartridge allignment. I have not read it in detail, but it may be worth further exploration.

Is there any other test records besides the Cardas with the 1khz tracks? I used the rod method but would like to check it electronically.