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Feickert analogue protractor....Owners impressions

I'm contemplating the purchase of this brand of protractor.

Over the years I have relied on a good friend to mount cartridges and set up the few tables that I have owned in the past.
Relying on someone else to do this was for good reason.

I would never make it as a watch maker or any other profession that requires a fine touch and skill with steady hands.
The time has come where I will have to do this totally on my own.

My question to you owners of the Feickert protractor is what is your experience with it regarding ease of use and accuracy compared to other protractors?

Secondly, the disk has strobe markings for speed set up, does the Feickert package come with a strobe light for the $250. selling price?

I asked these question of a dealer sent via a e-mail and have not received a reply as of yet.

Thank you for your replies.
stiltskin
stiltskin OP
499 posts
 
This post to date is approaching 2,200 views, someones reading it.
Here's an opportunity to drive home, AGAIN, this subject of proper set up and enjoyment of vinyl playback.

There is helpful guidance for the novice and some veterans of this hobby.

Stay tuned....
stltrains
845 posts
 
I am using WallyTracktor Universal and it delivers the results needed for precise tone arm setup. Most arm type arcs are included in the design. A group or club of analog heads could make good use of this fine phono arm tool.
04rdking's avatar
04rdking
178 posts
 
Excuse me if this is redundant. What about those of us that have an older SME arm that uses the Stevenson geometry? Is it possible to use an arc protractor for these? Aren't most, if not all based on Baerwald? I ask because I just installed a Grado Reference Master on my SME Series III arm. Set the VTA and VTF on a 150 gram LP. Checked and double checked the alignment with a new SME alignment protractor (cardboard, single point). Checked and rechecked VTA/VTF. I notice some sibilence at the beginning of the record. Towards the end, it sounds great. From what I've read, this would make sense due to the Stevenson setup. Is there any way, without changing arms, to more closely "mimic" the Baerwald?

And I agree with Smoffatt, this is a great thread.
thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
729 posts
 
Hi 04rdking,

Looking at the specs for the 309 on SME's website:

Effective Length: 232.2
Pivot-Spindle: 213.4
Offset angle: unspecified

From John Ellison's great spreadsheet (free stuff on Enjoy the Music website ... also linked to from my support page):

Baerwaald predicts (for 232.2 effective length)

Effective Length: 232.2
Pivot-Spindle: 214.33
Offset angle: 23.73 degrees

Loefgren predicts:

Effective Length: 232.2
Pivot-Spindle: 213.83
Offset angle: 23.73 degrees

So, assuming your cartridge (stylus position) is consistent with SME's ideal, then your effective length is indeed 232.2. You might try fiddling with the pivot to spindle distance (increasing by about .9mm for Baerwaald and .4mm for Loefgren) to get to Baerwaald and Loefgren approximations.

Perhaps you can lay a piece of masking tape on the base to measure this small change.

If the overall distortion level drops, you can always drop a few coins on either the van den Hul protractor or the TT Basiscs one.

Yip (Mintlp) and I have been positing (not yet verified) that tracing the arc (getting pivot to spindle and effective length right) is more critical than the offset angle.

You certainly won't ruin any records doing this.

Cheers,
Thom
narrod
1,064 posts
 
The Ken Willis protractor has provisions for all three geometries (sp?). Right now I have my Audioquest PT-6/Denon DL-160 set up for Stevenson feeling it sounds better than Baerwald. I have not tried Lofgren. I echo the positive comments about this thread. It's the epitome of information sharing without the messianic tone of trying to convert posters as so many threads seem to do.
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