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Setup of Ortofon SPU Royal GM II in Ikeda 407

I would love some feedback on how people set up their SPUs in an Ikeda 407. The Ikeda has a few different setup parameters. The main one is to use 307mm from pivot to spindle and then just position the cartridge at the 50MM point in the headshell (measured from stylus to end of headshell) to get it right. But this does not conform to any of the known null points and has me confused. The SPU is 51 MM in length and going beyond in length is much worse than going less in length. Anyone w. experience to chime in would be appreciated. Remember the SPU Royal GM has the cartridge permanently fixed in the headshell. The only adjustment I can make is in the positon of the tonearm base.
dgad
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rauliruegas
12,883 posts
 
Dera Dgad: I think that Dowunder is right, try it and I'm sure everything will be fine.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
dgad OP
782 posts
 
Shane,

The arm is such a warped creation. It starts straight, then bends away from the center axis and then back in. Overhand is specified at 12 mm. So Now trying to add 4 arms I had to move everything around. It aint easy. But basically to establish 12mm overhang I don't have a tool for that. I use a ruler to establish the spindle to pivot distance of 295 mm. But since the cartridgge is a bit longer (52mm vs. the 50 mm specification from the arm manufacturer) I am thinking to increase the spindle to pivot distance to 297 mm. I hope it works. The Ikeda does not follow any of the known setup parameters hence all the questions. It is supposed to have only 1 null point if at all. Mind you, there is a thread on Vinyl Engine but that leaves me as confused. I don't have the Ortofon tool. I normally use the 66 null point and arrow to pivot for most of my arms. I also realize overhang is an extrapolation from how the cartridge lines up if the arm is linear. Only that way can the overhang of 12 mm be accomodated. So measuring overhang at the cartridge needle seems also impossible. The arm has a few bends so I need to run an imaginary line etc. to get it right.

Raul, what do you do for your FR arms.
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rauliruegas
12,883 posts
 
Dear Dgad: I have an old metal gauge from SAEC to measure the overhang right from the TT spindle.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
dgad OP
782 posts
 
Raul,

Now that is what I need. That is ideal. Anything new like that?
downunder
1,329 posts
 
Darren

The ortofon tool is only a plastic ruler with a drilled hole in the middle at the pivot to spindle point. You then just put the ruler over the spindle and measure the the correct mounting distance.

There is then a line at the 15mm mark which marks the effective length. You move the the armboard so that the SPU stylus sits on that line right next to the spindle.

That is it, as you know you can't change the alignment on the SPU due to its fixed headshell.

If you can drill a whole and mark the effective length on your ruler, that should do the trick.

let me know if you want me to email you a picture of the Ortofon ruler in action

cheers
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