Tracking error distortion audibility

Oh and one other thing to note. The quality of the paper you print on does matter. I printed on standard copy paper, and certain environmental factors (humidity) can cause the paper to change shape ever so slightly. It's best to use thick, heavy photo paper if possible.

Sure, things like that help the argument that a real protractor/alignment tool is superior; I don't doubt that they are. If I was ok with spending the extra money, I'd probably say forget this and just buy a MintLP or something just to have that peace of mind. If you aren't the type of person that wants to be bothered with making printouts and such, then a professional tool would definitely help you.

RE: "Expensive" arc protractors- the $100 Mint has been demonstrated to my ears and many others, to provide big improvement in "dead nuts on" aligned rigs. One major advantage of a mirror-tractor over a paper protractor is parallax correction. Second advantage is very fine alignment grid which inkjet on paper cannot provide. Third is arm/table specific alignment (the mint anyways). Not saying that is your problem but even very anal and very technically proficient analog masters have found the mint at least to be very helpful. And you won't have to wait months/years like w another custom arc-tractor maker.

Also, have you tried playing w anti-skate?

Dear friends: I read again and again this inner groove distortion subject even if the alignment/set-up of the TT/tonearm/cartridge is on target.
Why is that? what happen? because I don't " suffer " on that problem and IMHO the linear tracking tonearms are not the answer.

Other than the alignment IMHO there are at least ( between other factors ) four things that can cause the " trouble ": a un-matched tonearm-cartridge combination, a tonearm bearing of low quality, a cartridge suspension out of specs or a combination of these " factors ". Of course that depend on each record quality and what is recorded on each recording.

Btw, the two null points alignment against the arc protractor are the same because those two null points are on the " arc " and IMHO if anyone align on two points that cross on an arc then it is a " perfect " align on that " arc ".
Now, the alignment between Baerwald or Lofgren is less than 1mm, which one is correct?: both, could anyone hear the differences? not anyone system but certainly you could hear it.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

G'day all, re 'inner groove distortion' and related stuff, I've recently done up an article dealing with my approach to optimised overhang set up. For what it's worth I don't have any 'inner groove distortion' issues on any of my vinyl playing gear.
http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/vinyl07.html Regards Fap.

I would argue that an arc protractor produced on thick paper is superior to the best two point protractor produced on mirrored plexiglass, laser etched stainless, etc. I won't name names to protect the guilty.

Is a paper protractor as good as a precision tool like the MintLP? You'll have to answer that question for yourselves.

I checked the above site and took a look at the excellent FAQ he wrote (the readme file). He points everyone to the fact that his protractor should be in perfect agreement with John Ellison's spreadsheet. He strongly recommends playing with the Ellison spreadsheet, so we're in complete agreement here as well.

I need to play with this a bit. Don't get confused by his inner groove radius and outer groove radius entry boxes. He is NOT talking about the null points (i.e. 66.0 and 120.9 for Baerwaald). I'll play with this and verify it against the the ones I've drawn for the Tri-Planar, and of course, against my MintLP.

I encourage everyone to play with this program. Read his excellent FAQ, and play with the Ellison spreadheet as well.

Another nice stiff paper you can use in place of photo paper is called "card stock". You can pick it up at places that sell an assortment of printer paper (e.g. Office Max).

Hint about cutting a nice record spindle hole. Use a straight edge razor and cut pie shaped wedges (8 of them) to form the record hole.

Start slicing from the circumference of the spindle hole and work your way toward the center. Cut 8 radial lines to form 8 "pie slices".

This will not only get you real close to "nuts on", but the hole will also be self centering if your spindle is a bit wider than the circumference of the hole.

After I sent samples made this way to many of my customers, they became true believers.

The only risk you are taking is that you might learn something (grin).

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier