Cart not parallel after Mint LP alignment?


Howdy,

So after reading about 1000 paragraphs on how good the Mint LP Tractor is - I purchased one and had a marathon session yesterday with my new SL-1210 M5G, AT440MLa and Zupreme headshell...

After all was said and done - the alignment itself took 90 hard minutes - I am finding the cartridge sitting about 5-7 degrees "right" of center. The actual cantilever and stylus are about as dead on as I wanna go with it for now.

Now a comment and a question....

Question: Is this non-parallel result in the headshell normal? It's making me think I may have a bent cantilever or something.

Comment: I have run 10-12 sides thru the rig so far and I must say - I have not yet heard the "revelation" that others have described when comparing their alignments to other protractors or even the white Technics alignment gauge. The rig sounds good...but...what I am missing here.

I must temper the above by saying I have changed phono stages frequently in the last month as well...I was getting nicely familiar with a Bellari VP-130 and then moved that for a Cambridge which lasted less than a week and I now have a Moon LP3 with maybe 25 hours on it...Even my AT440MLa might have 40-50 hours on it as well....

I am thinking that a whole bunch of stuff might need to "burn" in before the system starts to really reveal itself.

But I am very concerned with the stylus/cantilever on the cart...even with all the moves the Mint required...I expected the cartridge to sit straight in the headshell...perhaps expecting too much?

Appreciate any feedback.

Cheers!

VP
vocalpoint
This is as I would expect it to be - the cartridge slightly twisted in relation to the headshell - using the Mint Protractor.

Yip makes the Technics protractors using the Stevenson alignment geometry. Stevenson null points are 60.3mm and 117.4mm whereas the Technics null points (that will result in the cartridge being close to square in the headshell) are 58.8mm and 113.5mm respectively.

It's a common misconception that both Rega and Technics use the Stevenson geometry as stock, but it's simply not the case.

Long story short - everything you're describing in regards to how the cartridge is positioned in the headshell is precisely as I would expect it to be using the tools you're using. If you were to align to something like Baerwald, I would expect the cartridge to be rotated even further with respect to the headshell.

BTW, let me know if you decide the Mint protractor isn't your cup-o-tea and I'll buy it from you. I've got a family member who would like it instead of having to borrow mine all the time!
It takes LOTS of light, good eyes, a higher loop power, and PATIENCE! 2-3 hours is not a long time your first time around to get it to the enth degree. Keep trying, and play music you are familier with, you'll get it right. Happy listening.
For goodness sakes! What Vinyladdict wrote and what Markd51 seconded and what Dertonearm and others suggested is exactly what I wrote way back at the top. How much more reassurance do you need? The ultimate would be to get Yip to confirm that he uses Stevenson geometry when he makes a protractor for the Technics, if you do not care to believe all the other testimony.
"PATIENCE! 2-3 hours is not a long time your first time around to get it to the enth degree. Keep trying"

Polk is exactly correct.