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Azimuth and the Fozgometer

Finally received the Fozgometer after a 2 month backorder. In the past I have always used a loupe and a front surface mirror to set the azimuth on my Tri-Planar with Dynavector XV-1S cartridge. According to the meter, I was very close to a correct azimuth. I wasn't prepared for the effects that a very slight adjustment would make. Nailing the azimuth has brought my soundstage into tight focus. I have never experienced this kind of solid imaging in my system.
I know that the $250 price tag is a bit steep for something that won't get a lot of use, but this is not a subtle improvement. There are other ways of measuring azimuth, that I am not very familiar with, but I would doubt that they are as easy to use as the Fozgometer.
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slaw's avatar
slaw
22,365 posts
 
Isn't it better to be able to rule out one importantant aspect of cartridge allignment so other sensitive issues can be addressed? Example: Tom Port tried to get me to not spend "big bucks :on a VTF meter, saying you can do it by ear. Well, yeah!. But who wants to start at a far off place only to find later that their search could have been made so much easier with a quality scale?

If you want to be Daniel Boone, go ahead, My time is impotant to me and worth a lot of money.

II'd rather spend the bucks on a quality device that will get me in the right direction. This will also allow me to check any variations I migjht suspect rather than fretting over what might be!
tketcham
291 posts
 
Slaw; excellent post! Those are my thoughts on the matter as well. Easily repeatable settings. Fine tuning may be worth the effort but if you can get to the same reference point each time with a minimum of time and effort, it's worth it's weight in titanium.

Tom
lewm
13,399 posts
 
I for one would not quibble over the price of the Foz. I was trying to find out from owners how it works is all, so I could decide for myself whether it works as I would like it to do. I want my $250-instrument to take me where I want to go. Setting by eye would be OK, if you knew for sure that the transducing mechanism inside the cartridge body was completely squared away with respect to itself and to the cartridge body.

Setting VTF by ear could get one in a lot of trouble. Obviously you need to have a known measured starting point else you may crush your cantilever or damage an LP.
madfloyd
411 posts
 
This sounds like a solid investment to me. That said, I can't seem to find any place that has these in stock.

Anyone know differently?
tketcham
291 posts
 
Madfloyd: You will probably have to wait like the rest of us. It appears that the demand for the Fozgometer is still outpacing the supply. But the wait time should be far less than it was a month ago. Order up and it will arrive in due time. :-)

Tom
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