Uni-Protractor Set tonearm alignment

Dear T_bone: I hope that with this post I can finish my intervention on this regard.

IMHO all these numbers/calculations for geometry cartridge/tonearm set up is in many ways something " academic " and very informative for the best part.

I already posted but maybe you or other persons don't remember:

++++++ " But I don't finish yet, we have to take in count too the LP characteristics and characteristics on was is recorded there: off-center LP hole, waves all over the LP, different recorded velocities at different areas in the LP surface, thickness of the LP, resonance of the LP build material, etc, etc..
These LP characteristics has an influence too in the cartridge quality performance. " ++++++

all our discussion on the subject about numbers are on static cartridge/tonearm status with no single sound in our ears coming from the speakers.

All those distortion level numbers prevail on dynamic cartridge/tonearm/LP motion/playback? , IMHO did not.

Now, imagine just for a moment what happen when an audiophile likes to be anal about SRA/Azymuth/VTF ( that I insist IMHO are a little more critical and important that that geometry set up for the " Mercurys ". ) set up on motion/playback and he changed all or one of these parameters with any single recording he is listening ( for whatever reasons you could think. ).

Any single change on SRA/VTF ( between other changes in set up cartridge parameters as LP off-center hole or LP waves/non-flat surface, etc, etc. ) change the position of the cartridge stylus tip and if he/we want to stay 100% accurate with the set up cartridge/tonearm numbers calculated he need to re-set this geometry set up each time he makes changes on those other cartridge set up parameters!!!!!, " crazy " don't you think?. Whom will take care about and why?.

As some one posted here: " we are to enjoy listening music " and not for changing ones and again the geometry set up cartridge/tonearm each time we change SRA/AZ/VTF with new calculations!!

That's why I said all that is in some ways: academic and informative.

That's why almost all of us made cartridge SRA/Azymuth/VTF set up by " ears " and this means on: motion/playback status.

We can´t have " absolute " control in our beloved extremely imperfect analog world named: LP. Each one of us according each one priorities and knowledge level made and make the best we " have on hand ".

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Raul, now you're talking what I have been a few pages before. Numbers and numbers don't matter. We care about the sound and about enjoying the music and not numbers. No absolutes. Nothing is and nothing will be. We are free to try and make up our minds. Not with numbers, curves and distortion figures but with the results we hear.

LP is basically a flawed or imperfect meduim like you just said. We all know that and make the best out of it.

Thank you and enjoy the music

Dear Dertonarm, I had no idea that K. Remer passed awey so
young. Was this the reason for 'passing awey' of the Magazine? I still regard DAS OHR as the best HI-FI Magazine
ever. The peculiar methodology was that each component was revieuwed by two revieuwers to further 'objectivity'. My
estimation is that you was then 20 (?) years old so this
HI-FI virus you got already as a kid. Talking about passion!

Regards,

Dear Raul, One of the problems of an perfectionist is the
'endless list' of wishes. But before we start the second round reg. the coplexitys of our records I like to mention
in advance this peculiar capacity of (I hope only) man to 'ignore noise'. Probable caused by evolution of us 'the
hunters'. A friend of my lost his hearing capability and
need to use those hearings devices. His greatest problem is to understand his conversation partner in a gathering.
We all,I think, assume this capability for granted. But
there are among us those who collect all kinds of old records and it is very difficult to presuppose that they are not enjoying them. So my quess is that this is only possible thanks to our capability to ignore the noise. I hope that you or Lew can find in your study books 'the explanation'.

Regards,

Dear Genesis168: +++++ " Numbers and numbers don't matter. " +++++

this is not what I try to explain in my last post. Your statement is to " dramatic " for say the least.

IMHO " numbers " always matter if you know where and how matters and its importance level ( your skills to interpret/translate what numbers are saying. ): where numbers makes " the differences "?, when you have the answers to this question you will understand the importance of numbers.

Of course that are " numbers " and " numbers ", some makes a difference, some did not and some are informative or just academic.

As an examples: we need numbers to make the cartridge/tonearm set up ( overhang or pivot to spindle distance. ), sensitivity/efficiency speaker level, RIAA eq. curve deviations, current power capacity on amplifiers, damping factor, room/speaker set up, etc, etc.

With out this kind of " numbers " we can't make/take and decide from different alternatives for the better.

Till today I still support that if we want to improve the quality performance level in our each one audio system one of the best way to go is: lowering distortions ( every kind ) in every audio link in the audio system chain.

In some of the audio links the " numbers " ( for accuracy levels, frequency range, THD, IMD, deviations, etc, etc. ) help a lot to decide what to do and you know what: our ears heard it.

Of course that " numbers " does not matters if what we are hearing is a poor and low quality level of sound.

I'm like you on the main importance with the quality level in the sound we listen through our systems and all my " ideas " and " adventures " that I take in my system ( changes. ) have as only target: improve its quality performance level and this IMHO you can't do it with out subjects as: accuracy and " numbers ".

I'm for a good sound in my ears but over this I always prefer a good accurate and " non-distortions " sound reproduction that only " good sound ".

IMHO I think that we should not be on these extremes: only sound or only numbers.

How good are our skills/knowledge levels to make " the right " blend/mixture on those extremes is what will define the quality level in each one audio home system.

Of course that as you posted: " We are free to try and make up our minds. ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.