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Why use a super accurate cartridge protractor

In discussions about cartridge setup, there are those who say that unless one has a cartridge setup protractor like the Mint, Wally Tractor, Dennesen, etc. one cannot expect to extract maximum performance from your rig. Then there are those that say that even the best alignment tool still only nets you a position that needs further tweaking by ear. In my case, I've used a Dennesen and a number of downloadable free protractors and have been able to get good results with the free downloads if I took my time to make those little .5mm shifts that make sound pop into best focus. Is the superiority of a Mint or a Wally Tractor because one doesn't have to make those final last tiny adjustments? Is it that the mirror surface is easier on the eyes?
photon46
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Thekong, dear Nandric, we should in specific worry about where on the groove's radius the maxima and minima are located. The groove's walls do change with decreasing radius and thus do the conditions for the stylus' polished areas. Thats why high derivations from the tangential zero are most "lethal" to the sound towards the inner label.
Cheers,
D.
thekong
203 posts
 
Hi Dertonarm, if I understand correctly, the alignment you chose aimed at minimizing distortion at the last 1/3 of the groove’s radius, which I think make a lot of sense, as the inner tracks are inherently harder to track, and in addition, many of the classical pieces have the climax towards the end.

What I wonder is the need for ultra precision in the alignment. If I am using a 9” arm, and misalign by, say 0.5mm, then how far would the null points shift?

Best regards,
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Hi Thekong, the null points will shift and the curve will be a different one. If you go to Vinyl Engine and play a bit with the alignment comparator - you will see, that small alternations have huge impact.
Cheers,
D.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Thekong, the alignment I did choose actually minimizes distortion in the last 2/3 ( not just last 1/3) of the record groove's radius.
Cheers,
D.
john_gordon
116 posts
 

Hi Photon46

In the cartridge setup instructions with the Vacuum State Guru protractor, Allen Wright says that after checking many cartridge alignments with final adjustment tunings done by ear, there is a consistent trend of finding settings about 1.27mm behind traditional Cotter points on an alignment arc. After spending part of last Sunday setting up an Ortofon Kontrapunkt H with a super fineline stylus, I ended up very close to those points myself.

Don't get misled by vague statements which offhandedly negate or discard existing knowledge, and appear to have discovered something new in promoting a product. Another way of saying the quote above is:

"If you try a Lofgren B DIN alignment you might find it suits your LPs better than the Lofgren A/Baerwald IEC (which is the usual alignment with nulls at 66 and 121), which is what I (the Guru) am doing, but not telling you."

But that doesn't quite have the same mystique.....

That is in effect what is happening with the new alignment - it is LofgrenB-ish - for a 230mm arm, it now has effective length of 228.73, overhang reduced to 16.78 and offset angle reduced to 22.87degrees.

John
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