Fozgometer

Personally, I bought a Signet Cartridge Analyzer about 25 years ago. All you need is a proper test LP, and it reads out crosstalk. Also has other uses. But I also think setting azimuth is a bit over-rated. Most cartridges sound fine if you set azimuth for 90 degrees. (I hate to say this; I used to argue quite the opposite.)

Lew, for about 29 years I used an LP12 with a succession of Linn MC cartridges and enjoyed the success you describe.

Almost total noise suppression (even on dodgy and warped discs) allied to first class tracking, even when the carts were well worn.
Must have been a combination of good bearings, accurate manufacture and the benefit of properly controlling all the parts to minimise error (or I just got lucky :)

At the moment I have what you might call a "Feickert situation" i.e. if we physically measured the cart we'd find that the perfect alignment wasn't exactly 0 degrees (either cantilever axis or diamond azimuth) but still within the limits of cart manufacture in general.

No harm in adjusting alignment to get back to Nirvana. ;^)
All the best,

@Stringreen

Since you wear a hearing aid you "must" use 'tools" for all your arm setup!

Setup by ear is not your option. LOL!

Onhwy61, it all depends on who you ask as to whether or not the Fozgometer indicates the optimal azimuth. Opinions on the merits of the Fozgometer are all over the map, with a wide gap between camps. Not surprising for a device that's attempting to measure weak signals from a limited frequency range based on an imperfect source. Just do a search on how (im)perfect many of the test LPs are. Compounding that is the level of exactitude that is used during the alignment process.

In my opinion, based on setting azimuth for five different cartridges (4 LOMC and 1 MM) with three different turntables, is that the Fozgometer makes it very easy to set azimuth that is darn close to optimal. Sometimes the azimuth is probably perfect, but I wouldn't know because I don't have a way to test for perfection and I don't spend the extra time necessary to validate perfection by ear.

All I can say is that after setting a Baerwald alignment, getting VTF and SRA adjusted, and then quickly setting azimuth with the Fozgometer, I can put an album on the turntable, queue the tonearm, and sit back and enjoy some of the best sounding music I've ever heard in my home.

Man, that's optimal. :-)

Regards,
Tom

I've had a Foz for maybe four years now. During that time I've installed five cartridges on four tonearms on three turntables. All sounded better after setting azimuth with it--that is, better than eyeballing perpendicularity with a Millennium block. The device is not perfect but it's darned handy and works quite well when calibrated properly.