Sibilance -- that last little bit...

A superior way to set azimuth by measurement is to play a groove with info on one channel only, and compare the voltage output on each channel. Then play a groove with info on the other channel only and again compare voltage output on each channel. Adjust azimuth until the measured crosstalk voltage is the same on both channels. This compensates for uneven output levels in the cartridge (very likely, as Viridian states) or anywhere else in the system.

Wally's Analog Shop works in this fashion. Of course if the cartridge is truly wonky then forget measuring. Set azimuth by eye to keep the stylus vertical and buy a new cartridge.

The Cardas record has L-only and R-only test tones suitable for this method.

I think Seandtaylor99 said it best as being end of the record groove noise.
I've recently gone through this myself and questioned my setup. I worked like the dickens to get it better and aligned better and low and behold my records now sound great!! Until the last song of some lp's that is.
I took these same LP's to a friends with an HRX, JMW12.5 and Benz LP, Asthetix pre.....same noise. Yep the records sound great until INNER GROOVE DISTORTION hits!
Remedy....compact disc! All the time it takes to get things just right eats up valuble listening time.

Thanks for the great responses!

Silly me, I had the cartridge in my original post but edited it out by accident Grrr

Dynavector 10x4

I am using the Well Tempered Protractor and the Hi Fi News test record through both speakers, and headphones to do the setup. (I do notice that he null points of the paper protractor from the HFN record are different than that of the Well Tempered.)

Yes, a new cartridge is ready to burn a hole in my wallet, but I need to wait for a little while.

Well, now I really have some more food for thought on this, and am going to see what becomes of this--

I really am being anal about this, because the sibilance is verry minor, but I seem to get bit by the perfect bug alot, close relative of the upgrade bug!

~Fx

Dougdeacon:

I remember reading about the optimum method of settimg azimuth by measuring the voltage between channels as you describe.

I tried to measure the output voltage at the output of my table, as well as at the output of my monoblocks. With my voltmeter set @ 400Mv DC and I get nothing.

Anyone have any ideas as to what I am doing wrong ?

~Fx

I took these same LP's to a friends with an HRX, JMW12.5 and Benz LP, Asthetix pre.....same noise. Yep the records sound great until INNER GROOVE DISTORTION hits!
Remedy....compact disc!

Begging to differ. The remedy is a better groove tracer than a Benz LP.

Focusedfx,
I'm unfamiliar with the 10x4 so can't say whether it can trace really tough inner grooves cleanly or not. I know a ZYX Airy 2 and above can, and that Benz's, Denons, Grados and Shelters cannot. They don't have the stylus profile for it.

I'm also unfamiliar with the WT protractor but I own the HFN record and its paper protractor. It's pretty poor stuff. If your arm is compatible with Baerwald alignment you should consider springing for a Wally Tractor or trying the poor man's version, the TurntableBasics. Either one should be superior to any paper protractor. The mirrored surface makes sighting and squaring the cantilever and squaring the azimuth of the stylus easier and more accurate.