I forgot: with out that " perfect " Dynamics what you are hearing is only sounds but no MUSIC, Dynamics put/contribute to other live music characteristic: rythmum.
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Stylus Rake Angle
I am trying to set up my new VPI 3D arm as close to perfection as I can. On the Analog Planet, Michael Fremer gives one opinion, however, a different opinion was voiced by Harry at VPI, and Peter at Soundmith. I've been discussing this with them....Fremer says that SRA should be adjusted even if the back end of the arm is WAY high up as needed, whereas Harry, and Peter said to start with the arm in a horizontal position and move it slightly up and down to find the sweet spot. Peter said that my cartridge (Benz LPS) and some others have an additional facet in the diamond so bringing the arm up in back would be exaggerating the proper SRA. When I wrote back to Fremer, he answered with an insistance that he was correct. Does anyone want to add to the confusion??
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Doug, your final assessment is spot on and is absolute since what proper timing sounds like at the stylus tip is exactly the same as what it sounds like on all the rest of the gear individually and is a perfect reference. Perfect because the same transitional changes will take place during adjustment no matter what the gear is and therefore represents an ideal model. |
Nwright: what came as a surprise was when Stereophile (not Michael) switched around the photos and captions, so that the SRAs and cartridges in the published article didn't match up. Corrections were printed in a follow-up issue. FWIW, there never has been any published industry standard for SRA. The sole documentation supporting the 92-degree SRA that I have been able to find - in any language - is the Jon Risch article, and that never became part of any industry standard. What does "mounted correctly" mean if there never was a standard? There is more of a standard for VTA (originally 15 degrees, which is where Shure's "V-15" name comes from, later gradually revised upwards until it became 20 degrees) than there is for SRA, but even so, some cartridges (both present and vintage) deviate from this significantly. On the Vinyl Engine website, Werner Ogiers collated a VTA table for various cartridges from various manufacturers, based on measurements made by HiFI News & Record Review magazine (rather than manufacturer's specifications): http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=34909 You can see that even industry heavyweights such as Ortofon or Denon made cartridge models with 28 or 30 degrees. Raul, in the "Who needs MM/MC" thread, didn't you write that some cartridges sounded best with the back of the tonearm raised quite high up? Do you still believe this to be true, or do you feel that improvements to your system and testing methodology since that time may give different results? Also, did you ever try to measure what SRA you had when the cartridges were adjusted to their best-sounding position? As a general message (not addressed specifically to Raul), rather than attempting to force all cartridges into a single SRA "standard" that never existed to begin with, it would be far more useful for both manufacturers and audiophiles if audiophiles would align the cartridges to their best-sounding position, measure the resulting SRA (and VTA), and the various real-world experiences could gradually be collected into a single table for further study. OTOH, regarding overhang, due to decreasing linear groove speed towards the record label, the frequency response of an LP changes with groove radius, and so does distortion. The upper frequency response falls the closer the groove being played is to the label, while distortion increases. At the same time, many classical orchestral works have their most dynamic climaxes at the very end of the LP, where distortion is highest and upper frequency response most suppressed. For this reason, you should not choose your cartridge alignment (Baerwald, Lofgren, Stevenson, modified versions of these) without considering how close the groove extends toward the label on the LPs that you prefer, and how dynamic and complex the musical content is at the innermost groove positions. kind regards, |
Jcarr said: At the same time, many classical orchestral works have their most dynamic climaxes at the very end of the LP, where distortion is highest and upper frequency response most suppressed. That is why the Classic Records RCA reissues in 4 single sided LP's are so good. You stay far away from the dreaded label, besides the other benefits of 45 rpm vs 33. |
I have been chasing this 92 degree thing off and on for a year or so with fair results. Basically, when I've checked the two carts I've had for SRA after setting them by ear the results are not far off that 92 number. BUT, when one of the premier cartridge manufacturers says there is probably not much validity to this concept, I think I may relegate my USB microscope to the closet. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/WntrMute2/9fcaa181cb084a96e99991e54887c11e_zps43ed330b.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/WntrMute2/ScreenShot2012-10-12at91619AM_zpsf582ed48.png |
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