Parallel? How do you set the VTA?


Silly question, but how do you guys determine whether your tonearm is parallel to the record surface? I had my tonearm set up happily for months, but recently started messing around with the cartridge alignment and the VTA, and I'll be damned, but the folded index card method gets me nowhere now. Even with adjustments I keep getting the same visual effect. Happily my ear tells me when the setting is off, but as a base, how do you determine conclusively your tonearm is parallel? For reference, I have a VPI Classic. Thanks.
actusreus
Dear Actusreus: IMHO in many ways and due what you posted this thread have no sense to me. I agree totally with both Dougdeacon posts and I can add something.

You say that you need your Delos parallel because it is the way coils are centered. Lyra is the one that can or not confirm about. Normally all cartridge manufacturers give the advise for a VTF range and this VTF range is taking in count ( between other things ) that coild be centered.

Now, why that VTF range and not an specifiv value?, one of the reasons is that there are different LP weights that have different thickness and in the other side all LPs comes with surface irregualaritis/waves that impede your cartridge stay parallel all the time.

For all that that's why the thread has no sense to me. If what you want it was to know where to find out that level7spirit: why not asked?, simple as that.

Anyway, only an opinions. As always I respect you and all other persons here.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
Every cartridge I have requires a different vta to sound best and, as Raul mentioned, records are all different in thickness which changes the vta.
Dougdeacon is the only other post that makes any sense to me because first, most tables are not 'dead nuts' level so using a bubble only compounds the error. Bubble levels are not very accurate to begin with. Parallel to the record surface is a starting point and we can all get there by eye quicker than with levels, cards, graphs etc. From there it becomes listening by trial and error to find the sweet spot.
Zenblaster,

"Parallel to the record surface is a starting point" you said. What then in this thread does not make sense to you?

I think we all agree that final adjustments should be done by ear, but starting with a tonearm parallel to the surface makes total sense to me as a reference. Ballparking it by eye does not work for me. So what's nonsensical about it? What does not make sense to me is going blind back and forth not knowing whether tail up or down sounds best to your ears.

Raul,

I think you, just like Zenblaster, missed the point of my original post. Knowing if your tonearm is parallel to the record surface is a point of reference, not an end goal. It might or might not end up sounding best with a given cartridge and set-up. If it does not make sense to you, then please don't waste your time and move on to other posts that do make sense to you. You're acting as if I asked what the best DJ turntable to scratch my records with a Lyra Atlas was.
Actusreus, we flawed creatures without mystical audio powers like objective, repeatable, accurate frames of reference. The block works.
Wrm57,

Good to know there are other flawed creatures without mystical audio powers out there. I was about to commit myself to an audio asylum for VTA challenged individuals.