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Mint Protractor for the Classic Toneram 10.5i-SE

Does anyone with using a Mint made for this particular tonearm know what parameters Yip used to create it? Specifically, the mounting distance (Pivot to Spindle) and overhang? I saw some posts on here that suggested he uses 259 mm, which is not correct as the P-S is 262 mm. I emailed Yip but no response so far. Thanks.
actusreus
actusreus OP
733 posts
 
Thank you both. I appreciate your responses!

Interesting points about the VTA. I must say I get a headache thinking about compensating for the actual difference in thickness while listening to records after aligning with the Mint. Since the Mint is thicker, every time you re-align, you will necessarily be changing the VTA/SRA at the record level, which would in turn alter the arc followed by the stylus in comparison with the Mint arc. Perhaps if you could hear what the Mint sounds like at that thickness, you could then readjust by ear. Confusing!

Anyway, for me the difference seems to be about a millimeter between the two alignments, which perhaps tells me that my S2P is after all slightly bigger than the standard 258 mm.

Last question: what is the overhang on your Mints?

Thanks guys!
captain_winters
133 posts
 
The VPI jig wants more overhang. Using the calculator:
MINTLP uses Lofgren A (Baerwald) the overhang is 15.025mm. Maybe the VPI jig is using Lofgren B the overhang is 15.422mm

Löfgren B - minimizes distortion between the inner and outer grooves resulting in the lowest average RMS distortion at the expense of slightly higher distortion close to the inner and outer grooves
captain_winters
133 posts
 
I've convinced myself that the MINTLP uses IEC standard Lofgren A (Baerwald), which at 258mm results in 15.025mm. The Lofgren B IEC standard comes out to 15.422mm which might be the difference between the MINT and the VPI jig. It looks pretty close to a half a mm. The VPI jig wants more overhang which is consistent with Logren B.
Of course non of this solves your problem of 262mm spindle to pivot. Might I suggest you download Conrad Hoffman's program and print out IEC Lofgren A at 262 and compare it to your MINT protractor. I suspect your MINT is either 258mm or 259mm, since both of those numbers were used in the past. You could also print out a 258 and 259 and check those against your MINT and then you would be sure of what you have. Ultimately though you might consider using Hoffmans printout at 262, since that is you spindle to pivot distance.
captain_winters
133 posts
 
On the VTA question I convinced myself that the MINT protractor is the thickness of a standard record. Therefore with your VTA set and alignment to the MINT your standard records will be "on the arc". Based on my measurements you need 50 units on the VTA tower UP to compensate for 180 gram records. So for standard thickness records you are good, for 180 gram raise your VTA tower by 50 units.
captain_winters
133 posts
 
One more point about MINTLP and classic spindle. The spindle gets a little fatter as it meets the platter the last half mm or so. That is why my MINTLP never was flush on the platter, also why it seems thicker than it really is. What I did was countersink the back of the spindle hole of the protractor with a bigger hole, using my drill and drill bit. You have to go about half way through the hole, once you do that, the protractor will sit flush on the platter. It takes a while because it is glass, but it worked for me without cracking the glass, and I just used a standard bit. With that complete and the protractor sitting flush you can convince yourself it is the thickness of a standard record.
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