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Advice on setting VTA

I have set it before, but not exactly certain if I’m going about it the right way. I am generally setting it by eye, eyeballing the botton of cartridge body to get it as parallel as possible, sometimes using a 3x magnifier to assist.  I have also in the past used playing cards as a reference for some cartridges, so I have something to fall back on. Generally using the cards stacked at the tonearm base, similar to using feeler gauges. I’ve read that using an index card on top of record can be a good way to set it due to the parallel lines on the card. My question is what am looking at to get parallel? The bottom of tonearm, top, or the bottom of cartridge? The tone arm is a carbon fiber/aluminum 9 inch pro-ject. It does appear to have a slight taper towards the headshell end of arm.
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Showing 6 responses by audioguy85

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85 OP
2,004 posts
 
Thank you guys for all your input! Certainly some very good techniques on display....now to find some time to do it lol. 
audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85 OP
2,004 posts
 
I agree! I am glad I brought it up! 😀
audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85 OP
2,004 posts
 
Lol! Stringreen , it's enough to drive you nuts!
audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85 OP
2,004 posts
 
The hana el is a nude elliptical so it is not as critical or as sensitive to the VTA as say a line contact stylus. But that does not mean I dont want to at least get it close to what it should be. Perfection will not be found due to too many variables so I'm not losing any sleep over it. Post was created generally out of my own curiosity. I do appreciate all the responses and will have to take the time to go back and read them all.
audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85 OP
2,004 posts
 
From the way it sounds I think I’m most likely pretty close to ideal, at least for my ears. I’m sure that I can probably get it closer...by using a high power microscope etc similar to what Fremer uses, but I most likely will just leave it be....my pro ject turntable is a pia to adjust it, not much fun. No adjust on the fly here...
audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85 OP
2,004 posts
 
There is not much info, no, in regards to setting VTA in manual. I’m not that concerned, it was just a question put out there out of curiosity as to how others go about setting their VTA. And yes, I personally can hear a difference in the VTA setting. Right now I have my hana el slightly ass down as I think it sounds nice this way. Too far tilted in opposite direction I feel it to be a bit harsher and the bass not as well defined. The only issue with the pro ject arm is it that it has a taper, it gets slightly narrower as it nears the headshell area of tonearm,  as I noted in prior postings. So to visually see parallel is not easy. That is why I’m going about checking VTA via viewing both top and bottom of cartridge to get it close. Yes, I understand I should be more concerned with viewing the actual stylus take etc. .. but without high magnification i cannot see it very clearly. I’m old.....
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