Anyone try the replica B-60 Fidelity Research VTA?


My sammle moved not only up an down but also sidewards.
The reason as far as I can judge is the pin on the screw
which connect the inner and the outer collar. The inner collar
slides along this pin up and down but if there is
any play between this pin and the notch of the inner collar
the tonearm will move also sidewards. This means that the
'replica' is not as 'exact' as claimed by the producer.
I assume that this screw is better made by the orginal B-60 .
128x128nandric

Showing 6 responses by ct0517

Those ''damn details''.

I would like to know how much difference there is in Cartridge VTF, between the lowest and highest setting when using this B60.  When I had a FR64s it was without the B60 and setting VTA was a PITA. 

I am curious. Anyone.  
thanks. 
Can one of you please tell me how much the Cart VTF - "Vertical Tracking Force" changes.....

from the low range point of the B60 to the high range point ?

Measure your carts VTF at the B60 lowest point, and the B60 highest point .... please.

I am curious

I stated in my previous post I never owned the B60 hence I would like to know the VTF difference.

thanks
chakster
@ct0517 May i ask why you are concerned about it ? It can be verified with any tonearm, in reality there is a minor difference in VTF if any.


Chakster. I did not say concern, I said curiosity. I am curious and asked for information from someone reading on this thread with a B60. Surely with a slick accessory like the B60 it's what, a 3-4 minute exercise, to give me a number.

i.e. If when the B60 is set at the low point, and your cart weight is say 2.2 gms. How much then is the cart weight when you move the B60 to the highest point in the range - for that persons specific setup.

That's the number I asked for

************************

Lewm
ct0517, The answer to your question will vary according to how the tonearm is installed into the B60. If, for example, the lowest adjust point on the B60 places the tonearm parallel to the LP surface, then the highest adjust will raise the rear end of the tonearm with respect to the LP surface and will therefore slightly increase VTF. And you can see how the result will change, for example, if the lowest adjust point on the B60 places the tonearm either raised or lowered, at its pivot point. So, yes, there will always be a change in VTF associated with changing VTA, but there is no rule you can derive from the experiment you asked us to do, unless you know how each responder positioned the tonearm to begin with.


Thank you Lewm. As I assumed. Still curious what the VTF range is for your B60 setup. btw - raising VTA lowers VTF and vice versa.

IMO if this B60 raises and lowers the arm consistently and smoothly each time, as expected, it is a good accessory - as long as one remembers to re-adjust for VTF after. For this same reason the B60 does not make the tonearm VTA/SRA on the fly. Some carts are very sensitive to VTF changes. The changes in sounds we hear when changing the VTA /SRA could also be influenced by the higher or lower VTF. Just sayin....

Now if this B60 did this movement well, and at the same time kept VTF intact, (the same) - that's playing in a different league. I would call it an excellent accessory at this point ....even genius.

********************

Nandric (Nikola)
Regarding VTA versus SRA.
It may be a different "focused" area of measurement. But the target is the same. Relative angle of the stylus to the groove.

In this hobby - and lets face it - to spend this much time discussing this one aspect - it is a hobby, the objective if possible is to try to duplicate as much as possible the actual cutters stylus angle. The included cut angle that is in the record.   
All of things that cause variations to these angles, both on the cutters side and the reproductive end (playing the record), are well documented.

This means these adjustments we are making need to be done by ear because we have no idea who cut the record that day and at what angle.  Again just saying....

Happy VTA'ing SRA'ing

Chakster
Exactly, i don’t care about it at all. Also i don’t have any cartridge (i have about 20) that is so sensitive to the VTF or VTA, there is a range giving by the menufacturer anyway. In other words i just don’t understand people who are crazy about VTF/VTA for each record. If everything set up correctly i can not detect any difference in minor changes in my system which is very sensitive.

Slavic Riddle

What is the common element between someone that owns 20 (+) cartridges, and uses them all; and someone that changes VTA for every record ?



Nikola - A high level answer outside of the riddle scope. You have posted based on A and B conditions being met in the past.

A and B added to the Riddle.

What is the common element between A) someone that owns 20 (+) cartridges, and uses them all; and B) someone that changes VTA for every record ?

*****************************
Hint - This common element to A and B is measurable by observation.  
*****************************

Chakster - it is customary to provide a guess to a riddle.

Slavic Riddle Answer

Based on my personal, and friends experiences over the years, I have noticed;

"That both A and B types, regardless of the "titles" count in their library, will listen to a "set number" of repeatable records (reference points) , that can be counted on no more than two human hands. That is the common element."  

The most extreme case of this was a fellow I came across who used no more than 5 records. It took all day to play those 5 records with all his fiddling. He did this a couple times a week. It was evident that his vinyl routine was very therapeutic for him.

with that.

Lewm
CT0517 do you change VTA for every record.

Lewm
To change VTA for every record would require one to be a "B Type" if going by the Slavic Riddle. (grin)

Well, I have not been in this state for at least three + years now; although I enjoy talking tech/setup on the forum ......and find it therapeutic.

These days I am trying to get through the library. I select/pull 8 different albums, each time I will have a vinyl session. (each U-S cleaning session 15 mins, does 4 records). 30 mins prep while the gear warms up. I clean them and listen to them in full. Then I sort them into one of two libraries. The regular storage library, like where they came but with a label of "cleaned". The other library known as "I want to hear them again." All using an average VTA setting.

Some VTA information from the ET2 tonearm owners manual regarding getting in the ball park with VTA, before fine tuning.

  1. If the measuring vertical tracking angle of a cartridge is high (greater than 22 degrees) its vertical performance will probably be improved by tilting it back (2 or 3 degrees) (front goes up) to match present vertical angles on records. 
  2. If the measured vertical tracking angle of a cartridge is 18 to 20 degrees. It will probably perform best when its top is mounted parallel to the surface of the record. 
  3. Some cartridges are very sensitive to small changes in VTA, others are not. 
Cheers