best way to figure out vta on tonearm


i have a fidelity research 64fx. you cannot adjust the vta on the fly (at least i have not figured out how). is there a test record that will help with this...or do you just move it up and down until it sounds good??

thanks jim
jvr

Showing 1 response by sdcampbell

Before you start playing with raising or lowering the tone arm to adjust VTA, you need a reference point. To start the process, be sure that your tonearm is level with the record surface -- a small bubble level that can rest on top of the tonearm is helpful.

Most of the time, I have found that imaging and focus improve when the rear of the tonearm is just SLIGHTLY lower than the front, i.e., there is a slight downward angle.

As others have noted, getting the right VTA is a matter of trial-and-error, but once you have the level reference point it becomes easier to make changes.