Cartridge alignment, WallyTractor, SmartTractor, oscilloscope and Analogmaigk.


I am building my new system in my second home in the US which I use only when I go to the US to work, and I will not have the benefit of having my partner and analog guru with me when I set up my table there. 

To be clear she much rather have a new cartridge, tonearm, table or phono amp than nice jewelry, shoes or dresses, and 2 of the best hifi stores in the area are always asking for her opinion and sometimes to set up tables. 
Until now, all I had to do was to put my record on the table of her choice, and enjoy the music. 

 During our dinner with her, we were discussing,  what should I be doing and what tools to bring with me. I am an a mathematician  and work with electrical engineers so I understand numbers so I like the idea of an oscilloscope and Analogmagik and I have done quite a few setups with the WallyTractor before I met her, but she swears by the SmartTractor and claims that the SmartTractor is more accurate, simpler and flexible.

My question then is, what is your opinion on the 2 protractors?
Please do  not add another different one, I am not going to buy another one. :) 

In her opinion the  UNI  alignment is superior to the new record in the Wally, and since pivot to spindle is never identical, the SmartTractor does a better job as it actually takes into account for those imperfections/discrepancies in the spindle to pivot distances, while the Wally does not. 

If I am going to face the firing squad, I want to have some good different concepts.

I apologize for my English, until a few months ago I never discussed Hifi in English. 


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Showing 2 responses by wrm57

@lewm , +1

That said, I have both and use Wallys far more often for my 5 tonearms. Well, actually I have the UNI-Pro but same idea. If p2s is exact, which really ought to be a given, especially if you have the right tools and set it yourself, I find the Wally to be more precise. I like arc protractors because alignment can be checked anywhere along the arc rather than at a single point, a la Smart/UNI Pro; and Wallys are the best arc protractors I’ve found. The originals anyway; I’ve never tried the new ones.

But they’re both excellent, so like Lewm said, don’t overthink.

If you're asking me, the answer should be obvious from my post: fewer than I have. Got it now?