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  3. 188601-115813

Cartridge Change Overhang Difference-Fixed Headshell

I’m using a SME fixed headshell arm and an Art9 cartridge that was mounted with a Yip mint protractor. The Art9 mid hole to tip distance is 11mm. A new Art20 is stated as being 10.5mm. Opinions wanted as to use same protractor or not or Estimate the 0.5mm and shorten the arm, pivot distance. Note, this is not about the $130.  That difference of 0.5mm would change the intended null points (Baerwald) and/or ultimately affect the sound in general shifting the distortion to slightly different points on the record? Thanks

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Showing 2 responses by lewm

lewm
12,566 posts
 

I called it “yip”. I have no idea why. Sorry.

lewm
12,566 posts
 

The YIP is designed for the tonearm, not the cartridge, so far as I know, which is not much because I have never ordered one. In any case, just adjust for the 0.5mm, if you think you can. I personally don’t think most of us can mount a cartridge with better than 0.5mm accuracy, which means you have about a 50-50 chance of perfection. After that, pour yourself a cool one and listen to music. And if that doesn’t relax you, consider that even a minute error in the zenith angle of the stylus throws off your alignment by far more than 0.5mm and that most cartridges have at least some zenith error built into them.

("Zenith" here is defined as the angle of the base of the stylus tip with respect to the cantilever, which is NOT the conventional definition of zenith. If you examine the stylus tip with the cartridge lying on its back, stylus facing up, you can quickly see how the shank needs to be square to the long axis of the cantilever.)

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