Dumb VTA Question

Thanks Doug.

As usual, Doug explains it as it is, or as it should be. The key is to know what to listen for. Doug explained that in another VTA thread.

I've got a USB microscope, but I use it only to take close up photos of the cartridge to confirm things I can't see quite as well with my naked eyes. eg. stylus shape, cantilever alignment, etc. It is a fun tool, but I no longer used it for SRA angles.

For a quick guide, I use a 10X loupe to confirm that the stylus is just past vertical, which is close enough to get started. Then, from there, I adjust by listening.

"I need to also give a big THANK YOU to Jonathan. He
answered several questions for me and always had the time
and guidance to give me. We really couldn't ask for better
people in the high-end business to deal with.
Mofimadness "
++++1
Pradeep

Thank you for your quick comments, which I read with some relief as I was not really looking forward to buying a microscope + stand and spending a day or, as I am not really handy with computer programs and all this, several days learning to handle it. \
I think an underlying reason for my question may have been that I am not quite sure what to strive for in my system, i.e. what sound could be achieved in my room with my gear when everything is set up just right and thus form the reference. I get a lot of compliments for the music from friends and other visitors but am sure that considerable improvements could be achieved by someone more proficient than I am.

What type of sound you want will depend on your preferences and to some extent on the types of music you listen to.

In terms of what is possible, you have a very capable setup. Every adjustment (and our TriPlanars have many!) makes its own unique differences to the sound. Tweaking VTF sounds different than tweaking SRA, etc. Learning what to listen for takes time and hands-on experimentation with ears and brain fully engaged. I can fire up my system, spin an LP an know within a minute or less if VTF, SRA or some other frequently adjusted parameter needs tweaking. But that kind of awareness took years to develop, at least for me.

Read posts on this forum and others that describe what to listen for when adjusting this or that parameter. Different people hear differently, so some explanations may speak to you more than others.

And practice, practice, practice...

The Walker method is a good place to start. It makes quite a bit of logical sense too:

http://walkeraudio.com/lloyd-walker-on-fine-tuning-your-turntable/