Feickert analogue protractor....Owners impressions

Viper_z,

You've touched upon the weakness of all universal two-point protractors - overhang setting. The Feickert has a lovely pivot-to-spindle distance tool, but after that I find the pivot-to-spindle markings to be useless - you're correct, you touch all the points on that "arc" (and frankly how can that be ?); I find the lines on the alignment grids themselves to be too thick for accuracy, and that the lack of a mirrored surface introduces too much parallax. If you cannot set effective length (pivot-to-spindle distance + overhang) accurately, what's the point of continuing further? Then you move the protractor to do the actual alignment, but what are you aligning to - some random effective length? How does one derive a correct overhang setting with a "universal" two-point protractor?? The answer is you can't - you get it close, moving the protractor and/or the cartridge in the headshell back and forth until you come up with something that looks right, but isn't.

Obtain an arc-based protractor designed for your tonearm's measurements: pivot-to-spindle ditance and overhang (this is important, and why arc-based protractors cannot be universal (unless they contain multiple arcs)). Measure your pivot-to-spindle distance as accurately as possible with the Feickert tool: if your arm is designed to have a pivot-to-spindle distance of 261mm, and that's your actual measurement, then you have a properly installed tonearm; .5mm is the threshold of accuracy. Then place an arc-based protractor on the platter - start at a point on the arc either close to the lead-in or lead-out groove, and adjust the cartridge in the headshell accordingly so that the stylus lands exactly on the arc at both the inside and outside arc points, then proceed to the actual alignment. Ken Willis over at the Audio Asylum offers an excellent arc-based protractor, and there are several downloadable versions which vary in quality (be very critical of your printer's scaling). The next step up is a Wallytractor, and (IMHO) the MintLP protractor is the best of all.

I can almost guarantee that after some practice you'll find alignment easier, quicker, more intuitive and accurate with an arc-based protractor than any universal two-point protractor. Most importantly, you won't belive how good your table will sound. Good listening,

-Richard

Narrod,

I've compared the two. Ken's protractor is an excellent one to be sure. The MintLP protractor is the same essential concept, yet constructed on plate glass mirror (a big advantage for parallax reduction) and has extremely fine lines to better facilitate accuracy. While Ken's protractor will certainly get you extremely close, we're dealing with the LP groove here and ANY device that facilitates even better accuracy is worth it. I'd estimate the line pitch on the MintLP protractor to be about 5-8 times finer than those on Ken's unit - when microns are the unit of measurment, this can make a substantial diffference.

-Richard

I think Dan has touched on several key points: accuracy and obsession. My own quest for alignment accuracy started many years ago when I too struggled with making sense of "universal" two point protractors (db systems, dennessen, et al). When I tried my first Wallytractor seven or so years ago (when I owned my Linn), I knew I had found the ever-elusive path to the holy grail of alignment. When I got my Triplanar a couple of years ago, I tried in vain to get another Wally, and eventually used several printed card-stock arc protractors with varying degrees of success. I think Yip's (MintLP) protractor raises the bar even on the venerable Wallytractor with regards to precision for the reasons outlined above by both Dan and myself. The only failings I can see of the MintLP protractor comes from the user's end - bad magnification, bad lighting and poor eyesight (pick your order) ;-))

I think those of us who have invested substantial sums of money in both hardware and software (I've been collecting LPs since I was 11 or 12 and now have around 4500 or so) want to pursue analog to the lunatic fringe. And yes, it can become obsessive, but that's what being a hobbyist or enthusiast is all about, whether it's audio, coins, knitting, model airplanes or your dog. We're all about extracting maximum pleasure from our investments (and ourselves with regard to our hobbies).

So yes, obsession is part of the equation, and if struggling with the minutae - accuracy of measurement, parallax and overhang seems like too much of a PITA, then that's why there's both "close enough" and the compact disc. Good listening,

-Richard

Sunny,

Interesting note regarding the stock Rega cardboard protractor vs the MintLP. I'm curious if Yip designs his Rega protractors with Stephenson alignment nulls (like the stock Rega protractor). Anyone who's ever tried to align a cart on a Rega using Baerwald knows there's barely enough room to get the overhang correct - you simply run out of headshell slot and end up with the cart all the way forward in the headshell (depending on the cart of course). While I've never played around with an RB1000, I know this to be the case on an RB300. Interesting...

-Richard

Downunder,

Nice comparison of the Mint and the Wally.

I will disagree however about the efficacy of Wally's etched groove vs. Yip's fine silk-screened line. I found the Wallytractor etched groove would actually "assist" the stylus into "finding" the etched groove, as it is cut with 45 degree sidewalls -- hence the stylus tip would push or pull ever so slightly on the cantelever/suspension of the cart to somewhat force it into the bottom of the etched groove.

While I never argued with the results I obtained with the Wally, it was always something that bothered me slightly...perhaps his most recent iterations of the tool have addressed this. Good listening,

-Richard