Tim,
I have a VPI table so if measuring the spindle to pivot distance is all I need to do with the Feickert then it's definitely not worth the $250 price-tag. Because I can measure it with ordinary ruler and it's exactly the same as measuring it with Feickert.
Now I'm seriously ponder whether to return the Feickert and get a MintLP tractor instead. |
Tim , I follow what your saying,it makes perfect sense.
Viper, thank you again for bringing attention to this.
Mark |
I concur with Palasr's account of first using the Feickert to obtain a highly accurate pivot to spindle distance and then using an arc protractor to get the overhang spot on.
A protractor with a tonearm specific arc etched into a mirrored surface yields a satisfingly definitive result - you will set the effective length correctly or not - as Yoda might say, 'there is no close'. The etched groove is just wide enough to take a stylus and the stylus will be in the groove across the arc or not. To that end, results are accurately repeatable.
This is not to say one can't obtain excellent alignment with the Feickert, just that with it there is opportunity for greater 'operator variability' because of the thickness of it markings. And the Feickert 'spots' do not obviously accomodate fractions, one must do less than whole numbers by eyeball. Yes, its crazy dealing with fractions of a millimeter, which is why 'in the groove or not' removes approximation.
Likewise, the centering spot on the Feickert offset grid is a bit thick - guesstimating its at least 3X the width of a line contact stylus. This means it is easy to hit the bullseye in different places between the inner and outer grids yet still be off by seveal grooves of a record. An etched offset aligner is again as unequivocal as an etched arc, and the mirrored surface gives a positive indicator that one is looking at the cantilever in exactly the right position to gauge if it is aligned on center. You can do it with the Feickert, but repeatability becomes partly the result of operator skill rather than positively getting the stylus in the groove (or not).
All these words may not mean much until you actually go through the process a few times and see the point of the stylus through a magnifier, sitting on a dot or in a groove.
And I don't think you wasted your money on the Feickert. It is a quality, well made tool. Coupled with an arc style protractor (together less than 10% the cost of a top flight moving coil) one has a complete toolkit for doing cartridge alignment. Uh, well, except perhaps for azimuth. (If you have a voltmeter, there all you'll need is something like the Cardas Sweep test record, or you can do it by ear.)
Best of luck with your first cartridge setup - you'll do fine.
Tim |
Everyone, I appreciate your reponse.
Viper,what you discovered I'll check it out this weekend when I arrive home.
I did order one on the 21st, it apparently arrived today.
Richard, Palasr, did I waste my money on this protractor?
By the way Richard, on your page I clicked on your Triplaner Ultimate,
Man oh man!, you DO Not see record players and tone arms like this too often....Adjustments, thats an understatement....WOW
Also the rest of your system looks to be very well thought out, just great!
Mark |
I don't think this is needed. I have a VPI arm which came with a VPI Single Point protractor. I was careful to align the cartridge to it, and no one has proven to me that there is any difference between my setup, using the VPI and any other method. Anytime someone brings some new protractor, it always measures the same. ...just do it right the first time. |
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 |
A little off subject maybe, but Feickert also has new software available (adjust +). Anyone have experience with this yet? Does it work as well or better than the DMM method of azimuth adjustment? The website is a German-English translation and doesn't give me a good feel for how easy this would be to use or how effective it would be. |
I noticed something today about the Feickert template. I measured the spindle-pivot distance on my Aries-3 TT and it's 261mm. I then move my stylus to touch the 261mm mark on the Feickert template - so far so good. Then I thought let's try another point on the template, I move the stylus to 300mm mark and to my surprise it touches it as well. I then move my stylus to all other marks and it touches all of them.
So now what? I thought the stylus is supposed to touch only one mark?? Now I'm confused, why do we even bothered measuring the spindle-pivot distance? |
Just thought I'd mention this.
I noticed on DaVinci Audio web site a Feickert protractor comes with Davincis Grandezza tonearms. |
More happy owners of the Feickert.
Over and above any review,in print or on line.
I value actual owners opinions of any given component and or product, be it a lawn mower or a pair of speakers.
Emailists I hear ya.
Most definitely I plan on installing a second arm on my table with a mono cartridge.
Of course I could buy another arm tube for the Graham, however a 12 incher would be my preference for a 2nd arm.
About a third of my record collection consist of vintage 1950s and early 1960s mono Jazz recordings including some early mono Rock and Roll.
Many are lightly used and in pristine condition.
Some of them have shocking natural sounding timbre that I would put against ANY reissue or NEW recording of today.
Upon initial set up, with ease of use.
If this tool helps dial in my arm and cartridge without going through nerve racking hair pulling tedium, the $250.00 will be well spent. |
Excellent tool. I would definitely buy one again. I've used it to set up my Dynavector XV-1s on my Phantom and it works like a charm, (as well as other carts on other arms).
I don't know what the hell I may have been doing wrong with the Graham jig but I got far superior results with the Feickert mounting the dyna on the phantom.
Easy and accurate. |
I bought mine a year ago. I've been setting up turntables since the late 1970s. The Feickert is just great - the easiest protractor I've used.
Charlie |
Does anyone who has the Graham Set up jig think they get better results with a protractor than the jig?
I recently got the Feikert adjust plus software turntable setup tool. Havent set up a cart yet. |
Don't forget that the Feickert also include a "Baerwaald" geometry (so-called "Arc Style") on the 'backface' of the template. |
Tim,
Thank you for the additional info.
Thats a great idea to become familiar with the tools practicing mounting and set up of an old cartridge first, I do have one which is somewhere.
I have mit size hands with large thick fingers, I have broke very fragile things in the past.
A Dynavector DRT XV1s will be mounted on a Graham Phantom B-44 arm.
There are fool proof set up jigs including some nifty tools and a Very good manual that came with the Graham arm.
I give the Graham instruction manual highest marks.
Searching around, people really seam to like using the Feikert protractor including industry pros right down to guy's like us.
Practically every comment and audio review gave top marks for ease of use with machine shop accuracy.
I have ordered one.... |
The Feickert is a two-point tool and appears to be quite well made with a great ruler for measuring spindle-to-pivot distance. For a slightly different take (which includes a few comments on the Feickert), here is an interesting read on Arc Style alignment protractors. Be prepared to enter the world of cartridge setup. The diagram at the Feickert site is helpful to have on hand to keep straight the key terminology/measurements of Pivot-Spindle distance, Overhang, and Offset. Once you have those planted in your mind, the discussion is easy to follow. Arc Style examples include the Wally Tractor, the MintLP protractor, and the Ken Willis protractor. I'm tempted to say use what you're most comfortable with, but until you've done it a few times and fiddled with the tool, you can't really gauge which is easiest to use. My best results come from using the Wally - it is easy to use and its mirrored lines are the best I've found for getting the stylus/cantilever in the proper offset angle. Placing the cartridge body square to a grid is better than nothing, but imo its optimal to align on the cantilever. I can appreciate the trepidation that comes with setting up a cartridge, especially an expensive one. If you have an older cartridge, you might use it to gain initial experience with whatever set-up tool you choose. - 4X and 10X magnifiers are really good to have at hand. - A light, especially with a flexible stem (such as the LittlLight) is valuable. Light and magnification are your friends. - Proper setup can make a huge difference - Give yourself plenty of time, take little breaks to ease tension, and don't forget to breath. :-) It will be worth it. Tim |
BTW, one other benefit of Feickert is that the thickness of the template is 3mm which is the same as an 180g vinyl. Most of my LPs are 180g so the Feickert allows me to set my VTA in a very handy manner.
I find that the user instruction on Feikert website is slightly better than the manual that comes with the package. |
Viper
Another positive testimonial, thats great.
The fellow I relied on to dial in my record players has probably set up more tables, arm and cartridges then Carter has liver pills.
He worked in various audio stores from the mid 1960s through into the late 1980s. |
Thank you guys for your input. |
I just used it to check my Aries-3 + JMW10.5i tonearm, which was previously calibrated using the VPI jig. It's much simpler/quicker to use compare to the VPI jig. The white colored template makes it much easier to align the stylus without the need of a magnifying glass. Yes, the VPI jig is probably sufficient, but it's more cumbersome. I wouldn't want to use the VPI jig again now I have the Feickert. It is pricy, but I figure in the future I probably will be buying a few more turntables so this is the only protractor that I ever need. |
I have used quite a few different models, including the turntablebasics mirrored protractor as well as the db systems protractor.
Most were good, with the db systems getting the best results in my direct comparisons.
But all of this didn't matter after using the Feickert Protractor for the first time.. Let me explain.
The Feickert is a GREAT product. It is in a different league than the others.
It is so accurate that after I finished my setup I finally KNEW with full confidence that my settings were as perfect as they could be.. And the sound backed this up completely.
It was the first time ever that I had zero doubts about my setup. So I'm done..
I sold all my other protractors and kept the Feickert.
I will not sell it.
It is not inexpensive, but it is worth every penny.
Try it. I think you will like it as much as I do.
|
I have top of the line equipment. I used the VPI jig. works just fine. Use a magnifying glass. Save your money. |
Easy to use. Pricey. Provides a very accurate way to set overhang based on the arm's pivot point.
As Narrod mentioned, the Ken Willis protractor might be the way to go and save some dinero.
And yes, if you're gonna be into vinyl, you simply have to learn how to setup cartridges. Good luck! |
It's good. It does not come with a strobe light. I suggest you contact Ken Willis in the Vinyl section of Audioasylym.com and check out his protractors. They are the simplest I have ever used. Good luck. |
I ordered one from Music Direct and it arrived about a week ago. I haven't used it yet (intend to install a Lyra Skala cart. on a spare Graham 2.2 arm wand soon - - probably over the 4th of July weekend).
To answer your question about the strobe - - no light is included, so you will have to supply your own.
The apparent build quality of the disc and ruler is quite high. The instructions, however, are a bit sketchy for someone (like me) who hasn't messed with setting up cartridges before - - like you, I've relied on others in the past. |
