Why don’t you just buy all in one: cheap way under $40: Hi-Fi test LP with printed protractor inside, an actual test record to make your setup perfect and to avoid mistakes, read bit about this record here. Every newbie need this (first of all). a high-end tool (if you have money for it): Dr.Feickert Protractor you need nothing else, you don’t need a mirror |
Thanks everybody.. Remember I’m a newbie...So a person could get an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper and measure/look up the spindle to pivot arm distance. From that point draw an arc using the effective tonearm distance. Draw a second arc showing the record edge cut it out and then have it laminated. Use this in combination with that 12 dollar mirrored “book mark looking” overhang guage that I bought on Amazon? Checking back and forth between keeping an accurate arc and cartridge angle?
not sure I’d actually do this.. just want to make sure I have the right Idea.
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@coachpoconnor instead of payin’ that much for a piece of plastic called MINTLP you’d better check Dr.Feickert protractor, it will give you far more for any turntable and any tonearm or any size, also you will get all 3 alignment methods to choose (it’s up to you which one you want to try). This is made in Germany, it’s metal, you will have precise pivot to spindle ruler. Ones you will buy this protractor you will never have to buy anything else, no matter which arm or turntable you will be using in the future. This is a much better investment. A great tool! And it’s German quality. Look for used sample if you want to pay less. And by the way: the Test Record i have recommended to you earlier (many times) comes with NICE AND FREE PROTRACTOR. So with this Hi-Fi Test Records you can not only measure your cartridge/tonearm resonance freq. but you can also align your cartridge with protractor that you will find inside. All these for $40 and you need anything else ? |
Dear @mijostyn : The LP recordings are full of inaccuracies that affects what we are trying to " read ", same for music or test tones or the like and perfect speed in TT does not exist.
Vinyl Engine calculator is the best to go. In the other side the MINTLP is a very good and inexpensive protractor why any one could wants ( as you. ) to " invent " the " black thread " when already exist, makes no sense your proposition.
Anyway, why to big deal for you. ?. Please just forgeret about, this is not " rocket science ".
R. |
rauliruegras you have to be kidding. The only error in the recording would be if the TT speed were set incorrectly. The only thing you care about is the actual resonance frequencies which is what you are measuring. This also gives you the ability to adjust if you have to by adding or subtracting mass. All that other stuff as far as the real world matters is unnecessary complexity and difficult for us normal folks to understand. Watching a tonearm vibrating is easy and sort of fun.
There are many inexpensive alignment protractors out there. You can actually make one your self. Get to it rauliruegras. Give you something creative to do. |
Dear @coachpoconnor : Well the MINTLP is lower than 130.00 and you can ask for the Baerwald alignment. You don't have to look for other because are out of your budget if the MINTLP you consider it a little pricey.
R. |
Rauliruegas
Thanks for the suggestion.
I like the idea of the MINTLP, but none of this stuff is cheap.
I saw a video with Michael Fremer and he had a protractor with the various arcs on the protractor. Does anyone no the name of It?
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Dear @coachpoconnor : Two of them are: the MINTLP and the Feickert.
The first one is a dedicated protractor for your tonearm/cartridge in specific and the other is universal.
R. |
Thanks for everyone’s input! I am enjoying this. I have ordered a Denon DL 110 for my HK T65c. I hope that is a much better match for Microrace tonearm. I have several other turntables to sell; and then will hunt for a more appropriate table for my DL 103. I do have one other question.. what is the best cartridge alignment gauge? |
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Dear @mijostyn : """
which will account for any wear and inaccuracies that the math won't account for. """
between those inaccuracies are the ones in the test record that is not a " perfect " recording.
With the " maths " ( vynil engine calculator. ) you don't have to spend money for more just inaccuracies and you can be sure that the calculator result will be around 95%+ of the real value that's more than enough for that resonance frequency value..
No one needs a test record for what the OP is looking for, the test record is inherent inaccurate. So, where is its big deal?. No sense at all but to each his own.
In the other side the OP ask for maths even that he already knew about the internet calculators.
R.
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All he needs is the test record which will account for any wear and inaccuracies that the math won’t account for. exactly, i have no idea why people prefer to make questinable calculation on paper if they don’t even know where to start, because their cartridge compliance stated at 100Hz (not at 10Hz) which will make all the caltulation way off. Insted they can buy a Test Record to play B2 and B2 tracks and actually watch the arm and cartridge shaking together at the certain range of resonance frequency. This is practical solution, not a theoretical math on paper. But for the orthodox there is a theoretical aspect printed right on the record sleeve. |
rauliruegas, that kind of stuff makes me dizzy. I am glad to be out of Physics 101. All he needs is the test record which will account for any wear and inaccuracies that the math won't account for. |
raulirugas; thank you for the reference. I have printed it out and am in the process of digesting this article.
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Denon not “turn on”. Using voice messaging here. Sorry. |
I agree with Raul that you don’t have to go crazy with a perfect match for that cartridge. On the other hand I know a local guy who has one of the best sounding systems I have ever heard in my life who uses a homemade tonearm that from the looks of it must have 50 g effective mass with his turn on DL 103. So I guess it depends upon how crazy you want to get with the mathematics of the situation. |
Dear @coachpoconnor : Adding weigth at the headshell increment the tonearm effective mass and this is what you did it, good. With 9.5grs-10.00grs. of tonearm effective mass you will out of the resonance frequency range around 1 hz. Anyway here the Maths you want:
http://www.cartchunk.org/audiotopics/ToneArmMechanics.pdf
R. |
That you chakster. I was getting really tired of saying that. 1+ |
Chakster... Thank you, I do plan to buy the test LP you suggest.
I bought a Harmon Kardon T65C in very good condition at the suggestion of an audiophile acquaintance. I really did not plan on putting the DL 103 on this turntable; but the other night I hooked it up to see how it would sound, out of curiosity. I have since listened to it for approximately 30 hrs. Last night I attached 2 gms to the head shell (and adjusted the counter weight accordingly) and it seemed to make a qualitative difference in sound. It got me interested in understanding how to calculate effective mass. I have seen some brass counterweights and brass head shell weights, that I also thought I would experiment with. But I am interested in learning to do the Math behind these theories.
rauliruegas- I believe that the effective mass of this Ito Microrace tonearm is 9.5.
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And if you really want to measure an exact cartridge/tonearm resonance practically (not theoretically) you need a Hi-Fi News Test LP |
Dear @coachpoconnor : I don't know which tonearm you have but the 103 is not really a to problematic cartridge .
You can use really " safe " a tonearm from 12grs. ( even a little lower. ) and up and will stay inside/around the normal resonance frequency range.
It's more important that your tonearm be a good damped design.
Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R. |
Surely it does not work, because you need a compliance figure at 10Hz (not at 100Hz). But don’t worry, to convert it simply multiply on 1.7 Your cartridge dynamic compliance is about 8.5 cu @ 10Hz P.S. If you like low compliance cartridges and heavy tonearms then do yourself a favor look for Fidelity-Research cartridges and arms instead of that oldschool Denon with awful conical tip. FR cartridges have Contact Line "Vital" diamonds like this one on PMC-3 (Air Core Coil). |
