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Setting tonearm angle?

I recently lucked out and got a great deal on a VPI Scoutmaster 2 with JWM 9T arm and proceeded to set it up.
I had never owned a high end table like this so the set up was a bit new. My question concerns the VTA of the arm. I set it by measuring from the bottom surface of the arm to the record surface at several places along the arm to get the arm as close to level as possible.
Is that a logical thing to have done? Would the sound better if the angle was biased in one way or the other? (Dynavector DV-20X2 H cart being used) Thanks.
rmcfee

Showing 3 responses by rmcfee

rmcfee's avatar
rmcfee OP
36 posts
 
If I change the tonearm angle I have to re-adjust the azimuth and tracking force since they change greatly.
By then I can't accurately tell the difference. The fact is that each setting I have tried - arm level, cartridge nose down or nose up, all sound great.
Then I read a seemingly very well thought out essay online concluding that this VTA adjustment actually does nothing!
Some folk with the same gear as me say nose down, some the opposite.... maybe it doesn't make any difference.
rmcfee's avatar
rmcfee OP
36 posts
 
True, I have no reference. I just made adjustments until bedtime.
Changing all those parameters each time is time consuming and it would be so great if you could adjust the VTA as the record played.
The azimuth setting changed quite substantially as did the tracking force so those couldn't be ignored.
Eventually I got too tired to be subjective at all.
Crazy hobby!
rmcfee's avatar
rmcfee OP
36 posts
 
I agree that VTA shouldn't affect the azimuth, in theory. It does in this case. Tracking force goes off a lot too.
The VPI arm with it's free moving wobbly pivot system is a bit weird to work with. Seems to be a great system though.
Is this "unipivot" systen used in other TT designs?
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