So I bought a WallyScope...


It's a very nice microscope and the software that comes with it, while I assume off-the-shelf, is excellent.

But here's the thing. At the end of the day, you are still basically eyeballing your VTA setup, and the instructions for the WallyScope have you do two separate observations to reach your conclusion. The first is the angle by which your stylus hangs off the cantilever, and the second is the angle of the cantilever versus the record surface.

I understand why this is done. It's so that you can measure with the record moving to get the dynamic rake angle instead of static, so that's one error that the method corrects for. But at the cost of introducing the compounding observational errors by taking two measurements and then combining them to calculate your angle.

I was very patient with this process. I spent many hours over several days. I even dismounted the scope from its frame because I found a better way to line it up for taking measurements. 

 

And after all of that, I adjusted VTA by listening. Which achieved better sound. This came to me as a revelation, although it shouldn't have.

I don't regret the purchase, but it's a lesson that we can and should trust our ears.

Ag insider logo xs@2xwoofhaven1992

Showing 4 responses by woofhaven1992

Cards! Perfect idea.

I'm not sure I understand "heel down" and "toe down" but I'll do some searching...

I can't claim to have either a S.O.T.A. table or cart, but VTA changes, even small ones, are easy to discern audibly. 

Lesson learned. Weird that I needed it.  Hey anyone want a gently  used WallyScope? Lol.

 

@wallytools Thank you for the post, J.R.  My original submission was not intended to suggest anything deficient with the WallyScope itself or your support -- which you are correct, I did not take advantage of.  It was more of a comment of the repeated refrain in this pages of measurement vs. listening.  I.e., are one's ears ultimately the best measuring tool?

That said, the proper way to answer that question is to be sure to use the measurement tools correctly, which I undoubtedly did not do here.  Unfortunately, I did not save my photos.  I will, however, take new ones when I have a chance and circle back with you.