VPI 10.5i - Which armwands do I own?

You should use the off center rear counterweight to adjust azimuth. When adjusting, the bottom of the weight should be moved to the higher side.

It looks like you have an aluminum, and a stainless steel arm wand. The sound is the same (it looks like they are both wired with Valhalla). The stainless steel one is newer. They changed it to accommodate more cartridges which require more heft. They are both set up the same way, and if you are using either Benz or Dyna cartridges, they both are equally good.

I just changed my cartridge and in doing so, had to adjust that rear counterweight for azimuth alignment. The last time I had to do that was about 7 years ago when I last put in a cartridge. That azimuth ring as I read between the lines is something new...that it can indeed adjust azimuth. In the older aluminum arms,one of which I have,\... the proper way is for rotating the rear counterweight....not a big deal.

JR_W....congrats on your new cartridge. You might have noticed that the rear counterweight set screw does not set into metal, but simply tightens the black plastic ring that's inserted in the weight..therefore....you shouldn't loosen the set screw to move the weight..simply force it slightly...if done with caution, you can adjust either the VTA or weight rotation. In addition....if you just want to lighten the VTA a bit, there is an internal adjustment weight accessible with a large Allen wrench through the hole in the back of the arm tube. By unscrewing that weight (it could be tight, but don't fret...use some force...) it could be used to easily fine tune the VTA.