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VTA setting for 'parabolic' and 'elliptical' styli

Hi,
please let's have some expert opinions based on experience regarding this subject.
One cart manual specifically recommends negative VTA (arm down from level at pivot) for parabolic styli, as compared to some elliptical styli prefering positive VTA (arm up from level at pivot), see Townshend IEE 500 manual:
http://downloads.nakedresource.com/ve_download_centre/index.php?townshend/elitetownshend_cartridges.pdf
as seen on Vinylengine: http://www.vinylengine.com/library/townshend/eei-500.shtml

To further confuse the issue, in a manual for the Garrott P77, also using a parabolic stylus (Micro Tracer), it states the complete opposite, moving the arm UP by 4-5mm for best VTA...! That's one hell of a lot positive VTA, close to imposible to even realise with mu SME-V. (The arm begins to bottom out on the lowered arm-lift)

Could anyone shed some light on these contradictions for us?

The 'EEI 500' does work best with negative VTA, and so does my A&R P77, also sporting a parabolic stylus.
In terms of ALL line-stylus type carts (all my MCs) it was ALWAY understood that UP from level gives more treble and DOWN less treble etc. etc. (..in VERY simple terms, as we know the whole spiel).

It needs to be mentioned, that the MM carts noted above **appeared** to need more arm UP to sound correct, according to my then current experience --- indeed they seem to work the other way around! Hm...
Greetings,
Axel
axelwahl

Showing 7 responses by dertonarm

dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Axel, the needed VTA is a result of the record and the angle of the cutting head used to engrave the groove. It changes with various LPs made with various angle cutting heads. Try - to name the extremes - OPUS3 vs. Mercury SR LPs and you will notice that the VTA (i.e. heights of tonearm base) needs to be changed by almost 8 mm in a 9" tonearm. The size and form of the polished contact area may again vary these results, but to a MUCH smaller degree compared to the requirements set by the various cutting angles.
This was common knowledge by all seasoned audiophile collectors of vintage stereo-LPs back in the late 1980ies.
Cheers,
D.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Raul, see - once again - I totally agree with you on this matter. I do alter my VTA several times during each session - depending on the record playing and the cutting angle used to engrave its groove. I started doing this in 1987 after my first visit to Sid Marks in Brooklyn/NY.
I think its vital.
Many sonic judgements regarding cartridges or tonearms may well be just a matter of a momentary "VTA sweet spot" on one combo and missing it again on the next.
You are always concerned about the circumstances of a given test/comparism - and right so.
This here is the maybe most important point in the cartridge/tonearm evaluation. Missing the correct VTA for the given record is dangerous in a serious test set-up.
Cheers,
D.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Axel,
after a while you have settings for each label. These can be marked.
Changing VTA becomes a matter of 15 seconds.
Time well spend.
About the same effort as getting the LP out of the cover, placed on the platter and clamped.
After all these years its kind of automatic procedure and something I don't think about anymore.
We are putting so much effort, time and money into many other fields of the audio-chain.
Compared to this - the change of VTA-setting is a very cost-effective "tweak" - to say the least.......
Cheers,
Daniel
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Axel, given its ever increasing diameter armpipe (in conjunction with its "upper floor" cartridge mounting headshell) the SME V is most troublesome - to say the least... - to adjust to VTA settings required for older (read: most pre-1972 cut records) LPs. The SME V is a most modern "child of the early 80ies" which took all technical aspects of its day in consideration and assumed perfect angle styli, high body and slender cartridge body (Ortofon...) and modern (DMM cut) records to be played (only.....).
Sorry - the SME V is in fact the one prominent non-compliant tonearm when it comes to meet different cutting angles and the resulting demand to different VTA settings.

Cheers,
D.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Hi all, it seems to me that most audiophiles should make up their mind first, about how deep they want to go into the topic......
It makes not too much sense to me if we first discuss set-up aspects but once they go into core issues and demand some individual work, many move out again claiming "set-up to an acceptable standard and then "enjoy the music"..." - isn't this a bit odd?
Is this still in compliance with the big buck spend, the time and effort of putting a system together and time spend in forums like this ?
Am I missing something ?
To me this is plain inconsistency.

Or am I just too obsessed with details and my quest of ?

Cheers,
D.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Missing was: "my quest of putting the record straight".
Cheers,
D.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Well Axel,

its max. 1 minute we are talking - not 5 min plus - that is required to getting the VTA adapted to the specific LP laying on the platter.
That 1 minute is vital.
Seems as if each of us spends much more time online in forums lately than the total ad-d up time for VTA adjustment for many hundreds of LPs played.......

You see - there is simply no point in NOT doing this - for any reason.
If you not doing it, you are putting the performance level of your whole front-end to chance and risk.
And teh odds will be against you - by a huge margin.

Cheers,
D.
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