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VTA?

I have a vintage Pioneer TT (PL-530) using a Grado Gold MM cart. The cart was installed by a dealer and performance has been acceptable. But, I am one to fuss about minor details. I have confirmed cartridge alignment (protractor) and tracking force with a TF gauge. The Pioneer table requires an overhang setting of 49 mm. Done that.

I am somewhat confused about adjusting the VTA. Seems that it can come down pretty much to trial and error until a preferred performance is obtained. And, VTA is most commonly performed by an arm elevation adjustment. The Pioneer has no such adjustment.

Am I just being too fussy about this factor since the Pioneer is nowhere near the sophistication and capabilities of more modern and expensive machines?

jrpnde

Showing 3 responses by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Which is true, but bad. 

Its true because increased VTF pushes the cartridge down more, the cantilever pivots up, and this does indeed change VTA. But its bad because, well first you have to understand why VTF is what it is in the first place. Its not to reduce stylus wear. Its to ensure the coils or magnets are properly aligned within the magnets or coils. VTF is a range because the maker knows suspension compliance and exactly how much force will result in this crucial alignment. 

That is why turntable setup is such an iterative process. First set VTF. Then VTA. But changing VTA changed the situation so you get to go back and tweak VTF again. Doesn't need to be endless, doesn't even need to be done more than once. Just need to know that's how it works. How far you take it, that part is all on you.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
What is correct setup but the result of a long series of small adjustments based on listening? In other words: tweaking. Its the very definition of the word. Its actually impossible to be properly setup without it.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
VTA is one of those things where if your arm makes adjustment on the fly convenient accurate and repeatable, and if you're a keen listener with a lot of patience, and time, then with enough effort you can learn to hear and appreciate when its perfectly dialed in. Unfortunately having done this the next thing you will notice is its slightly different from record to record. There's no real correlation with how thick or anything either. All you can do is listen. 

Was at an audio meeting one time where not a single one of the 20+ there had the slightest clue about how to do this. In fact their suggestions were laughably off. So given you don't have the arm I would just relax and enjoy it. Otherwise you are looking at shims and a huge effort to make any difference and whatever you do will be obscured by the fact that shimming the cart is messing with vibration control which depending on how its done may swamp any VTA changes you might hear.  

Time and money will be much better spent on springs, sand box, fO.q tape, PHT, and other stuff that will make a much more obvious improvement.
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