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Why use a super accurate cartridge protractor

In discussions about cartridge setup, there are those who say that unless one has a cartridge setup protractor like the Mint, Wally Tractor, Dennesen, etc. one cannot expect to extract maximum performance from your rig. Then there are those that say that even the best alignment tool still only nets you a position that needs further tweaking by ear. In my case, I've used a Dennesen and a number of downloadable free protractors and have been able to get good results with the free downloads if I took my time to make those little .5mm shifts that make sound pop into best focus. Is the superiority of a Mint or a Wally Tractor because one doesn't have to make those final last tiny adjustments? Is it that the mirror surface is easier on the eyes?
photon46

Showing 2 responses by tonywinsc

tonywinsc
583 posts
 
I read the very interesting article about cartridge setup. One critical factor mentioned is aligning the cantilever to the headshell because the cantilever was found not to be parallel to the cartridge body. So my question is, how can the cantilever alignment be gaged on an SME tonearm independent of the cartridge body?
tonywinsc
583 posts
 
I wanted to find out just how parallel my stylus was to my tonearm but I do not have a mirrored protractor. I do have access to our Smart Scope (a computerized optical measuring device) at work, so I very carefully schlepped my cartridge/headshell assembly to work today. As it was, the stylus was 3 degrees off parallel to the edge of the headshell. Perhaps I should back up here and explain that I have a SME 309 tonearm, which has a removable headshell. Mounted to my tonearm is a BenzMicro Ref3. I do not really have much room to adjust the alignment- just what clearance exists between the headshell holes and the screw diameters. I was able to move the cartridge and reduce the angle by just one degree. But I also could see that the cantilever was resting just off center of the vertical mark of the headshell and down on the brass housing. I suspected and confirmed that when the stylus and suspension are under a 2 gram load the cantilever is more centered both vertically and horizontally. So I think the cantilever is very nearly at zero degrees when cued onto a record. To conclude, I did not hear a difference, but then I only moved the cartridge by one degree. I think I have the tonearm dialed in pretty good. I have the Tracking force at about 2.4 grams. That setting was tweaked in by listening. I have the anti-skate set at 2.4 grams too. I started out with a lower setting but could hear a little distortion in the right channel when tracking nearer to the center of records. So I dialed up the anti-skate until that went away. Over the years I have used an average thickness record to set up my VTA and HTA since the SME arm has no easy way to adjust VTA on the fly. This set seems to work fine for me with the thicker, heavy vinyl and thinner records.
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