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The importance of proper set-up

For many of the readers of this forum, this may seem obvious. Certainly, had I read this even a week ago, I would have scanned it with only marginal interest. I have owned a VPI Aries 2 for about 2-3 years. I am using a Transfiguration Temper W. Over the years, I have adjusted the VTA/VTF settings. This was a slow evolution. Each adjustment brought improvement. However, what at first seemed like a fix or cure, proved over time to still be lacking. Initially, I thought the sound somewhat strident or etched. I thought, at least in comparison to cd, the bass was lacking. So, I dropped the arm back slightly, each time being sure to re-check the VTF. I use the Shure SFG-2. Almost invariably, the VTF will have changed with each adjustment. While some people might think I was fooling myself into thinking I heard not too subtle differences with each adjustment, I can only tell you, to my ear, the differences were unmistakable. The funny thing is, and the reason that I felt compelled to share this anectode is that each time I would adjust the table, I would think I "nailed it", the perfect balance of treble, bass, and midrange, while preserving all the ambient soundstage and layering I had previously heard. Now, mind you, certain records would sound better on certain settings, while others I recalled sounding better on earlier settings. For instance, a record which had a deep, rich low end, might sound better with the cartridge tipped up slightly to reinforce the top end. It was only after playing literally dozens of records that I began to formulate an opinion, one way or another as to whether the sound was too thin, or the bass too exxagerated at the expense of air and separation between the players. That would cause me to make yet further refinements. However, whether by luck or just perserverence, I have now stumbled on a setting that has revealed so much of the midband that was previously obscured, it is downright spooky. Those who love analog know that the music lives and breaths in the midband. I don't know whether its the table, the arm (10.5), the releveling of the table, or just catching the perfect rake angle, but after more than 2 years, I am finally enjoying the true virtues of my rig.
My purpose in writing is to suggest that even if you think you have your table set to perfection, if you haven't experimented with other settings, i.e. haven't tipped the sylus up or down slightly, haven't tried to add a tad more weight to the arm, haven't levelled the table precisely, you may not be enjoying the full benefit of your investment. Yes, it is tedius, but let me assure you, the rewards are well worth the effort.
128x128stew3859
stew3859's avatar
stew3859 OP
119 posts
 
Gentlemen:
So, you come home from the garage sale with a 6-eye copy of something or other and you run it through your VPI RCM. You ever so gently drop it on your platter and try to remember what the last record was you played. You can tell from the VTA tower or whatever mechanism your table employs, that the last record was a thicker slab of vinyl so you know right away that you are likely going to raise the VTA to match the profile of the LP. Here is where the mystery starts for me. What general characteristics are you listening for when you are determining what the best VTA setting is likely to be. Can you relate some time-honored generalizations that might be of assistance to the uninitiated? How long does it take you to find the sweet spot? Can you ever be sure you have found the optimum position? Does the genre of music clue you in for starters as to the range you think your going to end up at? How 'bout some pointers our veteran obsessive VTA'ers.
stltrains
845 posts
 
i go over my setup monthly, or when i find that maybe i need to, the thing with spinning lps is you need to do maintenance, you do it because after playing cds you know with out a doubt vinyl is king, right now i have little feet playing on one of the finest rock lps let it roll, the sound is so sweet up and down, the bass is rock solid, mids and upper end as what you would expect, after playing with vta with my arm a vpi 10.5i one of the easiest to do it with on the fly, i have come to the realization to stop playing with everything sit your self down and enjoy the music, the reason why you made the choice to put a small fortune into musical enjoyment, not to tweak often, but to listen a lot, mike
styx
37 posts
 
It seams that I am one of the lucky few who can not hear the change in VTA/VTF. That is why I have an SME V and enjoy the music.;)
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Stew,

Since you're crazed enough to ask, the best primer I've seen on VTF and VTA adjustment by ear is at Lloyd Walker's site. Read this first:

http://www.walkeraudio.com/fine_tuning_your_turntable.htm

As LW points out, their are two levels of adjustment for VTA. Call them coarse and fine.

Coarse adjustments effect either tonal balance, bass vs. treble, or nothing. IME the degree of change varies from cartridge to cartridge. Coarse VTA changes affect tonal balance on my Shelter 901 but do little or nothing on my ZYX's.

The fine adjustment effects something much subtler, tightness and integration of notes in the TIME domain. (I'm not talking about image focus or tightness. Imaging happens in the SPATIAL domain, L vs. R, and is largely controlled by azimuth, not VTA.)

If you hear these time domain changes you'll hear them from anywhere. Being in the sweet spot is unnecessary (unlike imaging, which can only be evaluated from the sweet spot relative to your speakers). My partner hears VTA changes from two rooms away, especially if I goof it up!

When VTA/SRA is spot-on, each note gets as short and tight as possible. This is easier to hear with bass notes than treble, due to their longer wavelengths. The different frequencies that make up a sound are also integrated for maximum realism and impact. Getting drum, cymbal or piano hits right works. It is much easier to hear on good recordings, acoustic instruments and top caliber vocals than on poor recordings, amplified instruments or poor quality vocals.

It is harder to hear with unipivots than with more stable arms. It is harder to hear with conical styli than elliptical, and harder with elliptical than with fine line or micro-ridge. It is harder to hear in bloomy or less resolving systems than in tight and more resolving ones.

It's also harder to hear when dancing or singing along, so Newbee, Stltrains and Styx all have strong musical arguments on their side!
newbee
4,751 posts
 
Doug, One thing that never seems to get discussed when folks talk about VTA and the need for fine adjustments, or any but the most gross for that matter, is the type of stylus they are using. I suspect some folks with good systems and ears who don't hear the benefit have eliptical tips or (do they even make them anymore) conical tips, which are far less demanding than line stylus and the like. BTW, out of shear laziness I just (pre)set my VTA for record thickness now-a-days. Talk about gross! :-)

Stew, That question is downright mean! :-)

As in all things audio related you either have developed a sense of 'rightness' or you haven't. By rightness, I mean personal aural preference of how your record should sound. If you put on, for example a 180gm record and your VTA is set for 180 gm records, and the records tonal balance seems off you fiddle with the VTA a little bit. If it gets more in line with your expectations you continue 'til it doesn't get better (but don't get too anal about this). If you notice no change or it gets worse, you've got a bummer record. Thats a real problem, there are some bummer records out there and if you think you can make them all into silk purses by fiddling with VTA/VTF you're going to get very frustrated.

Have fun, don't make this into rocket science. :-)
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