Setting Azimuth

Dear Arnold, Last night I realized that the suggestion I made re tube swapping to localize the source of your channel imbalance, in my last post, was needlessly laborious. Whether your phono and linestage are tube or transistor type, all you need to do is swap L and R channel leads, between tonearm and phono and then between phono and linestage (if you have a 2-box system). If the problem resides in the cartridge, the louder signal will move from one channel to the other when you swap leads between tonearm and phono input, etc. If the imbalance is unaffected, etc.

Lewm's interpretation of my comment was correct. The experiment described in the OP clearly demonstrated that azimuth has little effect on channel output. Like many useful experiments it proved that the going-in hypothesis was false. That's just as useful as a positive result.

How does one adjust channel balance?

Cartridge alignments and adjustments have little effect on channel balance. If you're actually getting significantly different output from one channel vs. the other then the flaw is probably internal to one (or more) components. Adjusting the cartridge won't change that.

You should perform a diagnostic:

1. Is the sound balanced when playing a CD or other line-level source?
- if yes, the imbalance is occurring somewhere in the phono reproduction chain.
- if no, the imbalance is occuring in your line stage or after.

2. If #1 demonstrates that the imbalance is occuring in the phono reproduction chain, try reversing the cartridge clips. Does the imbalance flip sides?
- if yes, the imbalance is internal to the cartridge. Repair or replace the cartridge.
- if no, the imbalance is internal to the tonearm wiring or phono stage.

3. If #2 demonstrates that the imbalance is internal to the tonearm wiring or phono stage, return the cartridge clips to their normal position and reverse the phono leads at the phono stage inputs (or at the TT if you have a detachable phono cable). Does the imbalance flip sides?
- if yes, the problem is in the tonearm/phono cable. Check and clean all connections. If the imbalance continues you probably have faulty wire (seems unlikely).
- if no, the problem is in your phono stage. Check tubes if you have or try another phono stage.

The diagnostic process is tedious but critical for accurate problem solving. Isolate the cause first. Then decide what needs adjusting/repairing. Making adjustments without examining what needs adjusting is just, "Ready - Fire! - Aim." ;-)

I've eliminated the phono stage during my first test. I had the fozgometer connected to the interconnects directly off the turntable. I even switched to a completely different pair of interconnects and the results were the same. I have not done the reverse channel test yet. I'll do some more troubleshooting and report back.

Oh yes, forgot that you were reading off the tonearm cables. Just out of curiosity, does your system SOUND like there is a channel imbalance in the same direction as indicated by the Foz, when you connect the tonearm to the phono stage? If not, then the Foz is back in the soup.

Stringreen,

I assure you that adjustments on any VPI tonearm are much easier with the Counter-Intuitive. Even reading your post confirms how much easier this device makes setting up the VTF and azimuth compared to all the effort you have to go through without it to get everything dialed in. If you're happy and ok with setting up your tonearm with several different Allen wrenches and trying to maneuver the counterweight so perfectly that it goes only where you want it to go, which to me is just impossible, that's great and more power to you. However, virtually all those who bought the CI agree that it makes adjustments much easier. Those are the people who have tried it both ways, while you haven't and it simply appears you don't like the tool for some reason. Arguing against something easily verifiable such as this device's benefit or lack thereof without first trying it is just silly.