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Stylus Rake Angle

I am trying to set up my new VPI 3D arm as close to perfection as I can. On the Analog Planet, Michael Fremer gives one opinion, however, a different opinion was voiced by Harry at VPI, and Peter at Soundmith. I've been discussing this with them....Fremer says that SRA should be adjusted even if the back end of the arm is WAY high up as needed, whereas Harry, and Peter said to start with the arm in a horizontal position and move it slightly up and down to find the sweet spot. Peter said that my cartridge (Benz LPS) and some others have an additional facet in the diamond so bringing the arm up in back would be exaggerating the proper SRA. When I wrote back to Fremer, he answered with an insistance that he was correct. Does anyone want to add to the confusion??
128x128stringreen
stringreen's avatar
stringreen OP
6,380 posts
 
Guessing is way too complicated with this cartridge on this installation. What I did today was LISTEN. The arm is a bit high, but not absurdly so which the microsope dictated. I just heard Mahler's 2nd symphony conducted by Bernstein on DG....E-Gads....I never heard anything so fine. Because the arm was raised, the VTF is now probably a bit too light, the Azimuth, is probably skewed....I'm too tired to futz with this arm. When Harry sends me the new weight he promised, I will fine tune the setup.
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
The whole point of this exercise is moot simply because no two pressings are going to be exactly the same thickness. Way too much attention is paid to this VTA/Rake issue IMO.

The answer is to set it by ear (as you have done?) to a ~180 gram pressing and be done with it. Some records will be thinner, increasing rake, and some will be thicker, decreasing rake.

Set it and, please, by all means, forget it!

Listen to some music!
rockitman's avatar
rockitman
417 posts
 
All this precision done on one record, then you play the next, it will be off, even if it's the same record weight...Tonearm mfg'r need to include spirit levels at their pivot to ensure sra consistency from record to record. Graham has got it right.
jeffb28451
129 posts
 
I got a tip from VDH and a very tweaky audio buddy of mine who was a principal in a speaker group with Linkwitz and set up Pacific Rim shows for Rowland.

As a consequence, I now never (even with two tables: an easily adjustable and measurable air bearing arm and a Triplanar) adjust for the MM or couple for various pressings. However, I was told to forget how weird it looks and really crank that baby up in the air/measurable and not subtle degrees off of horizontal (higher at the back). I was amazed. I lost nothing with the experiment and have to admit that if Mr. VDH gives me that advice for one of his high-dollar Black Beauty carts he made for me, joined by my friend with some of the best ears I've ever known in 36+ years in this hobby: I'll try it.

Try it. The worst that will happen is it will sound like hell and you lose nothing. Of course, lab measurements and instrument calibration and set up would be nice, so I ain't knocking that. Give it a shot and trust your ears.
gregm
3,396 posts
 
As a consequence, I now never (even with two tables: an easily adjustable and measurable air bearing arm and a Triplanar) adjust for the MM or couple for various pressings. However, I was told to forget how weird it looks and really crank that baby up in the air/measurable and not subtle degrees off of horizontal (higher at the back).
Could you translate that into plain English?:) Thanks
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