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Headphoneus Supremus
I don't mean to be negative on everything said above, but cartridgealignment is not that hard... You can't really go wrong with 2 screws and four clips. Just like a broken clock tells the correct time twice a day, the horizontal alignment on a normal radial arm is never really right but for two places. If you are not a complete klutz. There is no absolute right or wrong in horizontal angle because it changes all the time. :rolleyes: I dare say that if you play mostly singles a different alignment optimized closer to the spindle is preferable to the standard alignment. And if you play mostly older shorter records where the groove is cut more towards the rim you need the opposite.
The best you can achieve with 'the 2 screws and 4 clips' is a compromise. The tolerance of your compromise depends on the stylusshape. It always is about which compromise to take and how to most closely approach it. It is relative. So don't be afraid to make your own compromise. Just like you chose your stylusshape according to your own ability to make correct alignment decisions and the skill to carry them out. Or have it done for you.
Then there is azimuth, this is an absolute. But many arms have no adjustment for it just because it is an absolute. Straight is straight. So if your cartridge is out of whack youre straight out of luck.
Now where does the TLC come in? Well, if you can adjust azimuth you will need a small mirror to set the arm straight. And if you cantilever/tip is not properly aligned to the body you will need to listen. And relisten, and adjust, and listen again. But the reward is: when it's right, it's right. Unless you are using a unipivot arm.
And then there is the VTA. :rolleyes: Again: no absolutes. It can be, with a perfectly plane lp, but they hardly ever are. And if you change a thick 200gr for a thin 120gr, again: you will need to adjust. And with a Rega arm, you can't. Or you need a washer under the 120gr lp. And for many other arms you will have to fiddle with a tiny screwdriver to adjust the height of the arm, never knowing where you had it correct. There are very few arms with on the fly VTA adjustments.
Many if's, but's and unlesses. There's analog for you. Never a boolean when you want it.
The best you can achieve with 'the 2 screws and 4 clips' is a compromise. The tolerance of your compromise depends on the stylusshape. It always is about which compromise to take and how to most closely approach it. It is relative. So don't be afraid to make your own compromise. Just like you chose your stylusshape according to your own ability to make correct alignment decisions and the skill to carry them out. Or have it done for you.
Then there is azimuth, this is an absolute. But many arms have no adjustment for it just because it is an absolute. Straight is straight. So if your cartridge is out of whack youre straight out of luck.
Now where does the TLC come in? Well, if you can adjust azimuth you will need a small mirror to set the arm straight. And if you cantilever/tip is not properly aligned to the body you will need to listen. And relisten, and adjust, and listen again. But the reward is: when it's right, it's right. Unless you are using a unipivot arm.
And then there is the VTA. :rolleyes: Again: no absolutes. It can be, with a perfectly plane lp, but they hardly ever are. And if you change a thick 200gr for a thin 120gr, again: you will need to adjust. And with a Rega arm, you can't. Or you need a washer under the 120gr lp. And for many other arms you will have to fiddle with a tiny screwdriver to adjust the height of the arm, never knowing where you had it correct. There are very few arms with on the fly VTA adjustments.
Many if's, but's and unlesses. There's analog for you. Never a boolean when you want it.
Installed a new Audio-Technica AT311EP cartridge. Using it with a Cambridge Audio 540P preamp and a Pioneer VSX-822k receiver. Sounds pretty darn good!
