Thanks, will check it out. I had one from my Rega P1, do I need table specific protractors and alignment templates? I also through one in the cart when I ordered the styli for the PL518.
This will be the first table where I plan to test different styli (awkward word...)
If you don't know much about cartridge alignment, then you should probably read up about it. The Internet has tons of info on the subject. After a while, when you gain experience with your PL-518 turntable, then you can start messing around with cartridge alignment.
Every tonearm and the turntable it's attached to have unique turntable geometries. To answer your question. NO. You do not need to go by the alignment recommended by Pioneer for the PL-518. There is enough adjustment in the headshell (moving the cartridge forward and back, rotating the cartridge from side to side) to obtain other alignments.
Changing out the stylus will not mess up the alignment. The diamond tips of whatever styli you use (elliptical, conical etc) should land on the same exact spot on the record.
Now if you change out the headshell/cartridge combo, then yes you will have to make sure that that combo is aligned properly to the PL-518. Hence the need for my protractor. For example, if you take a cartridge/headshell combo off of a Technics turntable and screw it into the PL-518, then that will probably produce a totally different alignment altogether than what was intended for either the PL-518 or the Technics
.I have a half dozen different cartridges all mounted to their own headshells. I had to align them all using a protractor (or if you want you can use a cartridge overhang gauge set to 49mm).
My printable protractor is FREE!
