Strobe/Alignment disc on Amazon

DustyOldPile

DustyOldPile

Vinyl Goddess
I ordered one of these on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Turntable-Ca...1547827660&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=strobe+disck

I thought, "what a neat idea...everything you need in one disc". The strobe side works fantastically. An unadvertised feature is that it is a completely smooth disc, so you can also zero out your antiskate with it as well.

But the protractor...how in hell does one use it? Is it really a protractor or does it just *look* like one? I emailed the vendor for instructions (none included) and they replied that I was to refer to the below picture. Obviously, they have NO clue on how to use it.

upload_2019-1-18_10-7-10.png
 
Looks like a standard 2-point template. Put stylus on each target and adjust overhang and angle until it's aligned for both. IMO, arc templates are way easier. Mine is free here- http://www.conradhoffman.com/chsw.htm Third item down. Also prints strobes. Want smooth paper? Use smooth paper. Want an alignment target on one side and a strobe on the other? Run the paper through the printer twice. :D
 
Last edited:
Works like most basic alignment templates. You have to drop the stylus directly in the middle of one of the small circles (nullpoints) and twist the cartridge in the headshell to make sure that the cantilever is in-line with the line that bisects the circle when looking right in front of it. Next move to the other circle and do the same thing, turning the platter to get the stylus in the center of the other circle. If the cantilever is no longer in-line, you must move the cartridge in or out in the headshell and repeat. It is tedious. Youtube has many videos on how to do it.

Also, people much smarter than me INSIST that setting the anti-skate using a blank record is not a good way to do it since the stylus in the groove is a big part of what causes the inward pull. A blank record does not achieve the full effect of skating. Furthermore, it looks like the black printing is directly on the disc, so I would worry that dropping a stylus on it while it is rotating might scratch that printing off, and foul your stylus.
 
Printing is not on top of the disc, and as for antiskate, point taken. But even so, it's more accurate than the markings on the turntable's antiskate control. The printing is embedded in the disc.

This is definitely NOT like the protractors that you mention, I have used those. If I were to set this up so that the stylus -- lined up with one box -- would line up with the other if the arm was swung in or out, it would be EXTREMELY out of whack. The straight line is NOT a sight line to the tonearm, either.

I think someone just printed this on there to 'look cool' and had not a clue about what an alignment tool should do. It's a shame, because having all that on one disc would really be useful.

The best tool IMO is still the one available from turntablebasics.com. Too bad the seller is rather sketchy and unreliable.
 
The "protractor" is for a Baerwald, or Lofgren A alignment. The two points given are the null points for this alignment. To do the alignment, you set the stylus in the center of the little circle within the cross-hairs, of one of the positions. You then align the cantilever/cartridge body so that it parallels the grid pattern. When you think you have this done, you move your arm over to the other circle and repeat the procedure. When the alignment looks the same at both locations (probably will take many attempts unless you are luck) you will have achieved the alignment. What this tool does is set the overhang and offset angle for the Baerwald (Stevenson A) alignment for your particular arm and arm length (spindle to arm pivot centers).

The alignment method is known as the two point alignment method.
 
DustyOldPile said:
Printing is not on top of the disc, and as for antiskate, point taken. But even so, it's more accurate than the markings on the turntable's antiskate control. The printing is embedded in the disc.

This is definitely NOT like the protractors that you mention, I have used those. If I were to set this up so that the stylus -- lined up with one box -- would line up with the other if the arm was swung in or out, it would be EXTREMELY out of whack. The straight line is NOT a sight line to the tonearm, either.

I think someone just printed this on there to 'look cool' and had not a clue about what an alignment tool should do. It's a shame, because having all that on one disc would really be useful.

The best tool IMO is still the one available from turntablebasics.com. Too bad the seller is rather sketchy and unreliable.
Click to expand...

After aligning to one position, you have to rotate the platter and move the arm to the other position. The straight line is only a radian from the center. I make an alignment tool that was sold thru Audio by Van Alstine and it worked on the same principals.

ConradH (of AK) has a curved type of alignment tool, but that works for a specific spindle to pivot distance. Conrad's program will ask you for that distance, then you choose the alignment and print it out. It will be unique for your table P to S distance. It prints out an arc, but it only prints out one set of the grid.
 
Also, people much smarter than me INSIST that setting the anti-skate using a blank record is not a good way to do it since the stylus in the groove is a big part of what causes the inward pull. A blank record does not achieve the full effect of skating.
Click to expand...
Just my 2 cents....
The way I understand it...skating force is a product of friction and velocity. If that be the case...a needle in the groove should be more accurate than a needle on a blank side when setting AS.
To set the anti-skate on my arm...I look at the front of the cartridge while it's playing. I look at the cantilever to see if it's centered under the cartridge. Too much AS and the body of the cartridge gets pulled away from the spindle and the cantilever won't remain centered, the needle will appear closer to the spindle relative to the cartridge's centerline.
If velocity is considered the amount of AS needed should be different for 45 RPM and 33 RPM. From everything I've read, the difference is negligible.
 
For those who like videos. I think I would have cleaned the paint off my hands first though if I were making this. :dunno:

I also would have used a real screwdriver instead of a Swiss Army Knife or whatever that is.

 
You guys are reminding me that I need to get a new alignment grid. I bought one of the mirrored two-point ones a couple of years ago and recently decided that the mirror-effect actually makes it much harder for me to confirm alignment. I also have a paper card two-point grid from Shure that came with a cartridge but I'd like to get something more like the one in the video above. Maybe I'll jump over and order one now while I'm thinking about it.
 
Of course it can also be used as a full-time acrylic platter mat as well right? In the winter I often use an acrylic mat to keep static at bay. Is that your intention as well?


DustyOldPile said:
I ordered one of these on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Turntable-Ca...1547827660&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=strobe+disck

I thought, "what a neat idea...everything you need in one disc". The strobe side works fantastically. An unadvertised feature is that it is a completely smooth disc, so you can also zero out your antiskate with it as well.

But the protractor...how in hell does one use it? Is it really a protractor or does it just *look* like one? I emailed the vendor for instructions (none included) and they replied that I was to refer to the below picture. Obviously, they have NO clue on how to use it.

View attachment 1390016
Click to expand...
 
My opinion on anti-skate, worth no more than anybodies else's, is that a blank surface is better than nothing. Not optimum, but often better than markings or guessing. The best method is probably a disc with increasing levels. Look for the onset of mistracking to be the same on both channels.
 
ConradH said:
Looks like a standard 2-point template. Put stylus on each target and adjust overhang and angle until it's aligned for both. IMO, arc templates are way easier. Mine is free here- http://www.conradhoffman.com/chsw.htm Third item down. Also prints strobes. Want smooth paper? Use smooth paper. Want an alignment target on one side and a strobe on the other? Run the paper through the printer twice. :D
Click to expand...
IMHO, the Conrad Hoffman method is the way to go. You just have to enter a few parameters for you tonearm and can print out a gauge designed for your tonearm.
 
I don't begrudge Hudson the design but I don't really know who ripped off whom. They might have seen an opportunity and borrowed it from somewhere else. I've actually bought 2 of those double sided discs, one for the home shop and one for a place I help out with repairs. I think one was sourced from Hudson via Amazon and the other through Alibaba. I don't have them side by side to compare but as far as I know they are identical.

Anyway, they are handy things. :)
 
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