Aligning cartridge

[pilotprose]

The Vinyl Alignment Solution seems to work pretty good if you really want some accuracy. When you use it, you may, or will find, that the overhang is NOT the same as it is reccomended in the user manual for that particular brand of turntable, however, that is used for your starting point. From there, you get a graphics display that will show your tracking error and you refine it from there. It comes with a CD that is set up for Excel and a paper alignment chart which you can attach to a garbage record to set up the alignment. So far, I have used it on several turntables that I own and it seems again, to work quite well.

 

[DaWoofer]

I guess I'm pretty comfortable with using the protractor because after using it the overhang still lines up with the 45 adapter that came with the turntable. But I do find it odd that looking at the calculator numbers that shouldn't be. I guess it's time to give it a listen.

 

[62sunbeam]

I would think that the cart manufacturer's recommendation for alignment specs would trump the TT manufacturer's? Yes? No ? Maybe?

Basically: The TT manufacturer knows how their arm travels across the LP yes but the Cart manufacturer knows how far off the axis of the two mounting screws the stylus actually is AND they also know the particular dimensions of their particular cart. (I actuallu have several carts that have no parallel sides so most protractors only serve as a rough guide yet my TTs seem to sound great)

Is the Marantz arm that different from all the other TT arms that they need specific setup specifications?

I'm just saying.

Eric

 

[catman]

G'day mate, 'yep', sometimes theory and practical reality don't quite 'align' for various reasons. A bit of commonsense is often called for in those situations.

I recall during my days as a telecommunications technician that the engineers often told us maintenance technicians (I was one of them) that our suggested solution to a given problem, 'couldn't possibly work'....but it did, perfectly.

That's often the difference between 'straight' theory and practical 'real world' reality, 'the little things'. Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[slate1]

I'm quite surprised with the number here suggesting to stick with the stock Marantz alignment!:scratch2:

Rega has a stock alignment and so does Technics, for example. Neither of these factory alignment geometries have ever given me the best possible sound regardless of the cartridge. I've universally gotten better results aligning to Baerwald, if possible, or Stevenson. Either of these will result in the cartridge being slightly askew in relation to the headshell.

All that being said - I say try the Marantz alignment, try Baerwald, try Stevenson, etc. and stick with the one that sounds best, not the one that looks best!

 

[catman]

G'day mate, I can't argue with that! Use whatever works best. :yes: Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[hakaplan]

Not so sure... In fact, I disagree totally. Let us see for the Marantz 6200:

The datasheet for this table gives:

Effective length: 213mm

Overhang: 14mm

The offset angle is not specified.

If you experiment with different offset angle, using this alignment comparator

http://www.vinylengine.com/tonearm_...&m_oh=14&m_oa=22.5&compare=i&submit=calculate

you will find that an offset angle of 22.5 degrees will give only one null point but this is the alignment (if you stick to the 213mm/14mm) that gives the minimum value of the maximum distortion (1.14%).

It is possible that 22.5 degrees is indeed the offset angle of this arm, I don't know.

For any offset angle larger than 22.5 degrees, the maximum distortion will be higher than 1.14%. For example, for an offset angle of 23 degrees (consider that it is only 0.5 degree difference, you must have a good eye!) the distortion rises to 1.5%.

http://www.vinylengine.com/tonearm_...13&m_oh=14&m_oa=23&compare=i&submit=calculate

For an offset angle lower than 22.5 degrees, the distortion will be lower toward the end of the record but will be higher at the outer groove. For example, for an offset angle of 21.5 degrees you will have 1.5% distortion at the outer groove.

http://www.vinylengine.com/tonearm_...&m_oh=14&m_oa=21.5&compare=i&submit=calculate

My opinion is that you should follow the protractor Löfgren B or Baerwald and never, never follow the manufacturer alignment.

You should understand one important point. In most turntable the Pivot to Spindle distance is fixed by the construction. We can not change this value. We have some latitude with the Effective length and the Offset angle. But the ideal spot is not wide. Compare the Löfgren B and Baerwald alignments, they differ by only 0.5mm and 0.06 degree in this example.

Forget the aesthetic and go for the music. Don't hesitate to modify the headshell with a small file if you can't move the cartridge enough to satisfy the Löfgren B or Baerwald alignments.

I agree with your calculations. The specified arm length and overhang are not ideal on this table. However, Stevenson positions this cartridge at 216mm, 3mm forward of the listed arm length. Loefgren B and Baerwald will push it perhaps another 3mm farther forward. At this point, even with the longest headshell you run out of slot room. Stevenson is the best compromise.

 

[boreas]

Like a number of others, I think the approach to try first is the one recommended by the turntable's manufacturer. It's quick and easy to do and yields a geometry that the engineers who designed the turntable considered correct for that particular design. Try that and if you don't like the results try something else.

John

 

[hakaplan]

I guess I'm pretty comfortable with using the protractor because after using it the overhang still lines up with the 45 adapter that came with the turntable. But I do find it odd that looking at the calculator numbers that shouldn't be. I guess it's time to give it a listen.

It can't possibly line up unless the Marantz adapter does not produce the published numbers--or that the published numbers are incorrect. And I'm beginning to think that one of those may be the case.

A two point protractor is a generic tool for use with any turntable. It uses null points for a specific geometry. Most protractors in use today use Baerwald, except for the downloadable Loefgren B and Stevenson at VE and the enjoythemusic. Get it as close to parallel as you can, and you're there. This isn't surgical precision and no method that uses the human eye will achieve that. The idea is to not be way off or random--that's what results in really bad sound and vinyl damage. The only way to double check your cartridge position is with an arc protractor specifically designed for your turntable's mounting distance (pivot to spindle) and using the same null points as you used with the two-point protractor. That would have to be a home made project.

 

[catman]

G'day all, yes Howard your points are well made. Indeed I have a great distrust of 'published figures' and for good reason and I could tell you some true stories that illustrate that.

Once again that's why I like using the good 'ole cardboard two point protractors...one doesn't have to fiddle with all sorts of figures that may or may not be accurate!

Years ago I was using an after market headshell that seemed impossible to set overhang with. After much head scratching I realised that the headshell was actually slightly 'bent' (laterally) and twisting the cartridge to correct for the inherent offset angle error introduced by the headshell was the only solution. It looked strange but it was the only way to satisfy the 'parallel and centred' requirement of the protractor grid lines! Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[ecluser]

It can't possibly line up unless the Marantz adapter does not produce the published numbers--or that the published numbers are incorrect. And I'm beginning to think that one of those may be the case.

A two point protractor is a generic tool for use with any turntable. It uses null points for a specific geometry. Most protractors in use today use Baerwald, except for the downloadable Loefgren B and Stevenson at VE and the enjoythemusic. Get it as close to parallel as you can, and you're there. This isn't surgical precision and no method that uses the human eye will achieve that. The idea is to not be way off or random--that's what results in really bad sound and vinyl damage. The only way to double check your cartridge position is with an arc protractor specifically designed for your turntable's mounting distance (pivot to spindle) and using the same null points as you used with the two-point protractor. That would have to be a home made project.

I think that the published numbers for the Marantz 6200 are correct but the original design was bad. I've seen this quite often. One case I have in mind is the Kenwood KD-2033. The published number for the KD-2033 are E.L.:215mm and O:9.5mm. The best alignment possible (one null point as in the Marantz 6200) was with a 19 degrees offset angle. I measured the Pivot to Spindle distance with a machinist rule and a digital galiper. I got 205mm (instead of 205.5mm). So I think the manufacturer numbers were good, but bad by design. I had to groove the headshell in order to move the cartridge forward, and twist it by 5.5 degrees on the headshell.