Dual 1019 Cartridge Alignment Guide

[jviss]

In the manual for the Dual 1019 a mounting gauge for the cartridge is described and illustrated. Here's a picture from the manual:

Does anyone have one of these that I may borrow? I want to use it and then make some measurements against the various protractors.

Thanks,

jv

 

[beatcomber]

It appears that the stylus tip should be exactly centered between the edges of the indents on the sides of the cartridge carrier. This matches how I have lined up my carts using a 2-point protractor.

 

[jviss]

It appears that the stylus tip should be exactly centered between the edges of the indents on the sides of the cartridge carrier. This matches how I have lined up my carts using a 2-point protractor.

I don't understand what you are saying. The edges of what indents?

 

[jviss]

Oh, I see, I'm looking at a cartridge carrier now. You think that using the gauge the stylus tip will be centered in the ridges? That would be might convenient.

I'd still like to borrow the gauge if anyone has one and would be so kind.

jv

 

[beatcomber]

Oh, I see, I'm looking at a cartridge carrier now. You think that using the gauge the stylus tip will be centered in the ridges? That would be might convenient.

Yes, that is correct.

In fact, last night I used that method to align a Grado on my 1019, and it worked perfectly. Grados are known for being especially sensitive to accurate alignment too.

 

[Doug G.]

Thanks BC, that's how mine are lined up too.

I think the gauge also sets the stylus tip to the correct depth so VTA is correct too. Something more difficult to do without the gauge.

I don't have a gauge either and don't worry about VTA with my 1019 too much. 78s sound fabulous on it.

Doug

 

[beatcomber]

Thanks BC, that's how mine are lined up too.

I think the gauge also sets the stylus tip to the correct depth so VTA is correct too. Something more difficult to do without the gauge.

I don't have a gauge either and don't worry about VTA with my 1019 too much. 78s sound fabulous on it.

Doug

I wish there was a way to dial in the VTA on the 1019. It is angled very much tails up. I placed a thin laminated cardboard shim under the tail of my cartridge to fix it and it helps a lot.

 

[jviss]

Thanks BC, that's how mine are lined up too.

I think the gauge also sets the stylus tip to the correct depth so VTA is correct too. Something more difficult to do without the gauge.

I don't have a gauge either and don't worry about VTA with my 1019 too much. 78s sound fabulous on it.

Doug

The gauge doesn't do anything about VTA. It attempts to set overhang and zenith angle, but Dual doesn't say according to what geometry.

VTA was adjusted for single play with a wedge that is placed between the cartridge and holder. I bought a knock-off on eBay that appears to have been made on a rapid-protyping system, i.e., 3D printer.

 

[Doug G.]

But the gauge indicates where the stylus tip should be from top to bottom by the tip being positioned right in the little area in the gauge. So, it does allow VTA adjustment.

I mean, you can have the position correct fore-and-aft and side-to-side but the depth wherever. By moving the cartridge up or down (by means of spacers) you can get the tip where it needs to be for correct VTA.

Doug

 

[jviss]

But the gauge indicates where the stylus tip should be from top to bottom by the tip being positioned right in the little area in the gauge. So, it does allow VTA adjustment.

I mean, you can have the position correct fore-and-aft and side-to-side but the depth wherever. By moving the cartridge up or down (by means of spacers) you can get the tip where it needs to be for correct VTA.

Doug

I'm not following you Doug, sorry. I have the manual and it doesn't mention VTA. For VTA adjustment you'd have to tilt the cartridge along its transverse axis, i.e., the axis nearly parallel to the record's radius. Unless the gauge was designed for that adjustment I can't imagine how you could do this.

That said, could you lend me your gauge?

jv

 

[beatcomber]

I'm not entirely following you either, Doug. I doubt that the Dual engineers cared about VTA adjustment. It was designed for the best compromise between one LP and six LPs stacked up on the platter. That's why you and I shim our cartridges.

 

[jviss]

I'm not entirely following you either, Doug. I doubt that the Dual engineers cared about VTA adjustment. It was designed for the best compromise between one LP and six LPs stacked up on the platter. That's why you and I shim our cartridges.

Actually they did care, and supplied a wedge with the turntable. According to the booklet Cartridges and their use with Dual Hi-Fi turntables:

According to DIN 45500 standards "Home Studio Technique (Hi_Fi)", thre vertical tracking angle of cartridges should be 15º ± 5º. Because of the universal design of the unit as both a single record player and record changer, the angle between cartridge and turntable surface is 4º when only one record is used. When adding this angle to the 15º angle of the stylus, it still remains within the ± 5º tolerance permitted by DIN 45500. The effect of an even more extreme tolerance situation on harmonic distortion, however, is less than 1% and thus practically inaudible.

Dual Hi-Fi turntables are supplied with a compensation wedge which, if inserted in the tonearm head, will assure perfectly horizontal position of the cartridge, when playing one record only. This procedure is recommended only when the unit is used exclusively as a single record player, or if a separate cartridge is used for changer operation.

 

[beatcomber]

I stand corrected then!

 

[Doug G.]

I'm not following you Doug, sorry. I have the manual and it doesn't mention VTA. For VTA adjustment you'd have to tilt the cartridge along its transverse axis, i.e., the axis nearly parallel to the record's radius. Unless the gauge was designed for that adjustment I can't imagine how you could do this.

That said, could you lend me your gauge?

jv

I don't think they talked about VTA per se in those days in user manuals but the gauge does allow for the cartridge/stylus to be moved up and down so the tip is vertically aligned into the indicator in the gauge which is specifically located in all three dimensions -fore-and-aft, side-to-side, and up-and-down.

Because you can move a cartridge up and down in a headshell until the top of the headshell is parallel to the record surface which, with most cartridges, also results in correct VTA since the top of the cartridge would then be parallel also.

I do believe that the final alignment is a compromise so the VTA is correct with the middle record in a stack during automatic operation.

As I said, I don't have a gauge but have seen pictures of a stylus aligned in one.

Doug

 

[beatcomber]

If I understand you correctly, the gauge has markings for aligning the VTA? Pretty neat!

 

[Doug G.]

If I understand you correctly, the gauge has markings for aligning the VTA? Pretty neat!

Well, it doesn't really have markings but that little slot in the bar of the gauge that extends across where the stylus tip is located is at a fixed distance vertically from the mounting surface of the headshell and you are supposed to use spacers until the stylus tip does end up right in the little slot in all three dimensions.

Doug

 

[rally]

I simply reproduced the gauge by printing it out to scale and then gluing it to
a thin pice of cardboard and then carefully cut it to size with an x-acto.
The only issue is that it is not transparent and even more futzy to use.
Obviously you could cut a piece of transparent plastic instead.

 

[jviss]

I simply reproduced the gauge by printing it out to scale and then gluing it to
a thin pice of cardboard and then carefully cut it to size with an x-acto.
The only issue is that it is not transparent and even more futzy to use.
Obviously you could cut a piece of transparent plastic instead.

Where did you get the pattern?

Also, I assumed the Dual gauge engaged the slots in the side of the cartridge holder. Does yours have that feature?

 

[Dadbar]

The plastic on these was pretty thick on those jigs. You were suposed to get the stylus in the zone but IIRC there was a lot of lattitude as to what the zone is.

I have one of those wedges which is about the thickness of one record. Not sure how this would offset VTA for half a stack. If I was setting one up I would use an adult protractor and try spacers to see which sound best.

 

[jviss]

The plastic on these was pretty thick on those jigs. You were suposed to get the stylus in the zone but IIRC there was a lot of lattitude as to what the zone is.

I have one of those wedges which is about the thickness of one record. Not sure how this would offset VTA for half a stack. If I was setting one up I would use an adult protractor and try spacers to see which sound best.

Wow, where did you get that pic?

The wedge is a wedge - by my reading of the Dual booklet I assume it's 4º, so that when it's inserted between the cart and holder, it corrects the 4º angle that's built-in, leaving the 15º standard VTA of the cantilever.