Infinity Black Widow Cartridge Alignment Template

soundweasel

soundweasel

Super Member
Does anyone have a "to scale" digital file of the Infinity Black Widow Cartridge Alignment Template? Vinyl Engine has everything except the alignment template.

I'd like to confirm the setup of my Kenwood KD-500/Black Widow before I spin any of my 180g and 200g pressings. Sounds good on my older vinyl but I want to make sure everything is 100%.

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Doug
 
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No I am not the original owner and right now I have a Kenny 500 with a broken in half black widow. I bought the table this way and have since won a carbon fiber arm wand on eplay. I will probably send the arm out to be re-wired and then I will need the same template your looking for.
Can't wait to hear the combo sing.
BTW, what cart/carts are you using on yours Doug?
 
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Bucky Badger said:
No I am not the original owner and right now I have a Kenny 500 with a broken in half black widow. I bought the table this way and have since won a carbon fiber arm wand on eplay. I will probably send the arm out to be re-wired and then I will need the same template your looking for.
Can't wait to hear the combo sing.
BTW, what cart/carts are you using on yours Doug?
Click to expand...

Ortofon OM-20

You should touch base with thedelihaus for a quote on rewiring the Black Widow. I've seen him resurrect one with a broken arm -- replaced the arm with a carbon fiber fishing rod tip, remounted the head and rewired it. Paul does really nice work. He and I are getting together after Thanksgiving to give mine a thorough going over.
 
soundweasel said:
Does anyone have a "to scale" digital file of the Infinity Black Widow Cartridge Alignment Template? Vinyl Engine has everything except the alignment template.

I'd like to confirm the setup of my Kenwood KD-500/Black Widow before I spin any of my 180g and 200g pressings. Sounds good on my older vinyl but I want to make sure everything is 100%.

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Doug
Click to expand...

Hi Doug,

I had two gracious BW owners send me this alignment template - one sent it electronically and another mailed me one on paper. Neither was to the correct scale! Apparently, all the new printer/scanner software automatically rescales everything and nobody (including me) seems to know how to fix it.

i do know the null points though - 66.6mm and 103.4mm. Short of getting a to-scale template, you can measure and mark these points on a standard mirrored protractor or you can use the super cool program on VE to print an arc protractor using the dimensions given for the BW in the VE tonearm database:
http://www.vinylengine.com/tonearm_alignment_calculator_pro.php

I use this for my BW and it works great. Sounds right all across the arm travel with no hint of IGD.

Dave
 
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crossram said:
Hi Doug,

I had two gracious BW owners send me this alignment template - one sent it electronically and another mailed me one on paper. Neither was to the correct scale! Apparently, all the new printer/scanner software automatically rescales everything and nobody (including me) seems to know how to fix it.

i do know the null points though - 66.6mm and 103.4mm. Short of getting a to-scale template, you can measure and mark these points on a standard mirrored protractor or you can use the super cool program on VE to print an arc protractor using the dimensions given for the BW in the VE tonearm database:
http://www.vinylengine.com/tonearm_alignment_calculator_pro.php

I use this for my BW and it works great. Sounds right all across the arm travel with no hint of IGD.

Dave
Click to expand...
Here's a link to VE's solutions for the Black Widow: Tonearm Alignment Calculator Pro - Black Widow Solutions. Looking at the second graph and the table, I'd go with the Lofgren A solution (null points of 65.998 and 120.891) for the BW for its much better tracking error and distortion figures. If you want a fairly straightforward paper gauge, print the the Chpratz protractor from VE. Use the reduce/zoom feature of a copier if you need to adjust the scale of the protractor so that it's exactly 150 mm. Mark the null points you choose on the guide and follow the directions.
 
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Hi Tedrick,

You may be right about the Lofgren A being slightly better overall than the factory BW nulls. Essentially it is trading better outer groove performance (~50% reduction in distortion) for worse middle/end groove performance (~50% increase in distortion) compared to the BW alignment. I do notice that with the BW alignment the sound is better for the last 2/3 of the LP compared to the first 1/3. I'll give it a try.

Dave
 
AccuTrack has made one for the Widow with the four main alignments on it.

I was fortunate enough to have downloaded a digital version when he was still giving them away for free.

FWIW I didn't have that much problem getting the scaling right on my printer. Just took a couple tries on regular paper and when I got it dialed in I ran it on thick photo stock.
 
soundweasel said:
Ortofon OM-20

You should touch base with thedelihaus for a quote on rewiring the Black Widow. I've seen him resurrect one with a broken arm -- replaced the arm with a carbon fiber fishing rod tip, remounted the head and rewired it. Paul does really nice work. He and I are getting together after Thanksgiving to give mine a thorough going over.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I think I will get in contact with him re. the re wire.
 
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I tried to PM thedelihaus but his box is full so I will wait a little and then try again.
Thanks again for the suggestion.
 
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