Technics 1200 MK2 Cartridge alignment tool

[Rob.]

Hi guys, which online cartridge alignment tool do you guys use for your Technics 1200 MK2 ? I was on vinylengine and downloaded the Technics Arc Baerwald protractor.
Is this the correct one ?

http://www.vinylengine.com/ve_downloads/index.php?technics_baerwald_arc_protractor.pdf

 

[Frank Sol]

Same advice

On most carts it is hard to beat the 52mm square in the HS alignment

I bought digital calipers to do the 52mm thang

 

[Rob.]

Is there a better protractor I can download ?

 

[Ilikevinyl]

Technics arc protractor is Baerwald. You'll have to angle the cartridge a bit toward the spindle in the headshell.

Technics 52mm gauge is Stevenson.

I tried both and like the Technics gauge better.

 

[illini]

It's an overhang gauge, not an alignment tool. Do these (both must be true):

1. put cart square in headshell
2. set overhang with Technics gauge

http://www.kabusa.com/setup.htm

http://www.kabusa.com/GIF/overhang.jpg

 

[Rob.]

It's an overhang gauge, not an alignment tool. Do these (both must be true):

1. put cart square in headshell
2. set overhang with Technics gauge

http://www.kabusa.com/setup.htm

My overhang is set at 52mm already..

I need to download an alignment tool/protractor.

http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge-alignment-protractors.shtml

 

[Ilikevinyl]

My overhang is set at 52mm already..

I need to download an alignment tool/protractor.

http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge-alignment-protractors.shtml

You'll have to register to download stuff. Registering is free.

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

My overhang is set at 52mm already..

I need to download an alignment tool/protractor.

http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge-alignment-protractors.shtml

If your stylus is at 52 mm, you need to square the cartridge in the headshell and leave it. You don't need a protractor.

 

[Rob.]

If your stylus is at 52 mm, you need to square the cartridge in the headshell and leave it. You don't need a protractor.

hmm...
Doesnt the protractor have a straight line on it to help square up the cartridge ?

Like this ?

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

If you align to a protractor you're contradicting the method of aligning with the stylus at 52 mm and square in the headshell. To use a protractor, you need to get it perfect at two points or along an arc. Those points or arcs will be slightly different than the results you get with the 52 mm method. Neither is wrong.

 

[Rob.]

If you align to a protractor you're contradicting the method of aligning with the stylus at 52 mm and square in the headshell. To use a protractor, you need to get it perfect at two points or along an arc. Those points or arcs will be slightly different than the results you get with the 52 mm method. Neither is wrong.

The Technics 'Overhang gauge' does not align a cartridge.
It only sets up the cartridge distance in the headshell to 52mm (technics 1200 spec).

'Cartridge alignment' is different than that !
It makes sure your cartridge is perfectly straight so it rides in the groove evenly.

http://www.echoloft.com/articles/2003/124v15.htm

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

The Technics 'Overhang gauge' does not align a cartridge.
It only sets up the cartridge distance in the headshell to 52mm (technics 1200 spec).

'Cartridge alignment' is different than that !
It makes sure your cartridge is perfectly straight so it rides in the groove evenly.

I'm afraid you're mistaken. This exact topic has been discussed in this forum a thousand times. 52 mm is the dimension at which correct alignment is square in the headshell, not to a protractor.

 

[dodog]

The Technics 'Overhang gauge' does not align a cartridge.
It only sets up the cartridge distance in the headshell to 52mm (technics 1200 spec).

'Cartridge alignment' is different than that !
It makes sure your cartridge is perfectly straight so it rides in the groove evenly.

http://www.echoloft.com/articles/2003/124v15.htm

You set it to 52 mm then you square it up in the headshell. If it's square in the headshell (assuming the stylus isn't freakishily askew), the cart is aligned. That's all there is to it.

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

Rob - The link you posted is about protractor alignment, but not overhang gauges. They're different. Both work, but not together. To learn this stuff, you're going to hang in there a bit.

 

[Rob.]

Ok. I'm confused...
LoL

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

The real definition of overhang is the distance the stylus hangs past the spindle when set correctly. It's based on the alignment scheme utilized and the distance from the tonearm pivot to the spindle. That dimension should be 15 mm on an SL-1200MK2. You can achieve it by using the 52 mm gauge.

At any given overhang distance, there is an exact offset angle for the cartridge that works in any given alignment scheme. The offset angle is the angle from the axis through the cartridge to the axis through the stylus and tonearm pivot. On a Technics, the offset angle is the axis through the headshell.

 

[steelcity]

Im waiting for one of those gauges to arrive for my sl-q2

 

[iLUVanalog]

Same advice

On most carts it is hard to beat the 52mm square in the HS alignment

I bought digital calipers to do the 52mm thang

I got me one of those too.....nice to really zero in on the 52.

 

[beat_truck]

I used a ruler from the dollar store to set mine to 52mm. Yes, I'm a cheap bastard.

 

[12ax7]

Maybe this will help you visualize overhang. It's a gauge I made that fits over the spindle and extends to the tonearm pivot. Where the stylus rests is 15mm past the spindle. As you can see, the headshell is offset to that point. (This was made for a specific table, other tonearms may require different measurements.)