Technics 1200 MK2 Cartridge alignment tool

[octavius]

I have used some month Baerwald alignment but I made some test today and I back to standard Technics 52mm alignment. Manufacturer of this equipment was not czazy if he choose this method. Clearly better sound from my all of three cartridges.

 

[dahoo]

No method is 100%. You can use a protractor if you want to, but sooner or later you're going to understand it then has nothing to do with the 52 mm measurement....don't know when. And 52 mm is what most Technics owners who post in this forum are using.

the protractor OP downloaded has the ARC, so in the end cartridge has to follow the arc and this will determine the overhang although it is much different from 52mm.

 

[dahoo]

if the cartridge has an off-the-center cantilever, a protractor with grids will help to make the cantilever align with groove better, instead of just making cartridge square in headshell.

 

[Drewan77]

It's a good tool but I prefer to use a Dr Feickert protractor & a 30x Loupe which seems a bit more precise. The stylus tip actually touches the centre spot of the target rather than as close as it looks.

 

[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.

the protractor OP downloaded has the ARC, so in the end cartridge has to follow the arc and this will determine the overhang although it is much different from 52mm.

We went through that in 2012.

 

[WaynerN]

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.

Everybody, hold on. If you use the plastic overhang that Technics supplies, it does 2 things. It sets the overhange and it sets the offset angle by virtue of keeping the cartridge aligned with the headshell.

If you print out a Steveson (DIN) alignment protractor, it should match what the Technics did for you.

 

[Balifly]

Just use a ruler ....

 

[octavius]

I have used Technics tool but finally fine measurement I did with the caliper for shure. I set stylus tip directly to grommet for 52mm and side by side I set it with the caliper too.

 

[stereofixer]

i like baerwald. long time ago, there was absolutely no way to set just the overhang alone makin it square with the gauge thing.. of course that will work using only a spherical stylus.finer stylii will need to follow the groove much much better all way across record. only way it would not skip last half of record, using m97xe(finer elliptical) was to use a protractor. and that meant it needed to be moved horizontally in the headshell slightly towards the spindle(inside) after setting overhang. thats worked for me ever since even with jelco750d arm. and i would suggest anyone to actually take time to align. itll always be more accurate.