Aligning Rega Elys Cartridge

[edwilks]

Hello folks.

I have a Rega Planar 2, RB250, Elys cartridge, all circa 1998.

Although the cartridge uses Rega's 3 point fixing arrangement, there is enough slack in the holes to make alignment with a protractor necessary. Since the cartridge sides aren't parallel, do I line up the inner side, ie the one nearest the spindle, the outer side, or try to line them both up as best I can?

Also, are more recent Rega's machined so accurately as to make this unnecessary, or could life never be that simple?

Thanks in advance.

[bulgin]

Hello Ed

Yes, it is indeed a problem if cart manufacturers are sometimes a bit thoughtless in their design parameters to forget about thinking about the users...

I would say it would be OK if you try to align the Elys using both sides (inner and outer) as best as you can with a protractor. Also, maybe it helps if the lines or grid of your protractor are fine enough to doublecheck also on the cantilever.

Good Luck

bulgin

[edwilks]

Thanks bulgin.

This came to me aligned on the inner side, by the dealer, hence my indecision.

Having now aligned it as you suggest, using the excellent (free) protractor from vinylengine.com, even my untutored ear'oles can tell it's right.

My 30 year old vinyl never sounded so good. Aaah...

Cheers, mate.

[bulgin]

Nice to hear that, Ed.

Enjoy the vinyl. There's nothing like it.

Cheers

bulgin

[Panicos K]

edwilks,your elys should have a plastic washer on the front third bolt.Using this,fits in the arms 's hole,to give a tight and correct position of the third bolt.So,all you need to do is to move the elys around this bolt untill you are sure that it sits symmetrically on the 250's headshell.

[tubenut]

A bit off topic but where possible one should "align" the cantilever rather then the body as Bulgin mentioned. It is ther Cantilever that needs to be in the right position, we assume the cantilever is paralel to the body sides. In a perfect world it would always be so.

[Panicos K]

Very true tubenut,very true.I have seen 2-3 brand new mc cartridges from a famous european manufacturer,and the body showed to the east,while the cantilever to the west.