Re: Cartridge alignment record

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Re: Cartridge alignment record

Hi, I am new in vinyl. After reading some threads, I noticed that there are some records that produce sine wave for L and R channels simultaneouly so that user can use an oscilloscope to measure the waveform so as to tune the azimuth of the cartridge. Can anyone give me some names of these records? Perhaps, where can I buy them (in USA)?

Thanks

Sunny
 
I'm not sure about the US, but the standard in the UK is the HFN (Hi-Fi news) series. These were updated from time to time, but any of them are good enough for general setting-up. NAD also did a good one.
Be careful, though - I once ruined a good cartridge by pushing it too far on the trackability tests - hit a resonance and (by the sound of it) wrecked the cantilever suspension:(
 
If you want to measure azimuth on your CRO:

1. You need a test LP which (typically) has a 1KHz tone first presented in the L then the R (or vice versa). I find the HFNRR (HiFi News & Record Review) LP useless for setting azimuth as it assumes both channels of your cartridge are identical - which they aren't!

My preferred azimuth-setting LP is the Denon test LP "Denon Audio Check" AD-1 but any LP that has the tone first in one channel then the other is fine.

2. Preferably, you also need to make or buy a 24dB band-pass filter centred on 1KHz ... otherwise the trace on the CRO bounces around so much, it's difficult to get a good fix on the reading.

This fits between the output of your phono stage/preamp and the CRO.

3. What you are interested in is the crosstalk reading - ie. play the test track which has the 1Khz tone in the L channel and measure the R channel on your CRO. Then do the reverse.

As you get the azimuth correct, the crosstalk reading goes down - on both channels. You won't necessarily get the same value on both channels but this doesn't matter - both R & L crosstalk goes down as you approach the correct azimuth and then goes up again, as you go past it.

Regards,

Andy
 
Thank you Andy.

I've not been reading the posts for a while because I've been working day and night on a number of office projects. Unluckily, I couldn't afford to play my LP for a while.

Andy, can you post a photo of "Denon Audio Check" AD-1 so that I can check if it is available in Hong Kong?

I am using a Shure V-15VxMR on a Project Perspective turntable. My phono amp is also Project Phono SE. My impression on this combination is the bass a little thin. I'm looking for either modifying my Phono SE or purchase a new tube phono pre. Any comments?

Sunny
Hong Kong
 
Sorry, Sunny, I'm unable to post (no digital camera!).

But it's a blue record with "RTI" in the top R corner, "Audio Check" in big capital letters at the top and a picture of some vinyl grooves below this.

Re. a tube phono stage ... no, sorry, mine is the Bill Beard PP100 discrete ss unit.

Regards,

andy
 
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