Thought that it might be useful to have this as a container for things cartridge related. To start off here is a link to Part 1 of a post by Michael Fremer re. cartridge azimuth.
In regards to measuring azimuth I mentioned a little box that Bob Graham markets which I believe takes the left/right channel sums them while inverting 1 channel. Then by playing a mono recording, without a lot of high frequency content, you can adjust azimuth till you get maximum cancellation. Please someone chime in if I got this wrong.
In regards to measuring azimuth I mentioned a little box that Bob Graham markets which I believe takes the left/right channel sums them while inverting 1 channel. Then by playing a mono recording, without a lot of high frequency content, you can adjust azimuth till you get maximum cancellation. Please someone chime in if I got this wrong.
Thank you Wayne. I'm cheap, sometimes, and like the concept of cheap DIY. I think that I left out 1 or 2 steps, if your pre has a mono switch use it, otherwise a couple of "Y" adapters can be used.
Okay, here is a more complete description of what I was referring to:
"This out-of-phase, or "null", test, can be performed in several ways. If you've got a test record such as the one produced by Hi Fi News and Record Review (and I recommend it highly), then you can simply make use of the azimuth test track it provides. This test track consists of a mono signal with the left and right channels out of phase. If your preamplifier has a mono blend switch (which sums the left and right channels), you can simply play the test track, engage the mono switch, and adjust the cartridge's azimuth until you hear minimal output through the loudspeakers.
In the absence of a test record with an out-of--phase mono track, you can simulate such a track by playing a mono record through a DIY phase-inverting cable. To build such a cable, buy yourself a cheap female-to-male patch cord from your local Radio Shack, cut one leg of the cable in half, and strip away some of the insulation around the copper conductors. Then, solder the positive conductor from one half of the cut leg of the cable to the negative conductor from the other half of the cut leg. Finally, solder the negative conductor from the first half of the cable to the positive conductor from the second half. Cover the exposed conductors/solder joints with electrical tape. You now have a cable that inverts phase in one channel. Now, connect the male end of your tonearm cable to the female end of the inverting cable you've just created, and connect the other end of the inverting cable to the inputs of your phono stage or the phono inputs of your preamplifier. Play a mono record (I use the DCC reissue of Sonny Rollins' Tenor Madness) and switch your preamplifier into mono mode. The azimuth of your cartridge can now be adjusted until you hear zero (or, at least, minimal) output from your loudspeakers."
Credit to Stereo_75 on AKA forum, if its acceptable I can post a link. He has a lot of interesting info on cartridge setup.
"This out-of-phase, or "null", test, can be performed in several ways. If you've got a test record such as the one produced by Hi Fi News and Record Review (and I recommend it highly), then you can simply make use of the azimuth test track it provides. This test track consists of a mono signal with the left and right channels out of phase. If your preamplifier has a mono blend switch (which sums the left and right channels), you can simply play the test track, engage the mono switch, and adjust the cartridge's azimuth until you hear minimal output through the loudspeakers.
In the absence of a test record with an out-of--phase mono track, you can simulate such a track by playing a mono record through a DIY phase-inverting cable. To build such a cable, buy yourself a cheap female-to-male patch cord from your local Radio Shack, cut one leg of the cable in half, and strip away some of the insulation around the copper conductors. Then, solder the positive conductor from one half of the cut leg of the cable to the negative conductor from the other half of the cut leg. Finally, solder the negative conductor from the first half of the cable to the positive conductor from the second half. Cover the exposed conductors/solder joints with electrical tape. You now have a cable that inverts phase in one channel. Now, connect the male end of your tonearm cable to the female end of the inverting cable you've just created, and connect the other end of the inverting cable to the inputs of your phono stage or the phono inputs of your preamplifier. Play a mono record (I use the DCC reissue of Sonny Rollins' Tenor Madness) and switch your preamplifier into mono mode. The azimuth of your cartridge can now be adjusted until you hear zero (or, at least, minimal) output from your loudspeakers."
Credit to Stereo_75 on AKA forum, if its acceptable I can post a link. He has a lot of interesting info on cartridge setup.
