Which is the best protractor to use for this TT for alignment of an AT cart with a Shibata stylus ?
The arm pivot to spindle distance is 205mm.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks.
The arm pivot to spindle distance is 205mm.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks.
"Best protractor " ,depends on how much you spend in terms of engineering build , don't buy cheap thin ones and when you look down on it it should be easy to put the needle directly on the start line.
Remember you are measuring an average as the real line is a curve .
You move the cartridge in relation to line up with the start point and at an inner point , tighten down with metal bolts not plastic .
VTA =Vertical Tracking Angle should be 20 degrees which you should adjust if it is not right by raising /lowering the arm pillar .
Then you have Downforce and Bias to compensate for the natural inward pull of the LP as the cartridge tracks in the groove of the LP .
Last of all use a test LP to see if the reproduction is too your liking.
Remember this is all mechanical engineering you are dealing with not electronics so final adjustments are required.
Remember you are measuring an average as the real line is a curve .
You move the cartridge in relation to line up with the start point and at an inner point , tighten down with metal bolts not plastic .
VTA =Vertical Tracking Angle should be 20 degrees which you should adjust if it is not right by raising /lowering the arm pillar .
Then you have Downforce and Bias to compensate for the natural inward pull of the LP as the cartridge tracks in the groove of the LP .
Last of all use a test LP to see if the reproduction is too your liking.
Remember this is all mechanical engineering you are dealing with not electronics so final adjustments are required.
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Probably the best place to look would be Vinyl Engine. They have various you can download and print. I used an inkjet printer set to it's best quality onto good quality photo paper for clarity. There's even a program that you can use to generate your own protractor if you've got a pivot to spindle distance that's not catered for elsewhere.
Once printed you could mount them on thin polycarbonate to stiffen them up, but I found the thicker photopaper was good enough.
As Duncan2 said, be extra careful to get the scaling right before relying on what you've printed.
Whatever scheme they use, it's always a compromise between overall accuracy of tracking across the surface or accuracy at the inner grooves. Protractors that offer two alignment positions can be easier to use, those that also provide an arc the stylus is supposed to follow are also helpful for assessing the accuracy.
Don't get me started on cartridge and arm manufacturers who seem to go out of their way to make this process as difficult as possible...
Oh, you've got to have Vinyl Engine login to download, just follow the 'Tools' link from the front page. Once you've done that you can worry about whether to use Baerwald, Stevenson or some other alignment scheme 🙂
Once printed you could mount them on thin polycarbonate to stiffen them up, but I found the thicker photopaper was good enough.
As Duncan2 said, be extra careful to get the scaling right before relying on what you've printed.
Whatever scheme they use, it's always a compromise between overall accuracy of tracking across the surface or accuracy at the inner grooves. Protractors that offer two alignment positions can be easier to use, those that also provide an arc the stylus is supposed to follow are also helpful for assessing the accuracy.
Don't get me started on cartridge and arm manufacturers who seem to go out of their way to make this process as difficult as possible...
Oh, you've got to have Vinyl Engine login to download, just follow the 'Tools' link from the front page. Once you've done that you can worry about whether to use Baerwald, Stevenson or some other alignment scheme 🙂
Okay I have the older version of this Alignment Protractor and even after decades its still works fine nothing "rubbed off " or worn .
The Best Cartridge Alignment Protractor in 2021 - Technikaya - Technikaya
The Best Cartridge Alignment Protractor in 2021 - Technikaya - Technikaya
Thanks for your replies.
I did ask this on Vinyl Engine but got no replies.
However, I do have an EEI alignment gauge but I just thought that there may be someone out there with experience with this T/T.
I did ask this on Vinyl Engine but got no replies.
However, I do have an EEI alignment gauge but I just thought that there may be someone out there with experience with this T/T.
Why would alignment be any different on your turntable it isn't a parallel tracker that's why standard alignment protractors can be made ?
It's 'just' maths based on a set of compromises about where on the LP zero error points occur. Almost any protractor will have the correct angles on it, and they're all a bunch of parallel lines on an arc.
Many commercial adaptors assume the common Rega distance of 222mm and you need to know if that's the basis for a protractor you're going to buy.
After that, it all comes down to aesthetics and what suits you and your pocket. You could go completely mad and buy a Dr Feickert protractor @ €200 or something for $10. Ultimately, they all use the maths from the work of Baerwald, Löfgren or Stevenson...
Many commercial adaptors assume the common Rega distance of 222mm and you need to know if that's the basis for a protractor you're going to buy.
After that, it all comes down to aesthetics and what suits you and your pocket. You could go completely mad and buy a Dr Feickert protractor @ €200 or something for $10. Ultimately, they all use the maths from the work of Baerwald, Löfgren or Stevenson...