mglik ... have a SmartTractor and know there are YouTubes but feel ignorant and insecure. What do I need to do. When all properly set up will I notice a change? It’s impossible to say if you’ll notice a change with a more precise cartridge alignment because there’s no way to know whether your cartridge is setup satisfactorily now, or not. The SmartTractor is a good tool, and YouTube videos can be very helpful. As others here will probably tell you, it’s worth the time to learn how to do this yourself. It isn’t rocket science; it does require proper tools, skills (mostly dexterity) and patience. |
The only difficulty with the SmartTracker (I own one) is the requirement to find the precise location of the bearing; on some arms it is not that easy to do. After you do that, and after locking the platter so it doesn't move (painter's tape or a wedge between the platter and plinth), the one point alignment makes it easy to do correctly. It is expensive, but it works well if you need a universal tool.
If you only need a tool that works for your particular table and tonearm, a Mint alignment tool really works well too, and is MUCH cheaper. |
How to properly set up a turntable is on the one hand open-ended to infinity and is never done. Or on the other hand you align the cartridge, set the tracking force, and done. Congratulations, you are done!
How much more you do depends on how much you enjoy and get out of it. Also has a lot to do with your arm and phono stage. The three things that will make the most difference are loading, VTF, and VTA.
Tracking force you already set. But this is the one thing its always easy to adjust on all arms so if you want to experiment and see what you can hear this is the place to start. Staying within the recommended range try going a little higher or lower. See if you hear a difference and if you do, which you like better. Whichever one you like better is the one to use.
Loading is another story. Cartridge loading makes the biggest easiest to hear difference. But depending on your phono stage can be as easy as flipping a switch or as hard as going inside to change resistors. So do VTA first.
Vertical Tracking Angle, also sometimes called SRA Stylus Rake Angle, is involves raising or lowering the tone arm at the base. Some arms its super easy, others next to impossible. If your arm has VTA on the fly you will be able to tweak VTA to perfection. Otherwise if the arm/cartridge is parallel to the record in the groove you are done.
The main thing to get from all this is you are done when you are happy. And any time you are not happy come back and work on these some more. As good as it is now its amazing how usually things can be made even better just by making a microscopically fine adjustment or two. Almost always these can be done as well or better by ear than anything else.
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The most noticeable differences for me came from calibrating the left- and right-channel phase using software. Previously muddy stereo records immediately became a lot clearer. |
millercarbon ... The three things that will make the most difference are loading, VTF, and VTA ... That’s debatable. Horizontal tracking angle is very critical, and requires a more precise setting than VTF. Vertical Tracking Angle, also sometimes called SRA Stylus Rake Angle ... No, VTA and SRA are related, but are two very different things and represent two different angles. VTA today is typically around 20 degrees; SRA about 92 degrees. Both are adjusted by changing the height of the pickup arm - so when you change one, you’re changing the other. |
Cleeds, I love it when you make sense.
Mglik, follow the instructions with the smart tractor and make sure the cartridge is mounted correctly. Always put your stylus guard on when you work. It is pretty simple.
Set the VTF by the manufacturer's recommendation.
Put a record on the platter and lower the stylus on the record. Adjust VTA so that the tone arm is perfectly parallel to the platter as viewed from the side.
Take the record off and place a pocket mirror on the platter. Lower the stylus on the mirror. Viewing the stylus directly from the front under good light the stylus and its reflection should form a perfectly symmetrical "hour glass" If the hour glass is bent to one side or another you adjust the azimuth by what ever means your tonearm has until the hour glass is symmetrical.
Next and last is anti skating. Put the stylus down in the run out area between grooves. The tonearm should drift ever so slowly towards the spindle before it gets caught in the next groove. If it drifts to fast increase the antiskate. if it is still or drifts towards the rim decrease your antiskate.
Put on Mysterious Travelers by Weather Report and wig out:) |
Hi,
start by leveling the tt.
Asuming arm is correctly positioned align:
Overhang
VTF (will have to recheck/readjust later)
HTA
VTA/SRA
Azimuth
antiskating
loading.
i would follow this order.
When you are there you will notice it. |
I'll just say that's a very nice table and a very nice cartridge neither was cheap. Given the quality of both wouldn't it be worthwhile to invest in professional setup assuming geographical issues don't preclude it?
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mglik, congrats in a great table!! |
mijostyn2,
Your very brief summary of correct setup is very helpful.and sensible. The only addition I would make is that the perfectly parallel arm is the starting point from which minor deviations should be tried to find the optimal VTA setting by ear. As for finding parallel, with most arms, you can used a ruled index card set behind the arm when it is in playing position on a record to see which way it tilts.
Peter Ledermann, the founder of Sound Smith, has a really good series of videos on setup that not only supplies the "how to" aspect of setup, but also the "why this is the way to do it" explanation. These can be found by googling them. |
@petg60. What is HTA?
Thanks
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mglik, as others suggested, it can be a basic or a complex procedure. The basic, as a bare minimum, would include 1) overhang and offset angle (the SmartTractor with noted caution), 2) VTF set to middle of mfg's recommended range, 3) adjust anti-skate (if available) to about 70% of tracking force value, 4) VTA generalized with tonearm parallel to record surface with stylus in groove, and 5) double check overhang was not changed by VTA adjustment. This should allow listening enjoyment without worrying that you are damaging anything. Then to learn more about a thorough set up look at Cartridge and Turntable Set Up links here - https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/d.mpl?audio/faq.html Also you can find multiple videos on YouTube. Review both sets of information to become familiar with the process. Then you can fine tune your basic set up with a more complete process. Good luck and have fun. |
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Yes Larry, if you like playing around with VTA. It is a PITA to do that with most arms and most people do not want to play around with their table once it is set up. If you like playing around with VTA you need to get an arm with a VTA tower.
I like the idea of using an index card to set the tonearm parallel. I have a very good eye for that kind of thing but I am sure many people will find that useful.
Cleeds, horizontal tracking angle is only important when your pleasing the wife:) |
Thanks for all the help.
Will check YouTube, but I am going to first try to set the HTA. Think that is getting the arm (Ortophon 309) parallel. That is way off. Can I eyeball that for a start. Don’t understand the methods for exactly adjusting it. I will try to use the SmartTractor although I don’t really know what it is for!Believe the loading of the phono stage is set ok. Before I got my Audible Illusions back with the John Curl gold phono board I asked Art about my cartridge matching. He said it would be good.
The table itself is level.
Regarding professional set up, this will not be possible for several or many months-better safe than sorry. I do know a store that does it for $600! That motivates me to learn it myself. And I believe there will be satisfaction of “mission accomplished”. Had thought of buying a Zesto Andros 1.2 beautiful tube phono. I am a SET guy and heard the Zesto at RMAF. Man, that was the best sound at the show.
I can never forget that phono stage. But I think the John Curl in my AI is good and $5K++ with a good additional IC is a lot. But that may be the biggest improvement of all?
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Just set the HTA. Of concern is that I had to put the arm all the way down. Eyeball, it looks very close to parallel but if I could put it dow more I would. But the piano is now exactly in the center and the speakers completely disappeared. And this is a very old recording but it is much more enjoyable! Before this, I would want to take this recording off. Now I love it. Hey, thanks you guys!
I hope I didn’t damage the cartridge by the bad HTA? Also thinking more highly of the Curl phono board. |
mglik
Will check YouTube, but I am going to first try to set the HTA. Think that is getting the arm (Ortophon 309) parallel. Changing the height of the pickup arm adjusts VTA, not HTA.
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HTA = horizontal tracking angle! I've been in this hobby a long time but don't remember seeing this before. Is it the same thing as azimuth?
mglik, a tip for setting your tonearm parallel to the LP surface. That is assuming your arm has a cylindrical arm tube and not tapered. If you are careful, lower the stylus onto a stationary LP about midway across the record. Then with a 3x5 card with printed lines, place that behind the arm, as close to vertical as possible. Lean down at eye level and you should see how close to parallel the top of the arm tube is to the next highest line on the card. Remove the card and raise the arm, then adjust height as necessary. Repeat visual check. Just be very careful when placing the card behind the arm not to bump the arm, you could damage the cantilever or at the very least scratch the record (to be sure, use one you don't care about).
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