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How to use Feickert Protractor on SME V Tonearm

I just bought a Feickert Next Gen Protractor. So far I just measured the spindle to pivot distance, it was set to 212mm. This is using a Denon DL160 cartridge setup using a paper protractor from the web. The spec for the spindle to pivot distance is given as 215.35mm. My turntable is a Gyrodec with mounted SME V tonearm. So I started thinking about how this would work using the Feickert protractor, each time I move the sliding mount of the SME V, I would then need to adjust the position of the sliding spindle to pivot distance of the Feickert protractor and thereby moving the alignment point. This seems like a never ending loop of adjust SME V slide adjustment, then re-adjust the spindle to pivot distance on the Feickert to get the correct alignment. Am I missing something, it seems like a very interative process to use the Feickert Protractor with a SME V tonearm. I bought the Feickert to make alignment simpler and more accurate. How do others use the Feickert Protractor to align the SME V tonearm cartridge?
hartonr

Showing 1 response by oscar44

oscar44
130 posts
 
I've done this with an SME V -- you are right, you do have to adjust both the Feickert and the arm sliding base iteratively but it's not as endless as it seems -- you sort of reach a space pretty quickly where the stylus reaches the target point and the Feickert downpoint is on the pivot. It's bit like trying to adjust a length of telescoping tube by pulling out both ends at the same time, if that makes sense. Just try it and you'll see. And be sure to double check the stylus and the pivot settings each time.

Now what exact pivot to stylus distance you end up with by doing this will not likely match any pre- specified length but you will have your cartridge fitting the target of the Feickert design. Compare it with where the alignment is set using other methods then give it a listen.
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