"Making Mono" for checking Azimuth

If you want to supplement Doug's typically excellent suggestion with the test record method, it would most likely be ok to use either of the y-adapter approaches you asked about. The one circumstance in which I would be hesitant to do so is if the output impedance of the phono stage is particularly low, meaning significantly less than perhaps 50 ohms, especially if the tracks being played may have significant content that is off to one side (i.e., mostly in one channel). In that situation I would seek the manufacturer's opinion before shorting the two outputs together.

To the extent that the output signals of the two channels differ at any given instant, the output stage of one channel will have to drive a load impedance equal to the output impedance of the other channel, resulting in current flow that is much greater than under normal circumstances. The lower the output impedance the greater the current. With most and perhaps nearly all designs I would expect no harm to result from that, even if the output impedance is very low, but better safe than sorry IMO!

Regards,
-- Al

04-02-12: Bifwynne
Al, what do you think about my use of the small bubble level thingy that comes with my protractor kit? Seems to me that if the air bubble is dead center while the sylus is sitting on the record, azimuth is perfect. Am I missing something?

Hi Bruce,

Doug is the expert on that sort of thing, so it would be best to await his answer. Stringreen's response seems logical, but I have no particular feel for how much variation is typically encountered from cartridge to cartridge (between identical models as well as between different models) in how precisely the stylus, cantilever, and generator mechanisms are aligned relative to the cartridge body. Also, of course, that methodology presumes that the turntable has been adjusted such that the platter is perfectly level, as it should be.

Best regards,
-- Al