No matter what tool you use, I found using a line laser to aim the protractor to arm spindle much more accurate than eyeballs. You can get them from Home Depot, but they are bulky and not very bright under bright light. Fortunately my friend makes high power laser that is housed in a tiny enclosure, slightly bigger than a match box, and can be easily placed on platter or right next to it. I have loaned that laser to aother audiophile friend and he also found it to be more accurate than what his naked eyes can do. We are now seriously thinking of marketing the laser here on Audiogon.
SME V setup
FWIW:
I discovered recently (after acquiring a new DB cartridge alignment protractor,) that using the factory provided alignment tool (for the SME V anyway) produced results that were really just a close approximation.
After doing a precision alignment/overhang adjustment on my just-broken-in-after-100-hours Transfiguration Temper W, (and without changing any other setup parameters) the soundstage and the placement of instruments and soloists, gained a quantum leap in performance that I was totally unprepared for.
I'm sure some of you are going "Well, Duh!" But the kicker is, that I had been informed at CES, by one of the senior management people with a well known audio accessories vendors (no names) that sells DB alignment tools, that I shouldn't waste my money on one, because the tool that came with the SME was more accurate! Go figure.....
.
I discovered recently (after acquiring a new DB cartridge alignment protractor,) that using the factory provided alignment tool (for the SME V anyway) produced results that were really just a close approximation.
After doing a precision alignment/overhang adjustment on my just-broken-in-after-100-hours Transfiguration Temper W, (and without changing any other setup parameters) the soundstage and the placement of instruments and soloists, gained a quantum leap in performance that I was totally unprepared for.
I'm sure some of you are going "Well, Duh!" But the kicker is, that I had been informed at CES, by one of the senior management people with a well known audio accessories vendors (no names) that sells DB alignment tools, that I shouldn't waste my money on one, because the tool that came with the SME was more accurate! Go figure.....
.