2. analog
  3. 181454-1614

Help me understand cartridge alignment

I have a Ortofon Bokrand AB309 arm and I'm using a Royal N cartridge set up using Baewald geometry using the Feickert protractor. It's sounds awesome. I also have an Ortofon SL15 and I put it a cartridge and weighted it so I can swap it out for the Royal N any time without adjustment. The thing is, I don't have the right headshell for the SL15 yet so it can only line up like 5MM short on the Feickert. It also sounds great. So why is this? It doesn't line up with Stevenson or Lofgren. It's just off the grid and yet it's fine. I don't understand.

dhcod
lewm
12,459 posts
 

This is the kind of thing that good little vinylphiles don’t mention. Rigorous alignment is a sine qua non, except when it isn’t.

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

Different alignments (Baerwald, Stevenson ...) have lowest distortion at  different points on an LP. Due to the arc that a stylus/pivoted arm travels across an LP there will always be distortion. These alignments attempt to reduce it. A rule of thumb is: "the longer the stylus/arm pivot distance the shorter the overhang" - and consequently the overall lower distortion. That's the advantage a 10" or 12" arm has!

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,645 posts
 

If your overhang is off by 5mm, you're not doing your LPs any favors by playing them with it.

More to discover