If it sounds 'great', everything is ok?

@dill here here ...        Yaaaaaay!

 

One thing I love about hanging out around here is when you ask for the benefit of others expertise in the hobby, as long as you do it without being a complete d**k, folks show up pretty quickly with the right answers.

 

I'm not into vinyl, but love to read some of these threads too, because it's always fun to learn, right?  And who knows, I might be able to at least get in a good barb in, Lol.

 

my input on this matter:  first of all, there's no such thing as a stupid question. I'm, personally, glad you had the courage to ask, because I guarantee you others had the exact same Q. 

And I have some other heavy wisdom to lay on you. I haven't been at this nearly as long as a lot of others around here, and admittedly I don't tweak much anymore because I'm real pleased with the sound I'm getting out of my system, but I've done my fair share and have come to the conclusion that it's part of the fun of the hobby. 

So have fun tweakin. Because that's one of the ways we learn.

It's not "OK" to assume you're system sounds great...you need to fuss incessantly over tiny details, spend a small or large fortune on hyperbole festooned gear, fill your listening space with sound absorbing ugly stuffings, and take as fact the meandering nonsense of people who have no idea what you like or what your system sounds like. Then face the fact that it's never going to sound as fabulous as anybody else's system and simply give up.

my turntable sounds great too, but I regularly have a skilled friend with ALL the tools recalibrate it regularly (he enjoys doing this)...not sure if it sounds better, but technically it always needs some adjustment...I like knowing it's set up correctly...I did just use some maple dowel hole buttons as recommended by Pierre of Mapleshade, and things do sound better (at $9.99 for a bag of 50)...lots of tweaks are easy, fun and cost nothing...

 Kind of agree with wolf garcia sometimes....

eagledriver_22

Switzerland, a land of precision: terrific, he must have a friend who knows about TT setup.

Clearaudio ’Clarify’ Tonearm Manual (example, what arm does your friend have?)

https://clearaudio.de/_assets/_pdf/manuals/tonearms/CA_Clarify_E+D.pdf?d=1667911999

other arms here

https://clearaudio.de/en/products/tonearms.php

They recommend a digital gauge to set stylus force (no interference with magnetic bearing, no ’seesaw’ type needed.

Presumably the arm was installed by a pro, and is correct. Hopefully the alignment template was provided to your friend. IF NOT, I would request a template from Clearaudio.

The manual/template shows everything you need to know about mounting the arm, the cartridges’ overhang; and cartridges’ two null point alignments.

arm height a single set screw from the side of the base plate.

to align azimuth, there is a set screw in the bottom of the arm tube near it’s head

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anti-skate is inconveniently located below the plinth.

manual page 14

level via adjustable feet must be maintained while in adjustment position with 1 corner ’in outer space’ for access to adjustment screw below. then level re-confirmed when TT moved back to operating location.

After confirmation of arm and cartridge: IF the cartridge will not track within the specified range 1.4g to 1.7g something is wrong, EVEN IF it sounds GREAT.

Note: anti-skate needs to be reduced to zero from below BEFORE adjusting tracking force; then add tracking force; then back below to ’add’ anti-skate as final setting.

Note: ANY subsequent adjustment of tracking force: anti-skate needs to be reduced to zero again, tracking force set; anti-skate set.

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basic confirmation:

1. suppose arm mounting and cartridge mounting (overhang/two null points), azimuth, arm height are verified correctly. (or correct them).

2. anti-skate needs to be reduced to zero before step 3.

3. tracking force set to 1.7g max with digital gauge

4. ’add’ anti-skate.

a. blank disc method

b. Clearaudios’ Trackability Test Record

We recommend the Clearaudio Trackablity Test Record available from www.analogshop.de or from your specialist retailer for a professional and perfect anti-skating setting.