Analog Magic Question

@herman 

I did two things.  First I played band 2 and recorded the db difference without changing anything.  22.56 db (r) and 23.38 db (l).  Second, per the recommendation of Louis of Ortofon, USA, I changed from the Jico head shell that I have been using for years for all my cartridges, and substituted the OEM head shell.  Two points of interest to me were:  1) the OEM head shell weighs 8 grams, the Jico weighs 12 grams and 2) the OEM head shell does have zenith adjustment, which I mistakenly thought it lacked.

Anyway here in abbreviated form (skipping parameters that are unchanged from my previous report) is the new data:

4. Azimuth L/R + VTA 25.42 db (r) 23.12 db (l) ; 6.6% (l) 5.1% (r) (note much higher than previous numbers)

5. Channel Balanace. 0.71 db

6. Vibration test is meaningless

7. Resonance. Lateral Peak. 8.583 Hz, Vertical Peak 8.577 HZ

I also ran the track ability tests on the Ortofon Test Record.  So with all that done and the numbers changed I can't say that I hear any difference.  I am getting more comfortable with AnalogMagik.  It does seem that the resonance test works, but failing it does not necessarily mean that the sky is falling.  

AM is a bit of climb but very useful once you are comfortable. You are making good progress. I still think you are confusing the terms. You need to get a firm grasp on the difference in zenith and azimuth or we are talking past each other. like this

the OEM head shell does have zenith adjustment,

you can adjust zenith on almost all headshells, if they have slotted holes, you can rotate the cartridge and adjust zenith. rotate it looking down from the top. Many do not have azimuth adjustments, rotate it looking at it from the front.

you should be able to  get these closer 25.42 db (r) 23.12 db by adjusting azimuth. Round off your readings as you look at them.. 23.1 and 23.12 are not significantly different

I think the .45% and .48% IMD you reported earlier is suspiciously low, perhaps impossible. While 5-6% is much higher, it is not horrible and more realistic. I suspect you can change the Zenith to lower them further then try VTA.

changing the Zenith, turning the cartridge ever so slightly, I mean teeny, tiny amounts where you aren’t even sure you moved it, can make a huge difference. It is  just something you have to keep doing until you get a feel for it. Screws a bit too loose and it moves too much and won’t stay, a bit tighter and you can’t move it. 

I’m talking about turning (twisting)  it looking straight down from above rotating it clockwise and anti-clockwise.. again, so little you aren’t even sure it moved, a fraction of a degree. 

then you have to check Azimuth and overhang and VTF and VTA again, and so forth. Unless you slid the cartridge back and forth while adjusting zenith then overhang won’t change but check, VTA and VTF likewise, but check them.

You are right I am getting the terms zenith and azimuth confused.  Sorry.  You are probably right that these numbers can be improved.  I'll work on it.  Thanks for your insight.

Ironically, the way we vinylphiles use the term”zenith” doesn’t conform to any conventional definition of the term.

@herman 

I wanted to let you know that I followed your coaching to the letter and after several more hours was able to substantially improve the results.  As you predicted, however, the low numbers I originally reported seem unrealistic.  Not sure what happened there. In any event thank you ever so much for your help.