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VTF, VTA, SRA, and 92 degrees - question

I'm familiar with the logic that has been out there for a while about setting SRA at 92 degrees for what is considered the optimal styus position, based on a lot of analysis done by Elison and others. My question is, if VTF and VTA are set per cart maker's recommendations (let's discount Anti-skate for this discussion even though it would come into play), then wouldn't the SRA be automatically set optimally per the manufacturer's intention? Assume a cart that is built to the company's design parameters - no bent cantilever, no offset stylus etc.

Take a Benz cart for example. Many (if not all) of them specify a VTA of 20 degrees. So if VTF (and yes A-S) and arm height are set so that when all's said and done the VTA is 20 degrees, isn't that what it *should* be set at based on how Benz expects that cart to perform?

I ask because I set the SRA on my Benz to 92 degrees going by that camp, and when I checked the SRA it was at - guess what - about 22 degrees. That kind of suggests Benz expects the stylus to be at 90 degrees relative to the record. Isn't that how they've designed it? Don't I run the risk of having to compensate in other ways if the cart winds up exhibiting tracking problems at an SRA that does not support the specified VTA?
tonyptony
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rauliruegas
12,899 posts
 
Dear Atmasphere: +++++ " are really well done.... " +++++

how is that? which are your references about because all that depends on that refrences/standards?

For me " well done " means: LP hole centered and no single warps.

For years now I usually bought no less than new 15 LPs each month, some times over 25 LPs and I never found out one/single LP that is " well done " builded.

Each one of us are paying over 30.00 ( even over 50.00 ) for each LP so for me " well done " must be really " well dne " not near " well done ".

IMHO the LP audio industry is taking our money in an irresponsable way and we are paying ( our culprit to follow doing. ) for a " crap " of products.

There are several threads in Agon and other forums where audiophiles/customers are and have severe complaints on that critical subject that throw out all our eforts in time and money to have a " perfect " tunned audio system that when the cartridge stylus hit the LP all those effort gone like " the wind ".

Good to know that you are the exception that confirms the rules about.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
actusreus
733 posts
 
Atmasphere
Most new LPs I see these days are really well done.

You must be joking. The quality of the great majority of today's records is absolutely abysmal. Finding a record that's flat on both sides is a rarity, as it finding one that has no surface noise. As I'm writing this I'm listening to Norah Jones "Feels Like Home" pressed at Kassem's QRP that retails for close to $40, and the record is both warped and has audible surface noise that's worse than on many of my records I bought used. Oh, and that's the replacement that Analogue Productions sent me. The original was much worse...

Sorry to get off-topic, but I just can't read such statements and stay silent.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,676 posts
 
QRP is doing some amazing work. We did a project through them recently and the final pressings were nearly as silent as the original lacquers (which is to say, so quiet as to rival digital recordings)!

It may be that the copy you got was warped, but that does not speak for all of them. IOW I was not joking. Warps have to do with heat during storage and shipping, not the process of making the LP. I buy a lot of LPs from indy labels, and it has been my experience that that they are usually excellent quality. But I live in Minnesota and that might make a difference with the warps.
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