Stylus Rake Angle

Dear friends: IMHO speculations and theory is something that we have to prove.

Any one of you ( with Barwald or Löfgren B today cartridge/tonearm alignment. ) can make the next test:

simple make a change ( new set up ) to either of those alignments where you just need to make a change in overhang ( offset angle is negligible. Overhang less than 0.4mm. ) and listen carefully on both set ups with very good ( in deep ) know LP tracks at three LP surface positions: between null points, outer grooves ( out side null point. ) and inner grooves ( outside null point. ) .

You will now and understand why Löfgren calculated ( 50+ years ago. ) two alignment solutions: A ( Baerwald ) and B. Of course you can read his white papers somewhere in VE.

If you can try to find out tracks with high bass content ( more easy ) and listen the transient response on both set ups looking for differences and then share with us your experiences.

Regrads and enjoy the music,
R.

I'm still not convinced that SRA should match VTA(cutting stylus) necessarily. What shape is the cutting stylus vs. the many different playback styli? How many different cutting stylus shapes are there?

Here's an interesting and somewhat revealing take on Micheal Fremer's TT set up technique.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ7nAdITdk

Raul

The analog medium is full of imperfections and we have to deal with in the best way we can. Sometimes I think is an endless enterprise.

At the end each one of us have its own targets and MUSIC sound reproduction and each one trade offs choosed are related to achieve those targets.

Yes, I agree all is compromise with regard to set up, especially with regard to SRA and VTA which are decided by the cartridge manufacturer. It is up to each listener to decide what is acceptable to them, and to be aware of why it is so.

Csontos

For all intents and purposes, VTA and SRA are virtually the same thing because it is impossible to perfectly maintain standardized specs. This is why the only way to match the two is by 'listening' and at best, listening on the fly.

The issue isn't that there is or isn't a standard (if recommending anything between 15 and 25 degrees for VTA constitutes a useful standard), but that it appears that the SRA parameter is variable depending on the mechanics of record cutting, and is at best an approximation of between 91 and 95 degrees, and can vary across a record. It also varies with downforce, and with offset, which in turn depends on chosen geometry and the accuracy with which it is set.

Until someone makes a headshell which allows variation of VTA/SRA without altering overhang and downforce, then those will be factors...

More info - old articles- here

.

John, What do you think is meant by the first sentence in that article you referenced?:

"Adjusting the cartridge for optimum SRA may alter the VTA away from optimum. Or vice versa."

I usually think of VTA as a useful surrogate for SRA, but I guess that a separate function of VTA, apart from its direct effect on SRA, would be to alter the angular relationships between magnets and coils, but that is a major function of VTF. The cantilever/magnets/coils are fixed in space except for the effect of VTF to re-position the cantilever, if too much or too little VTF is applied. Which takes me back to my question; what are they talking about?