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Offset Angle on VPI Classic Tonearm

Out of curiosity, is it everyone else's experience who owns a VPI Classic with the Classic tonearm that they have to twist the cartridge out to achieve correct offset angle? I have a Lyra Delos, and I've used the VPI jig, the Mint, and Ken Willis' Accutrack that allows setting up with all four geometries (Baerwald, Loefren, VPI, and Stevenson), and they all require a healthy twist of the Delos in the headshell to achieve a proper offset angle. I understand that having to twist the cartridge in the headshell when aligning it to a specific geometry is nothing new or controversial, but I am puzzled why make a tonearm that does not comply symmetrically even with the proprietary jig designed specifically for it. I can't imagine a cartridge that would not require twisting to be aligned correctly, but am perhaps wrong?
actusreus
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Stereo5, I have a similar set up: VPI Classic 1, with a Classic 3 wand, and Zephyr carty. Great combination. I have a DV 20X2 H as a backup. It's a back up because the Zephyr sounds better . . . to me. I've also tried the Clearaudio Virtuoso and Maestro. Mike (VPI service) and I couldn't get the Clearaudio carties to play well (bass resonance).

For some reason (probably because I don't know what I'm doing), I did not have the same anomalous setup experience re offset angle??? Imaging, sound stage, bass slam, balanced mids and treble, and so forth and so on, just great.

Btw, I think the VPI jig is Baerwold. Mike told me the same and I have a Baerwold protractor. The stylus is spot on the same on both set up tools.

BIF
captain_winters
133 posts
 
"Twist" are we are talking about aligning the cartridge body with the headshell front face? which is also offset from the tonearm? In my case Classic 3 both of my cartridges align pretty close to the headshell face as viewed from the front. So I have some overhang, cartridge further out than the headshell, but the cartridge body as viewed from the front has symmetric distance on either side as viewed from the front of the headshell. I use a MINTLP and get the same results with the VPI jig.
actusreus OP
733 posts
 
Captain_winters,

As you're looking from above, you can see that front of the cartridge's body is not parallel to the front of the headshell's face (my Delos also extends beyond the headshell). The Delos also has a symmetrical hole drilled through it for a different mount and you can see that the hole is not aligned with the symmetrical line notched through the front of the headshell. To describe it differently, you can see the mounting screws are not aligned symmetrically in the headshell slots. I had to twist the cartridge out to get the correct offset angle on the protractors (to have it parallel to the lines on the arc when the stylus rests on the null points). The cartridge appears perfect. Any ideas why the twist with mine is necessary?
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,368 posts
 
I have a Benz LPS and aligned it with the MINT....it looks absolutely square to me....overhangs the headshell a bit.
brf
1,715 posts
 
Dyan xx2-mk2 is square in the head shell with 1/8 inch overhang from the head shell
Koetsu Black has a very very slight twist and with 1/8 inch overhang from the head shell.
To the uniformed eye, both cartridges look square in the head shell.
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