Turntable Cartridge Alignment & Tonearm setup with VTA Gauge & Mirrored Protractor

[mercury]

To set the VTA the the stylus has to be sitting on an lp on the platter. Only then should the arm be leved using a suitable device such as the one you used. The top of the tonearm is best for this method. Once this is achieved only then can the correct tracking downfore be applied. The hight of the mat and vinyl record must be taken into account when making VTA and tracking downforce adjustments otherwise you end up with incorrect geometry.

[AyyyC]

Nice to see your cartridge is already aligned. However I searched how to adjust it, not to hear someone say “well if yours isn’t aligned, just adjust it”. But thanks

[sgrazied]

the protractor thickness usually is concieved to substitute the LP and not the mat, because we know about the LP thickness (which is more or less always the same) but not about the mat height, which can be different from one to another.
Without mat you could find your protractor in a not flat position, exactly as it happens in this video.
So: mat ALWAYS on

[georgeanastasopoulos]

Complete, understandable, and detailed demonstration. Thumbs up for sure. Myself, I bought, and aligned - actually checked my phono cartridge with the mirrored version at 2:35+ from Hudson Hi-Fi. This manufacturer makes good, accurate tools for measurement, and alignment; and they are made in the USA.

[cyberswarup]

Why do you need to remove the platter? Doesn't the protractor thickness represent the vinyl record thickness? If you remove the platter, the record thickness will not be considered IMO.

[billwillard]

Didn’t cover how to use the Hudson tool to check the overhang, even though it was mentioned. I have the one sided protractor with various lines and numbers. Would it have hurt Hudson to put instructions in the packaging? Ok, there’s 40, 000 videos on how to align a cartridge with the two points, but they could’ve at least mentioned what the rest of the printed information was.

[davidfranklin]

Good basic info. May mention that if tonearm does not have ability to be raised or lowered you can purchase a spacer that will get you close enough. Rega sells .2 spacers which can be stacked if you need more.

[lifeinsurround]

Trying to get CD-4 Quadraphonic playback set up. Requires as-perfect-as-possible cartridge alignment (among other factors). This is very helpful!

[dannymcneal]

I’m very impressed with the quality of my Hudson HiFi inner sleeves and jacket sleeves. I’m sure these two products are just as well made. Question: I know where to make the VTA adjustment, but when doing the VTA adjustment with your alignment tool, what is making the tone arm level? Is it floating? My Denon DP-57L has VTA adjustment, but at what point should the VTA be adjusted? Didn’t really get the answer from this video. My understanding, which was probably wrong, was that VTA should be adjusted based on whether or not you’re playing thicker albums. No? Thank you for clarification!

[Jdsofar]

Question when aligning your cartridge: Can you move the alignment tool so the stylus fits centre or does that not count? Like is it supposed to be entered by only rotating the platter with the alignment tool sitting still or if you move the tool on the platter so it hits centre is that cheating and not doing it properly?

[jacknjill]

Where do you get the gauges? Also when I installed my cartridge I wasn’t sure where to put the tube connector covers. Meaning was it for the front 4 connectors or the back 4 connectors. Anyway, I put them on the front, but I see others have in the cover on the back and I don’t think it makes that big of a difference, but I’ll swap out. Luckily I have the screw off head shell and easier to make adjustments.

[paulc]

Thanks Nice!! Question How do you use a bubble level on the head shell?. My screws stick out the top!

[jimspc]

Surely the VTA is measured in relation ship to the record not the top surface of the player body deck. Thus any super thick mat or thin mat or even platter could be used with a simple VTA adjustment only. If the cartridge is mounted correctly VTA adjustment would not require cartridge realignment. Similarly if a different than factory original arm was being used it must be setup in relationship to the platter plus mat plus LP disk not the deck surface.
The rest position of the arm and therefor the cartridge and stylus is irrelevant as is its relationship to the top of the deck. Assuming that no changes have been made to the equipment, it would be unwise to think one adjustment would go out of calibration and others would not. So checking one adjustment is basically useless. The actual azimuth should be ok if the arm is not damaged and the headshell is original and not damaged. If its not correct then you have three options. Get a new arm, spend a lot of time with shims packing the cartridge angle or simply putting up with it. The latter being the most cost effective as it probably has little or no affect on reproduction over doing anything yourself which may well mess up something.

[gordon]

But if the azimuth is off How do you fix it??😊

[turntablesrockmyworld]

I'm confused by all these videos on using protractors. Are you seeing if CANTILEVER is aligned or just catridge? You have a horizontal line running through the middle, if I adjust the cartridge so the front of it squarely covers the horizontal line ( in essence, parallel to it but covering it) without and angling away from either side, isn't the cartridge aligned? Why do I need the vertical lines or a grid? Why don't I just need one horizontal line and at most two vertical lines, one on either side of catridge? What am I missing outside of a few brain cells? What is the purpose of all the other grid lines if we are looking at cartridge and not cantilever?

[MikeHenrick]

That’s not how you align VTA I’m pretty sure you measure the level when on the record.

[leolee]

Regarding the setting of the VTA, what are those numbers on the acrylic block for and how are we supposed to use them? Thanks.

[senorverde]

I thought the point of a mirrored protractor was to adjust your viewing angle until the grid and its reflection line up to reduce parallax error

[alternateunreleasedshellac]

I have an Audio Technica LP120xUSB, and I don't think I can adjust the VTA only the anti-skate. What's the difference between the two? I may be wrong though.

[benireges]

Is cartridge scale and pivot-to-spindle measuing tool really necessary?