What are Stevenson's alignment goals? When any cartridge is made, it is difficult at best to set the stylus in perfect vertical alignment. Then simply align the cartridge so that it's in the center and parallel with All 5 cartridges above are good quality and highly regarded cartridges. This is important because of the slower groove speed. keep you needle in top shape Details. I always thought it was odd that Audio Technica didn't include a protractor in the box... but here it is! Verify your alignment with the second set of parallel lines. The Turntable Lab Cartridge Alignment Tool is based on proven design for accurate cartridge alignment. »Place the Stylus point on B (either but both should be correct). That's it! . Worked great! Posted by. It is important that the mounting hardware not be too loose. Because the cartridge comes pre-installed in the headshell, this means that the alignment is being done perfectly in Audio-Technica’s own factory. Im using a Goldring 2100 cartridge which i read in reviews is supposed to be a good tracker so i don't think the cartridge is the problem. . That leaves the question how the default cartridge on the LP120 is aligned. In the late 1970s, Technics devised a system known as the P Mount or T4P system. They say the best things in life An essential tool for installing any phono cartridge. $79.00 $ 79. DB is Stereophile Editor "Jon Atkinson's preferred alignment protractor," reports Stereophile. cartridge alignment protractor This device is use to precisely align a phono cartridge on turntables that have head shell cartridge adjustments. Many cartridge designs also “drift” or can have azimuth changes with use, or because of an accident. the parallel lines. Made of durable 2mm ABS plastic with mirrored finish allowing you to precisely adjust your cartridge/stylus by providing clear … Ortofon. The LP Gear ATN12XE stylus for the Audio-Technica AT12XE phono cartridge features a highly polished special elliptical diamond with a.0003 x.0007 inch radii bonded to a thin-wall tubular alloy cantilever. Buy Turntable Lab: Turntable Phono Cartridge Alignment Protractor Tool at TurntableLab.com, a Better Music Store Experience since 1999. Did you use the Technics overhang tool or a protractor? Might be a weekend project, I might do some recordings of each to make it easier to compare A/B and see if I can hear or measure clear differences that way, too! »Mount the cartridge onto the headshell by the bolts provided, leaving it loose for later adjustment. Turntable Cartridge Alignment Protractor Mat, Anti-sliding LP Vinyl Record Pickup Calibration Plate Distance Gauge Protractor Adjustment Tool Ruler for Turntable Accessor. Thank you for the explanation. In just three easy steps, the Protrac gives precise alignment for better sound and longer stylus life with any standard phono cartridge and radial tonearm. with the hole on the protractor firmly into the spindle hole. Mathematically, there is a tradeoff for slightly higher tracking error (distortion) at the beginning of the record, but in practice doesn't matter because the groove speed is so much faster and won't be audible. Please help! 00. Conclusion: The best cartridge upgrade for Audio-Technica AT-LP120 . With the use of this alignment protractor, you can find the correct distance from stylus tip to tonearm pivot. 1. The Stevenson alignment is designed to reduce tracking error towards the end of a record by placing the inner null point at the innermost groove. I was under the impression that the Technics overhang tool utilizes the Stevenson alignment. Try'em both and see if you notice any difference. For simple alignment tasks or a single turntable, arm & cartridge combination, a simpler tool will get the job done. I then downloaded a Baerwald protractor and adjusted the cart to that and i still have the same level of inner groove distortion! 4.7 out of 5 stars 204. less of that with the Technics alignment. http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge-alignment-protractors.shtml, http://www.vinylengine.com/ve_downloads/index.php?technics_baerwald_arc_protractor.pdf, Forum Policies, Rules, and Terms of Service. Easy huh? I have tried using the supplied Technics Alignment tool which gives 52mm overhang and i get inner groove distortion towards the end of a side. Easy to use + Precise. Cartridge Alignment Protractor Tool. The bolts pass through 2 slots in the headshell, designed to facilitate cartridge alignment, and attach the cartridge via a mounting hole at either side. Incorrect alignment causes distortion as explained on this page. $35.00. Shipped with USPS First Class. The Phædrus Audio alignment protractor is a useful tool for any turntable owner, allowing the cartridge to be correctly placed in the headshell of the tonearm irrespective of make or combination of equipment. AT617a Turntable Stylus Cleaner. The Technics S-shaped arm was designed to use the Stevenson alignment. . Once the needle is precisely on the dot in the center of the parallel lines The Technics tool is for overhang on the cartridge only. The Arc protractor is suitable as a cartridge alignment protractor for specific tonearm lengths / mounting distances only (see instructions enclosed) Cartridge alignment made easy: the Protractor [Italian version] Having a properly aligned cartridge not only reduces distortion, but also insures the least amount of damage to the vinyl's grooves. W ell, there's no place like home. ... Audio-Technica AT-VM95E/H Turntable Headshell/Cartridge Combo Kit. I used the hi-fi news test lp and didn't have any issues on the bias tracks, except the one everyone fails, so I don't think my problem is anti-skate. Audio-Technica designs, distributes and manufactures problem-solving audio equipment. . This is also true for a cartridge repair. Since going back to the overhang tool, I haven't noticed much IGD but I have had some sibilance issues. Either alignment should work OK. This protractor will align a cartridge to the factory Technics alignment, the same that is achieved when using the supplied overhang gauge. Turntable Basics has made the best cartridge alignment tool possible. Im using a Goldring 2100 cartridge which i read in reviews is supposed to be a good tracker so i don't think the cartridge is the problem. Besides, Lucio (a cool dude after all) is helping me give them away for free. For simple alignment tasks, it is probably as much as you will ever need. Stylus Brush. Jelco. If the stylus cantilever is not easily seen, align the sides of the cartridge body to the lines on the grid instead. Once you receive the Protractor it's easy to use. Yip of Mint LP makes quality turntable/arm and turntable/arm/cartridge specific alignment protractors. This is a precision job and cannot be done by eye alone. Copyright and image © 1997 Steven Rochlin. Ortofon Cartridge Alignment Protractor. Once you are certain your needle and cartridge is aligned correctly, carefully No? Initially known for state-of-the-art phonograph cartridges, Audio-Technica now creates high-performance microphones, headphones, wireless systems, mixers and electronic products for home and professional use. Take care my friends and if you have any questions, please This is really getting annoying now! Official alignment protractor for AT-LP120 [PDF] Close. It is nearly new so its not a worn stylus. insures the least amount of damage to the vinyl's grooves. Forward and reverse play; cast aluminum platter; th DB Systems Protrac lets an amateur do professional phono cartridge alignment. I have owned both and prefer the db Systems DBP-10 protractor. The downloadable protractors are free. . Ensuring your turntable's cartridge is properly aligned is a crucial step to making sure your vinyl playback is as it should be. $19.00. In Yips own words… With the cartridge body square in the headshell, you should be able to adjust the overhang more or less until the cartridge body is aligned at both grids. They should be used together. Could you elaborate as to why? »Cut a small hole in this page for the Spindle at A , place it on your turntable. Besides, Lucio (a cool dude after all) is helping me give them away for free. How did you align it? You will of course have to rotate the … are free :-{)+ . First, place the Protractor on your turntable »Connect the 4 wires as per the colours marked. ... Audio-Technica. you have an aligned needle. Cartridge Alignment Procedure When installing a new cartridge or headshell on the AT-LP120-USB or AT-LP1240-USB turntable, leave the mounting hardware just loose enough that you can move the cartridge forward and backward in the headshell with moderate effort. What you printed out from Audio-Technica is those two "null" points. Home is where my turntable is and everyone should have a two point protractor. ALWAYS glad to be of service. I aligned my new AT440 on a Technics 1200MK5 using this protractor: I believe I used the Stupid Protractor (their name, not my review) at the above link to align my 440mLa back when. A cartridge is mounted using 2 bolts, the centres of which are exactly half an inch apart. $14.95. cartridge to your tonearm. His view is that the Best item for the job is an alignment protractor made for a specific job rather than a universal protractor. Obtaining correct overhang length and alignment is essential to obtaining proper audio reproduction, and avoiding unnecessary record and stylus damage. In just a few simple steps, the Protractor gives precise alignment for better sound and longer stylus life with any standard phono cartridge and radial tonearm. FEICKERT NEXT GENERATION UNIVERSAL PROTRACTOR ALIGNMENT TOOL A truly outstanding design now made even better, Dr. Chris Feickert's next generation protractor system aligns your cartridge with ultimate accuracy for tonearms with an effective length from 8.6 - 17.7 inches. And will all significantly increase the sonic performance of the AT-LP120. It works for me. This professional USB & analog stereo turntable features a high-torque direct-drive motor, a selectable internal stereo phono pre-amplifier, and a USB output that connects directly to your computer. You can, of course, check alignment yourself, using your own protractor, in which case I would recommend the Dr Feickert, which costs AU$290. I NEVER get IGD with a DL-160 on my SL-1200. So I thought I'd try the Stevenson alignment next. I have gone back to the Technics overhang tool, but I've been reading that perhaps the Sevenson method is best to use on a Technics to reduce IGD. I recommend the Stevenson alignment geometry over Baerwald for an SL-1200 arm. Having a properly aligned cartridge not only reduces distortion, but also ... the stock cartridge in the LP120 needed to be toed in towards the center a bit for perfect alignment. It is nearly new so its not a worn stylus. I will have to play around with trying a stevenson alignment as well and see how that compares. Some like the Turntable Basics mirrored protractor, and some will prefer Yip's Mintlp tractor. It offers accurate tracing of record grooves, long playing life … Based on the Dennison geometry the machined grid features a center bulls-eye point that allows you to quickly and accurately align the stylus on various head shells. Oh, and since the Ortofon Blue is an elliptical stylus (great matchup, btw), the alignment is going to be more forgiving than something like a Fritz-Geiger. This is really getting annoying now! Get it as soon as Mon, Dec 14. custom headshell paired w/bestselling listening cartridges Details. Please click to read the excellent HI-FI Choice Review You will only be able to enjoy the best possible sound from your cartridge when properly aligned. Cartridge Alignment Protractor PT-89-A/CA001 For Turntable PUREST AUDIO. On the Audio-Technica protractor PDF file you can download on their website - which is basically Baerwald - it's written that the end result might leave your cartridge a bit twisted on the headshell, but as long as it's aligned on both null points should be fine. I then downloaded a Baerwald protractor and adjusted the cart to that and i still have the same level of inner groove distortion! Free Protractor To Align Your Turntable Cartridge! feel free to lemme know. Simply loosen the bolts that connect your Condition is "New". 14. Tracking Wizard’s Alignment Protractor is designed and made specially for this tonearm and its geometrical parameters, so will improve the trackability of your phono cartridge much better than stock and universal alignment tools! I have a Technics SL-1210MK2 Turntable. The two-point protractor has a dot for the stylus tip to rest on and a grid to which the stylus cantilever (the tube that extends from the cartridge body and has the stylus attached to it) aligns. Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Panthers26, Mar 12, 2012. In Use: The trick is to have the cartridge mounted so that the needle aligns perfectly on BOTH dots without moving the protractor. I thought Baerwald was kind of the best "overall" alignment, and that Stevenson was trying to get the end of the record the best where it's most difficult, but by sacrificing the rest of the record mode. An incorrectly aligned phono cartridge can result in premature cartridge and record wear. Something's not right there. A protractor is designed to adjust VTA (Vertical Tracking Angle) of the cartridge. I wouldn't mind playing around with a different alignment. 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Lab cartridge alignment protractor this device is use to precisely align a cartridge... `` null '' points Pickup Calibration Plate Distance Gauge protractor Adjustment tool Ruler turntable. I would n't mind playing around with trying a Stevenson alignment length and alignment is essential to obtaining proper reproduction... Protractor and adjusted the cart to that and i still have the cartridge body to the vinyl grooves. Tonearm pivot owned both and see if you notice any difference null '' points besides, (. Questions, please feel free to lem me know on my SL-1200 increase... An aligned needle thought it was odd that audio Technica did n't include a protractor in the a. Use: the best cartridge alignment protractor made for a specific job rather than a universal protractor as. And cartridge is made, it is manufactures problem-solving audio equipment stylus in perfect vertical alignment than a universal.. Protractor made for a specific job rather than a universal protractor in the a!