An Introductory Note: This essay was originally started for forum member mep. After starting, I remembered that mep uses a SME 312 arm and not his previous Eminent Technology ET2. So, much that I had to say did not apply to his situation and I stopped writing. However, several forum members encouraged me to continue and what follows is the result. The glitch is the fact that my findings and procedures are based on the ET2 arm, which is a linear tracking air bearing design. I have found that a linear tracking design allows a definitive VTA calibration. Pivoted arms are more problematic due to the geometrical errors that are endemic to their geometry. Still, he basic process still applies to pivoted arms but the VTA sweet spot is much less specific. Please keep this in mind as you read.
I have continued a style as if I were writing directly to mep. Mep, thanks for your encouragement.
Introduction
This is going to be difficult to write. So, let me start by saying that I respect your knowledge and experience very much as well as your exposure to fine equipment. That’s why I’m writing you. I’m not so much interested in expounding my ideas as I am asking for your thoughts on the subject. I do consider myself something of an expert on the subject of adjusting VTA. But, talking with someone who can add to my knowledge is always a privilege. I fear this will sound like I’m the only person on earth that has solved the VTA issue. I know this is not true. I also think that most, if not all, of the material I have read on the subject is totally wrong and misleading. I will assume that the playback system is top notch and is especially strong in the areas of resolution and detail.
Another reason I want to talk to you is we have the same tone arm so our tools are the same. When I say, for example, “as indicated on the circular VTA calibration scale”, you will know exactly what I mean. I also assume that the stylus is a fine line contact type. This is crucial. So, let’s start.
Much of this information I’m sure you already know. But I can’t assume this. Just understand that I’m not talking down to you. I must express the entire idea. Please be patient with me.
This is broken up into several sections. First, I want to give my historical background on the subject. Next, I want to explore the nature of proper VTA adjustment with respect to the groove. This is the critical section. Then, I will go through my adjustment procedure specifically with the ET arm. I will try to define exactly what I am listening for and why. Last, I will explore VTA adjustment mechanisms that are seen on various arms and why most of them are terrible.
My History with VTA
From early in my audiophile (the term audiophile was not yet coined) life, in the early 1960’s, I read about proper VTA (actually called parallelism) adjustment. Mostly, in the early days, we were advised to just make sure the bottom of the cartridge is parallel to the record surface with no further guidance. As the audio art advanced into the high end distinction, more words were spent in the tone arm reviews concerning proper VTA alignment, but with no further guidance. So, the question arises concerning what does one actually listen for when making the adjustment? How do you know when it is correct? It was clear that this adjustment had to made by ear. No guidance.
My arms at the time varied from the SME 3009 to several servo type linear trackers prior to settling on the ET’s around 1990. I started using fine line contact styli around 1974 with my B&O 4004. I have never strayed from this stylus shape. I started using low output moving coils around 1976 with my Yamaha PX-2 and have been using them ever since.
I attempted to calibrate VTA quite a few times with my various arms and turntables. I never had success. I decided to just make sure the bottom of the cartridge was parallel with the record and left it at that. I was frustrated because I could not understand why I was having so much trouble. Little did I know….
Things changed with my first ET2 but not right away. When I first installed the arm on a Sota Star I just adjusted for parallelism. I had given up on precision VTA calibration. But one thing was clear. This arm had a serious VTA adjustor, unlike anything I had previously seen. All of my previous arms had a set screw that was loosened and the position of the pivot was raised or lowered by some arbitrary amount controlled by one’s hand. But the ET adjustor allowed for very controlled amounts of change and it was indicated by scales. Neat! It looked promising. Obviously, Bruce was serious about VTA but the instruction manual gave nothing but the most general guidance. Was this one of Bruce’s little jokes?
So, after a period of use, one afternoon I took a deep breath and decided to attempt a precision VTA calibration.
Then I heard a change!! Amazing! I continued, trying to zero in on the perfect setting. I found it. It took about 6 passes to get to the point where I was making fine adjustments. I was astonished at the improvement. The sound just sort of clicked in. And I was sure I had it right. I’ll explain below.
VTA and the Record Groove
The relationship between the record groove and the stylus is similar to a lock and key. If the key is not aligned with the lock it will not work. If it is not pushed in far enough it will not turn. The alignment must be correct for the scheme to work. The analogy fails at a certain point but it illustrates the point. Let’s assume the highest frequency in the record groove presents a curvature that exactly matches the narrow curvature of the stylus, where the stylus actually contacts the groove. If the stylus is placed in the groove, the stylus should fit perfectly, like a key into a lock. This represents a perfect VTA alignment. OTH, if the stylus is tilted either up or down in the direction of the groove, the stylus will enter the groove but it will not perfectly contact the entire curvature of the groove. It will enter at an angle to the axis of the groove modulation. This represents a misadjusted VTA.
The above example shows that VTA calibration is most important for high frequencies. Mid-range and bass need not apply because their groove wave lengths are so long that VTA misalignment is only a small angular fraction of that wave length. Thus, small changes to VTA such as required for VTA calibration with high frequency groove modulations, have essentially zero effect at lower frequencies. Thus, all we have read about touting improved bass performance or imaging, or staging, with proper VTA is just wishful thinking. It’s the high frequencies that count.
The Procedure
Initially, I did not know what to expect, what defined correct, what height change increments to use, or what direction to start. I started with the cartridge parallel as judged by eye. Then I started adjusting the pivot height, keeping records of the height changes from the scales, and listening carefully. I missed! Then I returned to the start and went in the opposite direction. I missed! Remember, I did not know what a “hit” sounded like so I was not very optimistic. But I continued the process, reducing the height change increments for each pass.
When I heard a change for the first time I was very excited. I continued the process using smaller and smaller increments of height change and zeroed in on the sweet spot, always recording my process. The first time this took a fair amount of time. But, with more experience, I can do it fairly quickly. The most difficult situation is adjusting VTA on a new cartridge because I have no history with it.
So, what had I learned? Well, a lot.
1. Proper VTA alignment was definitely worth the trouble. This was an “Ah Ha” moment for me.
2. There is a very small height window where the VTA is correct. Very small. For those of you who are familiar with the ET arm, a change of less than one division on the circular VTA scale is the size of the sweet spot. However, you can hear the approach to the sweet spot about two divisions away on the VTA scale, either plus or minus from the sweet spot.
3. The increments of height change must be very small or the sweet spot could be passed without even knowing it. Typically, a change of more than two scale divisions is too much. You will miss. I usually use 1 division changes. This causes a very small change to the pivot height. Proper VTA is a very small spot indeed.
4. VTA error sounds exactly the same with the pivot either high or low. The sound will not indicate which direction to adjust.
5. The sound gives no indication of how far off the adjustment is until it is very, very close to right, within 2 divisions on the VTA scale.
6. The VTA sweet spot is very small and sensitive.
7. Only certain kinds of recorded sounds make the VTA calibration relatively easy. I chose a good, closely mic’ed solo piano recording. I’ll explain below because this is a critical issue.
8. The descriptions I had read for VTA adjustment were totally wrong, misleading and not repeatable.
9. Last, and most important, the vast majority of arms have no hope of allowing a correct VTA calibration. The ET is special along with a few others, all expensive, because of its sophisticated VTA adjustor.
What I’m Hearing
I use one record for VTA Calibration. There are many records that would work but they should all have a wealth of complex high frequency information. I use a standard thickness , closely mic’ed, Colombia recording of Glen Gould playing solo Bach on piano. I believe a good harpsichord recording, closely mic’ed, might work even better because of the incredible interplay of harmonics a harpsichord can produce. But I did not have the right harpsichord record. So, I settled for the excellent Gould recording which is closely mic’ed and better than most Colombia’s. I use this record only. I have been for years.
Why? Well, I know exactly what to listen for. In fact, not only do I use just one record, I also use only one passage. This one passage offers an extremely complex collection of many strings simultaneously vibrating. The object here is to be able to separate out the strings which occur only when the VTA is correct. I am specifically listening to the pianos characteristic buzzing quality when multiple strings are in action. This mostly involves the harmonics of the notes that are played. When VTA is not correct, the strings sound homogenous. When the VTA is correct, this homogenous quality disappears and is replaced by the individual harmonics. This quality makes for a very sensitive VTA calibrator.
I pay no attention to any other attribute. I am only interested in the stylus fitting the groove properly. All other audio qualities follow from this.
VTA Adjustor Mechanisms and Other Issues
Once I was successful with the VTA adjustment, it was clear why I had had such a difficult time with VTA in the past. Many (most) tone arms do not have an adjustor that permits the very fine adjustments necessary for a proper VTA calibration. Typically, tone arms follow the venerable SME 3009 model. It has a set screw that secures the pivot pillar. To adjust tone arm height (VTA), the set screw is loosened and the pillar is moved up or down by hand. There are no scales. There are no gear drives. There is no friction to permit a setting to be held. In short, this type of adjustor offers no hope, except luck, to attain a proper VTA. It’s no wonder I never found the sweet spot.
To those that claim to have been successful with VTA, I would first ask a question seeking to discover what type of adjustor is used on their tone arm. If it s a set screw type I will dismiss their opinions. The odds against them are too high.
What is needed is a well engineered micrometer type adjustor. Fortunately, many modern, expensive tone arms are now so equipped. As far as I know, no tone arm that costs less than, say, $2000 qualifies. My two tone arms, the ET2.5 and the Graham 2.2 Deluxe both have wonderful adjustors. I have come to believe that the quality of the VTA adjustor is the most reliable indicator that a given tone arm is a serious design and one that that I would consider owning.
Sparky
I have continued a style as if I were writing directly to mep. Mep, thanks for your encouragement.
Introduction
This is going to be difficult to write. So, let me start by saying that I respect your knowledge and experience very much as well as your exposure to fine equipment. That’s why I’m writing you. I’m not so much interested in expounding my ideas as I am asking for your thoughts on the subject. I do consider myself something of an expert on the subject of adjusting VTA. But, talking with someone who can add to my knowledge is always a privilege. I fear this will sound like I’m the only person on earth that has solved the VTA issue. I know this is not true. I also think that most, if not all, of the material I have read on the subject is totally wrong and misleading. I will assume that the playback system is top notch and is especially strong in the areas of resolution and detail.
Another reason I want to talk to you is we have the same tone arm so our tools are the same. When I say, for example, “as indicated on the circular VTA calibration scale”, you will know exactly what I mean. I also assume that the stylus is a fine line contact type. This is crucial. So, let’s start.
Much of this information I’m sure you already know. But I can’t assume this. Just understand that I’m not talking down to you. I must express the entire idea. Please be patient with me.
This is broken up into several sections. First, I want to give my historical background on the subject. Next, I want to explore the nature of proper VTA adjustment with respect to the groove. This is the critical section. Then, I will go through my adjustment procedure specifically with the ET arm. I will try to define exactly what I am listening for and why. Last, I will explore VTA adjustment mechanisms that are seen on various arms and why most of them are terrible.
My History with VTA
From early in my audiophile (the term audiophile was not yet coined) life, in the early 1960’s, I read about proper VTA (actually called parallelism) adjustment. Mostly, in the early days, we were advised to just make sure the bottom of the cartridge is parallel to the record surface with no further guidance. As the audio art advanced into the high end distinction, more words were spent in the tone arm reviews concerning proper VTA alignment, but with no further guidance. So, the question arises concerning what does one actually listen for when making the adjustment? How do you know when it is correct? It was clear that this adjustment had to made by ear. No guidance.
My arms at the time varied from the SME 3009 to several servo type linear trackers prior to settling on the ET’s around 1990. I started using fine line contact styli around 1974 with my B&O 4004. I have never strayed from this stylus shape. I started using low output moving coils around 1976 with my Yamaha PX-2 and have been using them ever since.
I attempted to calibrate VTA quite a few times with my various arms and turntables. I never had success. I decided to just make sure the bottom of the cartridge was parallel with the record and left it at that. I was frustrated because I could not understand why I was having so much trouble. Little did I know….
Things changed with my first ET2 but not right away. When I first installed the arm on a Sota Star I just adjusted for parallelism. I had given up on precision VTA calibration. But one thing was clear. This arm had a serious VTA adjustor, unlike anything I had previously seen. All of my previous arms had a set screw that was loosened and the position of the pivot was raised or lowered by some arbitrary amount controlled by one’s hand. But the ET adjustor allowed for very controlled amounts of change and it was indicated by scales. Neat! It looked promising. Obviously, Bruce was serious about VTA but the instruction manual gave nothing but the most general guidance. Was this one of Bruce’s little jokes?
So, after a period of use, one afternoon I took a deep breath and decided to attempt a precision VTA calibration.
Then I heard a change!! Amazing! I continued, trying to zero in on the perfect setting. I found it. It took about 6 passes to get to the point where I was making fine adjustments. I was astonished at the improvement. The sound just sort of clicked in. And I was sure I had it right. I’ll explain below.
VTA and the Record Groove
The relationship between the record groove and the stylus is similar to a lock and key. If the key is not aligned with the lock it will not work. If it is not pushed in far enough it will not turn. The alignment must be correct for the scheme to work. The analogy fails at a certain point but it illustrates the point. Let’s assume the highest frequency in the record groove presents a curvature that exactly matches the narrow curvature of the stylus, where the stylus actually contacts the groove. If the stylus is placed in the groove, the stylus should fit perfectly, like a key into a lock. This represents a perfect VTA alignment. OTH, if the stylus is tilted either up or down in the direction of the groove, the stylus will enter the groove but it will not perfectly contact the entire curvature of the groove. It will enter at an angle to the axis of the groove modulation. This represents a misadjusted VTA.
The above example shows that VTA calibration is most important for high frequencies. Mid-range and bass need not apply because their groove wave lengths are so long that VTA misalignment is only a small angular fraction of that wave length. Thus, small changes to VTA such as required for VTA calibration with high frequency groove modulations, have essentially zero effect at lower frequencies. Thus, all we have read about touting improved bass performance or imaging, or staging, with proper VTA is just wishful thinking. It’s the high frequencies that count.
The Procedure
Initially, I did not know what to expect, what defined correct, what height change increments to use, or what direction to start. I started with the cartridge parallel as judged by eye. Then I started adjusting the pivot height, keeping records of the height changes from the scales, and listening carefully. I missed! Then I returned to the start and went in the opposite direction. I missed! Remember, I did not know what a “hit” sounded like so I was not very optimistic. But I continued the process, reducing the height change increments for each pass.
When I heard a change for the first time I was very excited. I continued the process using smaller and smaller increments of height change and zeroed in on the sweet spot, always recording my process. The first time this took a fair amount of time. But, with more experience, I can do it fairly quickly. The most difficult situation is adjusting VTA on a new cartridge because I have no history with it.
So, what had I learned? Well, a lot.
1. Proper VTA alignment was definitely worth the trouble. This was an “Ah Ha” moment for me.
2. There is a very small height window where the VTA is correct. Very small. For those of you who are familiar with the ET arm, a change of less than one division on the circular VTA scale is the size of the sweet spot. However, you can hear the approach to the sweet spot about two divisions away on the VTA scale, either plus or minus from the sweet spot.
3. The increments of height change must be very small or the sweet spot could be passed without even knowing it. Typically, a change of more than two scale divisions is too much. You will miss. I usually use 1 division changes. This causes a very small change to the pivot height. Proper VTA is a very small spot indeed.
4. VTA error sounds exactly the same with the pivot either high or low. The sound will not indicate which direction to adjust.
5. The sound gives no indication of how far off the adjustment is until it is very, very close to right, within 2 divisions on the VTA scale.
6. The VTA sweet spot is very small and sensitive.
7. Only certain kinds of recorded sounds make the VTA calibration relatively easy. I chose a good, closely mic’ed solo piano recording. I’ll explain below because this is a critical issue.
8. The descriptions I had read for VTA adjustment were totally wrong, misleading and not repeatable.
9. Last, and most important, the vast majority of arms have no hope of allowing a correct VTA calibration. The ET is special along with a few others, all expensive, because of its sophisticated VTA adjustor.
What I’m Hearing
I use one record for VTA Calibration. There are many records that would work but they should all have a wealth of complex high frequency information. I use a standard thickness , closely mic’ed, Colombia recording of Glen Gould playing solo Bach on piano. I believe a good harpsichord recording, closely mic’ed, might work even better because of the incredible interplay of harmonics a harpsichord can produce. But I did not have the right harpsichord record. So, I settled for the excellent Gould recording which is closely mic’ed and better than most Colombia’s. I use this record only. I have been for years.
Why? Well, I know exactly what to listen for. In fact, not only do I use just one record, I also use only one passage. This one passage offers an extremely complex collection of many strings simultaneously vibrating. The object here is to be able to separate out the strings which occur only when the VTA is correct. I am specifically listening to the pianos characteristic buzzing quality when multiple strings are in action. This mostly involves the harmonics of the notes that are played. When VTA is not correct, the strings sound homogenous. When the VTA is correct, this homogenous quality disappears and is replaced by the individual harmonics. This quality makes for a very sensitive VTA calibrator.
I pay no attention to any other attribute. I am only interested in the stylus fitting the groove properly. All other audio qualities follow from this.
VTA Adjustor Mechanisms and Other Issues
Once I was successful with the VTA adjustment, it was clear why I had had such a difficult time with VTA in the past. Many (most) tone arms do not have an adjustor that permits the very fine adjustments necessary for a proper VTA calibration. Typically, tone arms follow the venerable SME 3009 model. It has a set screw that secures the pivot pillar. To adjust tone arm height (VTA), the set screw is loosened and the pillar is moved up or down by hand. There are no scales. There are no gear drives. There is no friction to permit a setting to be held. In short, this type of adjustor offers no hope, except luck, to attain a proper VTA. It’s no wonder I never found the sweet spot.
To those that claim to have been successful with VTA, I would first ask a question seeking to discover what type of adjustor is used on their tone arm. If it s a set screw type I will dismiss their opinions. The odds against them are too high.
What is needed is a well engineered micrometer type adjustor. Fortunately, many modern, expensive tone arms are now so equipped. As far as I know, no tone arm that costs less than, say, $2000 qualifies. My two tone arms, the ET2.5 and the Graham 2.2 Deluxe both have wonderful adjustors. I have come to believe that the quality of the VTA adjustor is the most reliable indicator that a given tone arm is a serious design and one that that I would consider owning.
Sparky
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