Speaking of Fremer: My interview with Mikey

[Andre Marc]

I know my Mikey has been a topic of discussion lately here. I had almost forgotten
my interview with him from back in 2010.

As always, some entertaining bits:

http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-f...0-lists/an-interview-with-michael-fremer.html

 

[Gregadd]

Thanks it's always a pleasure to read Fremers' comments.

 

[microstrip]

Andre,

I remember another Mike, Michael Gindi, who used to write to TAS (I have a Forsell turntable and the famous reports of water flowing in it hint me ...). Do you know if is still writing about audio?

 

[TBone]

Excellent read ... thx.

I particularity appreciate this ...


"except for the hand-wringers who sit there worrying that it's not good enough or could be better. It always can, but I used to get just as much pleasure listening to my Hafler DH 101/DH-200, Spica TC-50 system using a Denon direct drive AC motor turntable with a Lustre GST-1 arm and Dynavector Ruby cartridge as I do with what I've got now. Of course now is much better! But more pleasurable? Not really. Equally pleasurable."


and especially this ...


"Most of the time when you change VTA you're really hearing a change in azimuth due to the offset angle of the headshell."


... Azimuth error I've long related to VTA adjustment, but this notion is far too often ignored or left unrecognized by the vast majority of audiophiles who tend to confuse VTA adjustment with proper SRA settings ... including MANY reviewers who have never allude to this situation, and those that probably never recognized what's actually happening when they adjust "VTA".


"The azimuth changes as you lower and raise the back of the arm and tiny azimuth changes make bigger sonic differences than VTA/SRA changes IF you have the SRA set to 92 degrees. That's the magic number. Forget about VTA."


Exactly, and in doing so, Mickey (as I figured long ago) further puts into question those who claim that this or that particular LC stylus cartridge is more "forgiving" of VTA compared to others. It may in fact be true in some cases, but as far as I'm concerned, all LC stylus types should sonically focus SRA equally in theory ... so therefore ... a perceived lack of focus from one LC stylus cart to another has little to do with actual stylus shape, and more to do with implementation, either from a manufacturing side or from an audiophile setup perspective.

tb1

 

[Andre Marc]

Andre,

I remember another Mike, Michael Gindi, who used to write to TAS (I have a Forsell turntable and the famous reports of water flowing in it hint me ...). Do you know if is still writing about audio?

I honestly am not familiar with Mr Gindi.

 

[Andre Marc]

Excellent read ... thx.

I particularity appreciate this ...


"except for the hand-wringers who sit there worrying that it's not good enough or could be better. It always can, but I used to get just as much pleasure listening to my Hafler DH 101/DH-200, Spica TC-50 system using a Denon direct drive AC motor turntable with a Lustre GST-1 arm and Dynavector Ruby cartridge as I do with what I've got now. Of course now is much better! But more pleasurable? Not really. Equally pleasurable."


and especially this ...


"Most of the time when you change VTA you're really hearing a change in azimuth due to the offset angle of the headshell."


... Azimuth error I've long related to VTA adjustment, but this notion is far too often ignored or left unrecognized by the vast majority of audiophiles who tend to confuse VTA adjustment with proper SRA settings ... including MANY reviewers who have never allude to this situation, and those that probably never recognized what's actually happening when they adjust "VTA".


"The azimuth changes as you lower and raise the back of the arm and tiny azimuth changes make bigger sonic differences than VTA/SRA changes IF you have the SRA set to 92 degrees. That's the magic number. Forget about VTA."


Exactly, and in doing so, Mickey (as I figured long ago) further puts into question those who claim that this or that particular LC stylus cartridge is more "forgiving" of VTA compared to others. It may in fact be true in some cases, but as far as I'm concerned, all LC stylus types should sonically focus SRA equally in theory ... so therefore ... a perceived lack of focus from one LC stylus cart to another has little to do with actual stylus shape, and more to do with implementation, either from a manufacturing side or from an audiophile setup perspective.

tb1

Glad you enjoyed..

 

[MylesBAstor]

Andre,

I remember another Mike, Michael Gindi, who used to write to TAS (I have a Forsell turntable and the famous reports of water flowing in it hint me ...). Do you know if is still writing about audio?

As far as I know, the Gindian retired from the audioworld when my magazine folded and decided to have a real life I still get notes from him here and there on Facebook.

 

[MylesBAstor]

"Most of the time when you change VTA you're really hearing a change in azimuth due to the offset angle of the headshell."

So if it's the offset angle of the headshell, why does every linear tracking arms that I've played with, show VTA sensitivity (Rockport/ET/Air Tangent/Clearaudio/Souther)???? Gotta be more than that.

 

[TBone]

So if it's the offset angle of the headshell, why does every linear tracking arms that I've played with, show VTA sensitivity

Simply ... with a linear arm, you're effectively changing SRA via VTA without introducing ANY azimuth error.

That should, in actuality, offer one greater "sensitivity" to any particular cartridge ability to focus.

tb1

 

[Gregadd]

Good news for Fremer

The evidence of vinyl’s comeback is much more than anecdotal. The last three years have each set successive records for vinyl sales in the CD era. In 2010, 2.8 million LPs were sold, up 14% from 2009–and more than any other year since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991. Vinyl sales now account for 1% of all album sales in the U.S., compared to 26% for legal digital downloads; CDs make up the rest.

Forbes Magazine

 

[Gregadd]

Turntables sales are up also

Record sales have climbed for five years. Now turntable sales are growing. They were up 50 percent in January over January last year.

NY Times

 

[MylesBAstor]

Simply ... with a linear arm, you're effectively changing SRA via VTA without introducing ANY azimuth error.

That should, in actuality, offer one greater "sensitivity" to any particular cartridge ability to focus.

tb1

Exactly so sensitivity to VTA/SRA is not a function of changing the azimuth.

 

[TBone]

Exactly so sensitivity to VTA/SRA is not a function of changing the azimuth.

It totally can be ... IF a cartridges "sensitivity" to proper SRA position is effectively altered by adding an azimuth error caused by "VTA" adjustments ... it certainly becomes a "function".

As stated, this is an obscure reality that many people tend to ignore, or not understand.

tb1

 

[MylesBAstor]

 

[MylesBAstor]

It totally can be ... IF a cartridges "sensitivity" to proper SRA position is effectively altered by adding an azimuth error caused by "VTA" adjustments ... it certainly becomes a "function".

As stated, this is an obscure reality that many people tend to ignore, or not understand.

tb1

I'm not sure what's not clear. Fremer is saying that the perceived changes with adjusting arm height is a function of headshell offset (and there are some pivoted w/o offset too). So if you remove that variable with a linear tracking arm and still hear a height sensitivity, how much can that headshell offset/azimuth change actually be contributing? And actually that change in azimuth could be better if one is actually improving the phase response.

 

[A.wayne]

So if it's the offset angle of the headshell, why does every linear tracking arms that I've played with, show VTA sensitivity (Rockport/ET/Air Tangent/Clearaudio/Souther)???? Gotta be more than that.

Is there any other way to adjust azimuth .....

 

[MylesBAstor]

Is there any other way to adjust azimuth .....

You mean other than twisting the arm tube? I guess shimming the base like one use to do with SMEs?

But I do wonder how much getting the phase all of sudden right aka Feickert instead of using crosstalk is causing the sonic changes?

 

[A.wayne]

Sounds like a lot about nothing after adjusting VTA ....

 

[TBone]

I'm not sure what's not clear.

Ironically, I said the same thing when I read your reply.

Sounds like a lot about nothing after adjusting VTA ....

That comment justifies the claim that most don't understanding or comprehend the subject matter at hand.

Thankfully ... Mikey "gets-it" ... and believe it or not, others do also ... but yes, it's a bit of an obscure topic ...

Perhaps I'll try and "communicate" this issue later ... when I have "time" ...

(sigh)

tb1

edit:

Fremer is saying that the perceived changes with adjusting arm height is a function of headshell offset (and there are some pivoted w/o offset too).

Not exactly, he's saying that the offset angle is responsible for changing a stylus azimuth as you lift or lower (VTA) the pivoting arm. Therefore, if you use VTA to attain proper SRA with such an arm, you're effectively adding an azimuth error to the mix.

So if you remove that variable with a linear tracking arm and still hear a height sensitivity, how much can that headshell offset/azimuth change actually be contributing?

Remember, azimuth is NOT altered with VTA change on linear arms ... therefore ... well ... the answer to this riddle is in that last quoted question.

tb2