The importance of VTA, SRA and Azimuth - pics

[mtemur]

that's why an EMT called TSD 15 first version 15 °new carts are 20-23°

yes they have 15 degrees on sra but I believe those numbers represent diamond tip radiuses. TSD15 has 15?m spherical diamond, TMD25 has 25?m and TMD65 has 65?m.
additionally TSD means Stereo Diamond Cartridge, TMD means Mono Diamond Cartridge.

 

[ddk]

Just as we use the horizontal alignment of the cantilever to determine perfect tangency to the groove, so VTA is used to align the cantilever's angular relationship to the grooves. BOTH approaches are proxies for what really matters to optimal playback: zenith angle and stylus rake angle. Within some VTA angular limits that cause wasted energy being transferred to the coils, VTA is irrelevant on its own. What matters is the relationship between the VTA (which we can see) and the SRA (that is very difficult to see). Unfortunately, you need microscopy to identify your ideal SRA and you need REALLY GOOD microscopy to determine your zenith angle. See HERE for more on our relationship by proxy to the stylus via the cantilever.

Why is VTA setting worthless on its own? In practice VTA setting, ie. horizontal alignment of the cartridge has a great impact on the sound.

My question as an end user for practical purposes given all the variables and different arm/headshell/cartridge combinations how does one determine and set the zenith angle by viewing the stylus under a microscope? Do different alignment curves have a bearing on the zenith angle?

david

 

[djsina2]

So what Dino-Lite scopes are people using now?

I emailed Dino Lite some time ago and here is their response...

“Thank you for contacting Dino-Lite microscopes with your request for information. For your reference here is an example of a customer using our Dino-Lite for your application: How to Use a USB Digital Microscope to set 92 Degree Stylus Rake Angle (SRA)

In the example above, the customer removed the plastic cap of our microscope to achieve the working distance they desired, we do not advocate this practice as it is destructive to the device and voids your hardware warranty. We recommend a microscope with a specialized removable cap that will allow you to focus at high magnifications from further away. I'll include both the original microscope and our recommendations below:

AM3113 - https://www.dinolite.us/products/am3113($249.00) (Original microscope, warranty voided if modified)

AD4113T - https://www.dinolite.us/products/ad4113t($449.00) (Our recommendation)

You will typically need to secure the microscope in a stand for viewing at higher magnifications and stability, the article I linked above features a gooseneck stand, these can be unstable and drift somewhat while in use. I'll include a link to that stand and my recommendations below:

MS33W - https://www.dinolite.us/products/ms33w($49.00) (Original stand from article)

*Recommended Stands*

MS33A - https://www.dinolite.us/products/ms33a($99.00)

RK-06A - https://www.dinolite.us/products/rk-06a($189.00)

RK-10A - https://www.dinolite.us/products/rk-10a($269.00)

The AD4113T will have a working distance of 1cm at 200x magnification and 1.5cm at ~240x magnification (without the cap). The magnification for the article was around ~175 - 200x, working distance was about 1cm.

I would recommend you use the maximum magnification of the AD4113T as it will give you more working distance and a larger FOV to align your needle.”

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

Why is VTA setting worthless on its own? In practice VTA setting, ie. horizontal alignment of the cartridge has a great impact on the sound.

My question as an end user for practical purposes given all the variables and different arm/headshell/cartridge combinations how does one determine and set the zenith angle by viewing the stylus under a microscope? Do different alignment curves have a bearing on the zenith angle?

david

Hello ddk,

VTA is Vertical Tracking Angle and is not directly related to the horizontal alignment of the cantilever - which is what you need a protractor for.

The reason VTA is not an important parameter to determine when optimizing the playback of the cartridge is that it is not the cantilever that reads the groove information. The contact edges of the stylus read the groove. With the exception of conical styli, the contact edges are vertically oriented and have a vertical length to them that varies with the severity of the stylus profile (micro-line or Gyger perhaps being the longest contact area).

The stylus is fitted to the cantilever by one of the three companies in the stylus/cantilever business (Ogura, Namiki & Gyger) with a certain amount of error allowed for that fitting. With most of these companies, the margin of error is 4 to 6 degrees from limit to limit. (I have seen quite a lot that were beyond this). A six degree range of "acceptability" on a 12" tonearm is the equivalent of 3.2 centimeters or 1.25 inches of tonearm height change. Few can accommodate this range.

So, if the stylus is mounted to the cantilever perfectly every time, then the cartridge manufacturer can safely tell us what the VTA is of the cantilever (and specify how the line is determined - stylus tip to cantilever pivot or use cantilever as the defining line?) and we can live a much easier vinyl life by simply getting that angle correct. However, with 4-6 degrees of allowable swing on the stylus mount for SRA, those of us with fine contact stylus edges need to measure stylus rake angle to be sure.

Your second question does not have a good answer - yet. You need a very high quality microscope to measure zenith angle. You might be able to SEE the contact edges under a basic 450x magnification scope, but you won't be able to measure it as you cannot get the cantilever in focus simultaneously. You also need excellent optics that you can be assured will not distort the image or shift the image when you change focal distance.

I am learning that we have more laboratory optics power than most boutique cartridge manufacturers and they cannot measure what we are able to with our equipment. They have to trust their providers on this one. I find it unacceptable that you need a microscope that costs as much as a very nice car to measure this so we are working on a way for everyone to measure at home. The hypothesis is sound mechanically and electrically, but we need to test it further. Without our microscope, we could not VERIFY that it is accurate, so we are thankful for that!

No, different alignment curves do not have a bearing on the ideal zenith angle. The ideal zenith angle is a colinear one. In other words, if you can look down through the stylus and see the contact edges as they are travelling through the grooves and you draw a line between those two contact edges, that line should be colinear with the radial line of the record; i.e., the horizontal line defined by the contact edges is pointing directly at the center of the record.

I hope that helps.

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

I emailed Dino Lite some time ago and here is their response...

“Thank you for contacting Dino-Lite microscopes with your request for information. For your reference here is an example of a customer using our Dino-Lite for your application: How to Use a USB Digital Microscope to set 92 Degree Stylus Rake Angle (SRA)

In the example above, the customer removed the plastic cap of our microscope to achieve the working distance they desired, we do not advocate this practice as it is destructive to the device and voids your hardware warranty. We recommend a microscope with a specialized removable cap that will allow you to focus at high magnifications from further away. I'll include both the original microscope and our recommendations below:

AM3113 - https://www.dinolite.us/products/am3113($249.00) (Original microscope, warranty voided if modified)

AD4113T - https://www.dinolite.us/products/ad4113t($449.00) (Our recommendation)

You will typically need to secure the microscope in a stand for viewing at higher magnifications and stability, the article I linked above features a gooseneck stand, these can be unstable and drift somewhat while in use. I'll include a link to that stand and my recommendations below:

MS33W - https://www.dinolite.us/products/ms33w($49.00) (Original stand from article)

*Recommended Stands*

MS33A - https://www.dinolite.us/products/ms33a($99.00)

RK-06A - https://www.dinolite.us/products/rk-06a($189.00)

RK-10A - https://www.dinolite.us/products/rk-10a($269.00)

The AD4113T will have a working distance of 1cm at 200x magnification and 1.5cm at ~240x magnification (without the cap). The magnification for the article was around ~175 - 200x, working distance was about 1cm.

I would recommend you use the maximum magnification of the AD4113T as it will give you more working distance and a larger FOV to align your needle.”

In my webinar on measuring static and dynamic SRA I will talk about a few different models. I have purchased several to try out from a couple different companies including Dinolite. If you can wait until March 20th I can share my thoughts at that time.

 

[ack]

A year ago, I carefully reviewed all Dino-Lite USB microscopes, and discovered the Dino-Lite reviews and buyer's guide: https://www.microscope.com/education-center/buyers-guides/dino-lite-buyers-guide

In it, they break down the microscopes by grade:

Basic

High quality digital microscope products designed primarily for education and budget-conscious applications.

Model Number ... AM2111 AM3111

Premier

Higher quality and fuller-featured digital microscope products designed for a wide range of applications.

3113 3713 4023 4111 4113 7013 7023

Edge

Highest quality digital microscope products designed for industrial, laboratory, and other applications demanding best quality optics and image sensor.

4115 4515 4815 7115 7515 7915

and the resolutions are as follows:

Dino-Lite USB Product Lines
Connect to PC via USB
MODEL	Resolution	LEDs
2111	640x480	4
3111	640x480	8
3113	640x480	8
4111	1280x960	8
4113	1280x960	8
4115	1280x960	8
4515	1280x960	8
4815	1280x960	8
7013	2592x1944	8
7115	2592x1944	8
7515	2592x1944	8
7915	2592x1944	8

I had decided that I would buy one of the Edge grade, and probably 4515 or 4815. The site also provides this very useful breakdown:

DECODING THE MODEL NUMBER...


Group
AM standard models
AD special application or custom design


Line
2xxx entry level model (USB models)
3xxx basic model (USB models)
4xxx industrial line (USB and TV models)
5xxx high resolution analog (TV models)
7xxx high resolution digital (USB models)


Model
xx11 USB, basic, no measurement
xx12 TV/Analog (RCA), basic, no measurement
xx13 USB, standard, measurement
xx15 USB, industrial, measurement
x515 USB, industrial, measurement and AMR (automatic mag. reading)
x815 USB, industrial, measurement and EDOF (enhanced depth of field) / EDR (enhanced dynamic range)
x915 USB, industrial, measurement, AMR, EDOF, EDR
xx16 TV/Analog (VGA), no measurement
xx18 TV/Analog (HD), no measurement
xx22 Microscope eyepiece camera (TV)
xx23 Microscope eyepiece camera (USB) w/ calibration and measurement


Features
T microtouch, captures image on usb models, turns LEDS on/off on analog (TV) models
M metal, aluminum-body, reinforced cord attachment, ruggedized model
Z polarizer, reduces glare on reflective objects
L working distance (long), magnification up to 92X, focus from farther away than normal
S shortened nozzle (85X and 145X magnification focus at touching distance)
W macro view, low magnification with zoom lens (2 focusable magnifications at any working distance)
T4 430X - 470X magnification
T5 500X fixed magnification
T8 700X - 900X magnification
TB Strobe light
N NTSC (TV models)
P PAL (TV models)
L-M40 working distance/wide viewing angle, magnification up to 37X

Next, in terms of where to source some of these, I found https://www.microscope.com/digital-microscopes/dino-lite?limit=all&price=3,200.0000_4,200.0000 if you don't want to order directly from Dino-Lite, and notice, these are also compatible with iPhone or iPads

Finally, all Edge microscopes and specs can be found here https://www.dino-lite.com/products01_list.php?index_m1_id=9&index_m2_id=10

 

[Robert Young]

What am I doing wrong here??

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

What am I doing wrong here?? View attachment 75387

what are you trying to do?

Beautiful microscope!

 

[Robert Young]

what are you trying to do?

Beautiful microscope!

Hey J.R.! You've recently been very generous with your time and expertise for me...in one of our email conversations, I mentioned the challenge with cartridge adjustment with my Schroeder Reference (just out of the above pic!), and I lamented how an aggressive cleaning crew decided to wipe my turntable, stripping the Allaerts of its stylus. That's it above in my hand just back from retipping. But my comment was a bit of technophobe humor: all this conversation about microscopes from the amazing Ack seemed to cry for the response of a true Luddite like myself...jokes aside, I am excited (amazingly I really am) about watching the WallyTractor video #1. I don't think I've ever gotten a cartridge properly aligned in my life, though I must have come close: that's why I love the Ortofon SPU G (oh, the sound too!). Having set-up done by an obsessive-compulsive professional has always been my way, but Covid has postponed that as well as harpsichord tuning and the odd plumbing repair. So I lurk here looking for tips that I can actually understand without popping an aneurysm.

 

[ddk]

Hi J.R.,

Hello ddk,

VTA is Vertical Tracking Angle and is not directly related to the horizontal alignment of the cantilever - which is what you need a protractor for.

I realize that and I wasn't talking about the cantilever alignment, I mentioned horizontal level of the actual cartridge which is affected by raising and lowering of the tonearm and what we call VTA adjustment.

The reason VTA is not an important parameter to determine when optimizing the playback of the cartridge is that it is not the cantilever that reads the groove information. The contact edges of the stylus read the groove. With the exception of conical styli, the contact edges are vertically oriented and have a vertical length to them that varies with the severity of the stylus profile (micro-line or Gyger perhaps being the longest contact area).

The stylus is fitted to the cantilever by one of the three companies in the stylus/cantilever business (Ogura, Namiki & Gyger) with a certain amount of error allowed for that fitting. With most of these companies, the margin of error is 4 to 6 degrees from limit to limit. (I have seen quite a lot that were beyond this). A six degree range of "acceptability" on a 12" tonearm is the equivalent of 3.2 centimeters or 1.25 inches of tonearm height change. Few can accommodate this range.

So, if the stylus is mounted to the cantilever perfectly every time, then the cartridge manufacturer can safely tell us what the VTA is of the cantilever (and specify how the line is determined - stylus tip to cantilever pivot or use cantilever as the defining line?) and we can live a much easier vinyl life by simply getting that angle correct. However, with 4-6 degrees of allowable swing on the stylus mount for SRA, those of us with fine contact stylus edges need to measure stylus rake angle to be sure.

This is also related to my opening comment, the practical approach to cartridge setup. We know about cartridges and it's obvious why there's this margin of acceptance in their manufacturing, this is the reality not perfect styli forever. Is there a better practical way than the unimportant VTA adjustment and using one's ears to achieve better sound? You & I are in the helping people setup their cartridge business, how are we helping people with their setup with any of

Your second question does not have a good answer - yet. You need a very high quality microscope to measure zenith angle. You might be able to SEE the contact edges under a basic 450x magnification scope, but you won't be able to measure it as you cannot get the cantilever in focus simultaneously. You also need excellent optics that you can be assured will not distort the image or shift the image when you change focal distance.

I am learning that we have more laboratory optics power than most boutique cartridge manufacturers and they cannot measure what we are able to with our equipment. They have to trust their providers on this one. I find it unacceptable that you need a microscope that costs as much as a very nice car to measure this so we are working on a way for everyone to measure at home. The hypothesis is sound mechanically and electrically, but we need to test it further. Without our microscope, we could not VERIFY that it is accurate, so we are thankful for that!

There are maximum 3 adjustments in a tonearm that one can set, TA & VTF are pretty straightforward and there are plenty of simple to use tools that can aid with the process, even if VTF can benefit from ear tuning generally manufacturers figures suffice. VTA adjustment is the 3rd parameter one can manipulate in a tonearm, you & I are in the helping people setup their cartridge business and I'm trying to understand how any of this is helping people with their setup in the real world. The medium itself is lacking standards the grooves are deep, shallow, wide, narrow, noisy, and in various states of health, even if you view measure the crookedness of the stylus how does it translate to better setup for the average user? IMO we're digressing and losing sight of the primary reason for all this, a practical solution for cartridge setup by the end user. We know already that this loosey-goosey technology is capable of exceptional sound reproduction from basic setup procedures.

No, different alignment curves do not have a bearing on the ideal zenith angle. The ideal zenith angle is a colinear one. In other words, if you can look down through the stylus and see the contact edges as they are travelling through the grooves and you draw a line between those two contact edges, that line should be colinear with the radial line of the record; i.e., the horizontal line defined by the contact edges is pointing directly at the center of the record.

I hope that helps.

Thank you for the explanation.

david

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

Hi J.R.,

I realize that and I wasn't talking about the cantilever alignment, I mentioned horizontal level of the actual cartridge which is affected by raising and lowering of the tonearm and what we call VTA adjustment.

This is also related to my opening comment, the practical approach to cartridge setup. We know about cartridges and it's obvious why there's this margin of acceptance in their manufacturing, this is the reality not perfect styli forever. Is there a better practical way than the unimportant VTA adjustment and using one's ears to achieve better sound? You & I are in the helping people setup their cartridge business, how are we helping people with their setup with any of



There are maximum 3 adjustments in a tonearm that one can set, TA & VTF are pretty straightforward and there are plenty of simple to use tools that can aid with the process, even if VTF can benefit from ear tuning generally manufacturers figures suffice. VTA adjustment is the 3rd parameter one can manipulate in a tonearm, you & I are in the helping people setup their cartridge business and I'm trying to understand how any of this is helping people with their setup in the real world. The medium itself is lacking standards the grooves are deep, shallow, wide, narrow, noisy, and in various states of health, even if you view measure the crookedness of the stylus how does it translate to better setup for the average user? IMO we're digressing and losing sight of the primary reason for all this, a practical solution for cartridge setup by the end user. We know already that this loosey-goosey technology is capable of exceptional sound reproduction from basic setup procedures.

Thank you for the explanation.

david

Changes in tonearm height do impact overhang, but I am not concerned with these changes as they are VERY small. A 4mm change in height on a 235mm tonearm (which is about a 1 degree impact) changes overhang by somewhere around 0.03mm. I'm STILL not sure I understood your first question, but that is my best effort. ;-)

I know of no other RELIABLE way to set SRA other than using a microscope and the proper approach which I will detail in my webinar on March 20th. Multivariate methods (using an electrical signal) are ONLY reliable when absolutely everything else is perfectly setup and then ONLY at the alignment null points on a test record that you are CERTAIN has been cut by a cutter head using 92 degrees angle at about 80-60 micron depth into the lacquer.

I never dial in VTF by ear because the sonic result of doing so is multivariate. I don't like multivariate sonic impacts as you never can be sure that the sonic impact complies with your IDEA of what caused that impact. Can you make systems sound better by ear? SURE! However, you can never, ever be certain that you've optimized it and you'll never know if the stylus mount is botched. When you change VTF you are simultaneously changing SRA and even azimuth (if the stylus is not on the line defined by the armwand). I put VTF in the middle of the recommended range as the VERY first thing that I do and then forget it unless I have tracking problems - in which case I am looking for the problem elsewhere on the tonearm. If that happens, WallySkater goes on right away to see what's wrong with the tonearm.

If you know what your zenith error is, the WallyZenith allows you to correct for it. Attached is the final prototype that I just picked up today.

Does that answer your question? I'm not sure that I have done a good job by you.

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

Hey J.R.! You've recently been very generous with your time and expertise for me...in one of our email conversations, I mentioned the challenge with cartridge adjustment with my Schroeder Reference (just out of the above pic!), and I lamented how an aggressive cleaning crew decided to wipe my turntable, stripping the Allaerts of its stylus. That's it above in my hand just back from retipping. But my comment was a bit of technophobe humor: all this conversation about microscopes from the amazing Ack seemed to cry for the response of a true Luddite like myself...jokes aside, I am excited (amazingly I really am) about watching the WallyTractor video #1. I don't think I've ever gotten a cartridge properly aligned in my life, though I must have come close: that's why I love the Ortofon SPU G (oh, the sound too!). Having set-up done by an obsessive-compulsive professional has always been my way, but Covid has postponed that as well as harpsichord tuning and the odd plumbing repair. So I lurk here looking for tips that I can actually understand without popping an aneurysm.

I remember that conversation with you, Robert. You have a very thorough cleaning crew. Not many would bother to clean the cantilever off the cartridge!

As I'd mentioned to you, I am available to help out. I'm a bit of a Luddite myself.

 

[tima]

If you know what your zenith error is, the WallyZenith allows you to correct for it. Attached is the final prototype that I just picked up today.

J.R., Let me see if I have this ... or have it all wrong. Zenith error describes the difference between the position of a line bisecting the the stylus relative to a line bisecting the cantilever? When the lines perfectly overlay, there is no error? Put differently, when the Yaw Axis of both cantlever and attached stylus is the same?




Since we cannot adjust the position of the stylus on the cantilever, we adjust the cantilever to put the stylus in a position where it would be if there were no zenith error? Or in tangency to the groove?

Which begs the question how can we mere mortals know zenith error without a microscope with the price of a nice car?

 

[KlausR.]

I think this figure (which is from an old article in Audio Magazine) shows what J.R. meant: the cutter travels on a straight line (= dotted line = radius) towards the record centre, so the line connecting the two points of contact is coinciding with the radius. For other shapes this may no longer be true, so that tracing distortion is generated.

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

J.R., Let me see if I have this ... or have it all wrong. Zenith error describes the difference between the position of a line bisecting the the stylus relative to a line bisecting the cantilever? When the lines perfectly overlay, there is no error? Put differently, when the Yaw Axis of both cantlever and attached stylus is the same?


View attachment 75403

Since we cannot adjust the position of the stylus on the cantilever, we adjust the cantilever to put the stylus in a position where it would be if there were no zenith error? Or in tangency to the groove?

Which begs the question how can we mere mortals know zenith error without a microscope with the price of a nice car?

You write correctly, "Since we cannot adjust the position of the stylus on the cantilever, we adjust the cantilever to put the stylus in a position where it would be if there were no zenith error"

See attached photo. Look very closely at the line covering the contact edges of the stylus.

The answer to your second question is in the works. Stay tuned.

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

I think this figure (which is from an old article in Audio Magazine) shows what J.R. meant: the cutter travels on a straight line (= dotted line = radius) towards the record centre, so the line connecting the two points of contact is coinciding with the radius. For other shapes this may no longer be true, so that tracing distortion is generated.

View attachment 75405

Yes, this image is a wonderful illustration of why the WallyTools approach has nothing to add for those who have a conical stylus, except for anti-skating. Zenith, SRA and to a large extent even azimuth are not sensitive to conical styli.

Conical stylus owners, please tune me out!

 

[ddk]

Changes in tonearm height do impact overhang, but I am not concerned with these changes as they are VERY small. A 4mm change in height on a 235mm tonearm (which is about a 1 degree impact) changes overhang by somewhere around 0.03mm. I'm STILL not sure I understood your first question, but that is my best effort. ;-)

I know of no other RELIABLE way to set SRA other than using a microscope and the proper approach which I will detail in my webinar on March 20th. Multivariate methods (using an electrical signal) are ONLY reliable when absolutely everything else is perfectly setup and then ONLY at the alignment null points on a test record that you are CERTAIN has been cut by a cutter head using 92 degrees angle at about 80-60 micron depth into the lacquer.

I never dial in VTF by ear because the sonic result of doing so is multivariate. I don't like multivariate sonic impacts as you never can be sure that the sonic impact complies with your IDEA of what caused that impact. Can you make systems sound better by ear? SURE! However, you can never, ever be certain that you've optimized it and you'll never know if the stylus mount is botched. When you change VTF you are simultaneously changing SRA and even azimuth (if the stylus is not on the line defined by the armwand). I put VTF in the middle of the recommended range as the VERY first thing that I do and then forget it unless I have tracking problems - in which case I am looking for the problem elsewhere on the tonearm. If that happens, WallySkater goes on right away to see what's wrong with the tonearm.

If you know what your zenith error is, the WallyZenith allows you to correct for it. Attached is the final prototype that I just picked up today.

Does that answer your question? I'm not sure that I have done a good job by you.

Hi J.R.,
Sorry, I wasn't trying to be critical of you in the previous post, it's just the way I write. Your company produces excellent tools and somewhere in thread you mentioned one for VTA/SRA adjustment in the works and now you're back to the microscope, the point I poorly tried to get across was that it's a shame to abandon the tool. Your company is of the very few that might be able to come up with one.

I find VTF just another parameter that sometimes needs adjusting and that's why there is a range. Sure there's a starting point within the range for a setup but it's not always the best sounding weight. I don't care for multivariate either but that is the nature of setup and vinyl playback system as a whole. VTF and VTA can be dependent but the relationship is also tonearm dependent. Some tonearms affect VTF when adjusting VTA and some don't so one has to know their tonearm. I don't have a problem readjusting VTA as needed after a VTF adjustment, with experience you can hear when standard settings are off.

I can't comment on Zenith adjustment never dealt with it in a meaningful way to understand it's ramifications, looking forward to your webcast.

david

 

[KlausR.]

Yes, this image is a wonderful illustration of why the WallyTools approach has nothing to add for those who have a conical stylus, except for anti-skating. Zenith, SRA and to a large extent even azimuth are not sensitive to conical styli.

M. Fremer: "The result is that the stylus reads one side of the groove before the other. This problem gets exacerbated the further towards the center of the record the arm travels, resulting at the very least in gross phase distortion."

Are we speaking about tracing error here?

Klaus

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

Hi J.R.,
Sorry, I wasn't trying to be critical of you in the previous post, it's just the way I write. Your company produces excellent tools and somewhere in thread you mentioned one for VTA/SRA adjustment in the works and now you're back to the microscope, the point I poorly tried to get across was that it's a shame to abandon the tool. Your company is of the very few that might be able to come up with one.

I find VTF just another parameter that sometimes needs adjusting and that's why there is a range. Sure there's a starting point within the range for a setup but it's not always the best sounding weight. I don't care for multivariate either but that is the nature of setup and vinyl playback system as a whole. VTF and VTA can be dependent but the relationship is also tonearm dependent. Some tonearms affect VTF when adjusting VTA and some don't so one has to know their tonearm. I don't have a problem readjusting VTA as needed after a VTF adjustment, with experience you can hear when standard settings are off.

I can't comment on Zenith adjustment never dealt with it in a meaningful way to understand it's ramifications, looking forward to your webcast.

david

No need to apologize! I didn't feel you being critical. I just struggled to make sure I was getting you an answer to the question you were asking (or, that I THOUGHT you were asking)

I really like this forum as everyone is KIND to each other. I have no room in my life for the negativity I see on other forums. You get enough of that by turning on the TV and watching the news (which I don't ever do). I will continue to post here as long as things are civil and I have the time to do so!

Very true about VTF and VTA relationship. Neutral balance tonearms don't have this problem, but many arms are not neutral. My Kuzma 4Point is no where near neutral. Wally once calculated that if you had a 35 uN/mm compliant cartridge on it (that's very soft!) you could change the tonearm height all you wanted (within reason) and the VTA would never change due to VTF being affected!

Just setting expectations here: the first webinar will be on how to properly measure static and dynamic SRA. I will not discuss zenith error. That'll be another event down the road.

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

M. Fremer: "The result is that the stylus reads one side of the groove before the other. This problem gets exacerbated the further towards the center of the record the arm travels, resulting at the very least in gross phase distortion."

Are we speaking about tracing error here?

Klaus

Correct, Klaus. I put numbers behind this in an earlier post.