Does it matter?

[NorthStar]

I'd love to hear from Gary (Genesis) and Mike (Lavigne) too on this subject of tonearm's azimuth.

 

[DaveyF]

+1


Personally IF a tonearm does NOT allow me to adjust azimuth, it is a non-starter for me.

 

[rockitman]

+1


Personally IF a tonearm does NOT allow me to adjust azimuth, it is a non-starter for me.

That is pretty easy to agree with...

 

[NorthStar]

And how many people do?

 

[cjfrbw]

"Does it Matter?" My opinion: probably not, and if it is "needed", the cartridge is a non starter. The last meaningful adjustments to a tonearm/cartridge, (assuming your arm/base/bearing/platter are properly related), are most likely overhang (depending on the various opinions of what error curve you wish to pursue, no consensus there, either) and VTA. Maybe anti-skate if you believe in that for your set up.

I wrote an overview/examination of azimuth a couple of years ago, it is on a mothballed computer. It mainly examined what people are actually doing when adjusting azimuth vs. what they THOUGHT they were doing. Sure, you can jive around the vinyl error envelope and make things sound different, so what?

I am not really interested in incurring the wrath of the "high cardinals of tweak" and being burned at the stake again by the rabid, but if anybody is interested, they can PM me and I can see if I can find it.

Manufacturers add a lot of bells and whistles to stuff not because they believe in it, but because the religious zealotry of the consumer base demands it, and I believe azimuth adjustment is one of those. The critics? They believe in whatever they need to believe in to continue being critics.

Salesmen? They will charge you for anything they think they can make you believe in.

 

[puroagave]

I am not really interested in incurring the wrath of the "high cardinals of tweak" and being burned at the stake again by the rabid, but if anybody is interested, they can PM me and I can see if I can find it.

no, post it here so we can see where you're wrong let me guess you have one of those arms that cant adjust azimuth?

even if you had the 'perfect cartridge' you still have to account for platters that are convex (or concave) LPs that are thicker nearest the spindle, armboards that are not exactly level to the playing surface and headshells that aren't perfectly 90° to the armpost. w/o azimuth something like a vdh would be a "non starter" for you as imperfect stylus alignment is par for the course w/ AJ's carts. the cartridge hanging off your 'arm may just be one of those, ever looked at it under a 400x usb microscope?

 

[beaur]

And how many people do?

I have an RS Labs arm. Figure that puts me on the opposite end of the spectrum from most of the replies to this thread as I measure pivot to spindle distance by eye. Somehow it just works. When it comes down to it I'd rather spend time listening than worrying. Have a couple of friends that adjust VTA for every record. Personally think they are nuts but as long as I bring over a good bottle all is well.

Too many people spend way too much time over thinking this hobby and not enough time enjoying. But then again if teasing and adjusting to the last mm is enjoying to you I say invite me over just provide some other entertainment until the needle hits the groove. As soon as that happens we are friends again.

Beau

 

[DaveyF]

I have an RS Labs arm. Figure that puts me on the opposite end of the spectrum from most of the replies to this thread as I measure pivot to spindle distance by eye. Somehow it just works. When it comes down to it I'd rather spend time listening than worrying. Have a couple of friends that adjust VTA for every record. Personally think they are nuts but as long as I bring over a good bottle all is well.

Too many people spend way too much time over thinking this hobby and not enough time enjoying. But then again if teasing and adjusting to the last mm is enjoying to you I say invite me over just provide some other entertainment until the needle hits the groove. As soon as that happens we are friends again.

Beau

Beau, this is one of the arguments that I was getting from the other forums member's. For some reason, it just doesn't float my boat.

 

[beaur]

Dave,

There seem to be 2 types in this hobby that I generally clump into gearheads and music lovers. Yes I know they aren't mutually exclusive but people generally lean one way or the other. I tend not to be dogmatic and can appreciate the effort spent to get everything working just so but I do not obsess overly much about my system. The only issue I have is that there are some gearheads out there that tell me my way doesn't work when that just isn't the case which apparently you found the reverse on some other forum. I say shame on them as dogmatic rejections ruin perfectly good debate fun. I have always learned more from people who disagree with me.

 

[DaveyF]

Dave,

There seem to be 2 types in this hobby that I generally clump into gearheads and music lovers. Yes I know they aren't mutually exclusive but people generally lean one way or the other. I tend not to be dogmatic and can appreciate the effort spent to get everything working just so but I do not obsess overly much about my system. The only issue I have is that there are some gearheads out there that tell me my way doesn't work when that just isn't the case which apparently you found the reverse on some other forum. I say shame on them as dogmatic rejections ruin perfectly good debate fun. I have always learned more from people who disagree with me.

Beau. I do generally agree with you. However as a music lover and a'phile ( not sure IF that is a gear head, BUT I do believe in what the gear can do) I think that it is VERY important to take care of the smallest details IF you want the best possible reproduction. As they say, "it's all in the details". Azimuth adjustment is IMO one of those details.

 

[sombunya]

I sold a TD 166 with a headshell like this on it. When it was shipped back to me from the East coast the headshell was cocked at least 30 degrees off. Yes the entire TT took a beating as well. However, there is nothing to index the headshell to the arm. Any azimuth adjustments can be made without adjusting the tone arm. Sorry for the lousy photo.