Finally jumping into the turntable pool!
I’ve used tons of info from this website to help me along the way, and ended up purchasing an Acoustic Signature Ascona Mk2, 9-inch TA-9000 arm, and DS Audio Grand Master cartridge. I’ll also have a couple demo equalizers (EMM Labs DS-EQ1 and DS Audio EQ1).
I would appreciate input regarding professional setup. WHO did you use, what did you learn, do you recommend them?
I would suggest starting with the dealer's setup person. Is their a fee for setting up the turntable? I know some offer this as part of the sale. Are you looking to doing setups on your own?
I own a PBN-DP80 (https://pbnaudio.com/pbn-dp80/) which I setup myself mostly because I like doing things on my own. I would love to get a setup like analogmagik in the future.
Congrats on an amazing turntable, tonearm and cartridge. I am sure you will enjoy!
I have the Ascona mk3, and even for a totally non-practical guy like me, it was easy to set up. Together with a friend, we used about 2 hours. The manual is easy to follow. The critical point is to put on the heavy platter without dropping it down and ruin the bearing or damaging your fingers... You should definitely be 2 persons. Good luck, looking forward to the photos. Here are some from my end.
Congrats on an amazing turntable, tonearm and cartridge. I am sure you will enjoy!
I have the Ascona mk3, and even for a totally non-practical guy like me, it was easy to set up. Together with a friend, we used about 2 hours. The manual is easy to follow. The critical point is to put on the heavy platter without dropping it down and ruin the bearing or damaging your fingers... You should definitely be 2 persons. Good luck, looking forward to the photos. Here are some from my end. View attachment 79555View attachment 79554 View attachment 79552View attachment 79551
I wouln't suggest using smartractor with sliding base tonearms. an arc protractor or even SME's own paper protractor would give more accurate results. btw I saw in the pictures that you removed the bridge on SME V in order to use smartractor. I recommend putting it back and not to tighten the screws, just take the slack.
Finally jumping into the turntable pool!
I’ve used tons of info from this website to help me along the way, and ended up purchasing an Acoustic Signature Ascona Mk2, 9-inch TA-9000 arm, and DS Audio Grand Master cartridge. I’ll also have a couple demo equalizers (EMM Labs DS-EQ1 and DS Audio EQ1).
I would appreciate input regarding professional setup. WHO did you use, what did you learn, do you recommend them?
I did not know a thing about setting up tt/arm/cart. I was 100% relying on my setup guy and I loved that because it saved my time. He was very efficient, quick and very accurate. Until one day I met Ddk. He taught me how to set up the SME 3012R. It turned out to be a valuable thing that always going to stay with me. I am no expert in setting up arm cart. In fact I can only set up arm with the SME 3012R which is simple and easy to repeat (part of the charm of the arm). In my opinion, it is best to get an assistance from an expert. Hire him and pay him for teaching the technical side of setting up. Have him mentor you setting up arm/cart over and over five times and you will get a hang of how to do with your particular arm. I think you have sme. Although the DB System protractor is great for sme, simple and easy, the paper protractor from sme works just fine too. No need to buy other fancy protractor. If the guy you hire is really an expert, he will also know what to listen for, but he might not teach you that otherwise it could be a one time hiring for him. Like I said the technical side of set up is straight forward. But even the expert himself 99% of times don't get it right the first time. He still needs to listen to the sound of his initial set up and adjust from hearing. The tuning by ear part is a crucial part to learn. Ddk taught me what to listened for from two Lp's. One is Hilary Hahn plays Max Richter's Mercy. The other one I will not tell. To my own understanding Hahn's violin is for tuning mid-high notes, use violin to make sure there is tonal width and texture and tune for having a "presence" of Hilary. Vinyl sound must have presence if no presence the set up is not right. The other Lp ddk had me focus on bass in a particular section of music. It is essential for the coach to point and let you hear exactly how the sound for example the bass should be in that particular passage. Now I don't use the two Lp's anymore. I could use any familiar Lp's. Anyone can do once know what to look for. Play around with vta, vtf, azimuth a lot and you will understand how they effect sound. Different cartridge could have different effects changing those variables.
The fact you asked show you are not stuck with your ego, open to listen and want to learn. Tools are important but no need at all to be very sophisticated. Ddk and I use very simple tools that are easy to repeat. I hope you can find a good coach that is willing to teach what to hear when tuning. After that just keep playing with your arm cart to be proficient. We spend so much money on audio gear. If it costs us to learn set up arm/cart then we should invest.
By the way @Solypsa is a professional arm/cart set up guy. I think he is in the west. You could talk to him and see if a training service is an option. If he likes you enough maybe he give away his secret sauce.
@ddk will give you the secret sauce for free too if he likes you..enough. He sure still has a lot of juice left now that he has a baby.
Greg - if you are in Ohio, a professional set-up person who may be relatively close to you is @Brian Walsh who is a forum member. Last I knew he was in Barrington Illinois.
Dear @DasguteOhr I see that you’re using a diy arc protractor and I think arc protractors are better than the others.
the problem with diy arc protractor is printing. I used the same program you use and even drawn some protractors using autocad. I tried several printers in professional printing shops from various brands. it is almost impossible to get precise printing of the pdf file. I printed out the same protractor and measured it in 1/20mm precision maybe 50 times and ended up piles of unusable protractors. after a lot of unsuccessful attempts I found out that only a professional printer (big ones almost 5mt. long) should be used with same paper all the time and with right printing scale (0.9981). maybe that number work for you too. you should also find a way to precisely measure 200mm lines and pivot to spindle distance on protractor in order to be sure the scale is right. IMHO measuring precision should be 1/20mm or better.
another problem is cutting the spindle hole. since it should be exactly 7.18mm in diameter and there isn’t a hole punch at that diameter the only option is using 7mm punch. precisely centering punch while cutting the spindle hole is very important and is very difficult.
I spent a lot of time to overcome those problems but if I knew that in the beginning I would simply buy a generic arc protractor like wallytractor.
IMO if you have sme 309 and up, use sme’s own paper protractor. and for the rest use a laser etched arc protractor preferably wallytractor. whatever you use the most important thing is precisely setting the arm/cartridge in line with protractor’s. using iphone’s magnifier really helps.
This is why I buy turntables that are set up before they reach me (e.g. Rega). Not top end but I have no faculty or patience for it myself.
If I ever buy a high-end tt, it will be one that my local dealer has expertise with and I will rely on them.
I'll play with streaming software and servers, but I get very anxious around very small mechanical parts that break easily!
