Cartridge Alignment

DownIsTheNewUp

DownIsTheNewUp

Well-Known Member
Hey ya'll. I know this is gonna come across qs a novice post but essentially.... after a cross-country move, I'm in the process of reseting my turntable. And the one aspect of vinyl that has always left me uneasy is aligning a cartridge as I have a bit of a "spacial learning disability". I'm simply awful at guaging the amount of space between things.

That said, I've had trouble finding a shop out here that will do something so simple without me buying a new cart, and its probs time I learn to do it.

I've attached some photos below. Does this fucker look even to ya'll? The fact that the bolts arent parralell was tripping me out initially but i think they actually need to be uneven for everything to sit parallel as the wiring seems to tug the cart a bit in one direction. I also realize camera angles can be deceptive...

Also, i don't have a printer so getting a better protractor (with more lines) would require a trip to a print shop but I may do it. Especially if I can find an app that might help.
 

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I can’t quite tell 100% from the pictures, but it looks as though your cantilever may be just slightly right of center. You don’t need to worry about the front of the cartridge, it’s the cantilever that needs to be aligned.

Also, that target is where you want to drop the stylus itself for proper overhang, not the front of the cartridge.

Hope that helps!
 
The

HayesWeighsIn said:
I can’t quite tell 100% from the pictures, but it looks as though your cantilever may be just slightly right of center. You don’t need to worry about the front of the cartridge, it’s the cantilever that needs to be aligned.

Also, that target is where you want to drop the stylus itself for proper overhang, not the front of the cartridge.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...
HayesWeighsIn said:
I can’t quite tell 100% from the pictures, but it looks as though your cantilever may be just slightly right of center. You don’t need to worry about the front of the cartridge, it’s the cantilever that needs to be aligned.

Also, that target is where you want to drop the stylus itself for proper overhang, not the front of the cartridge.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

If the cartridge is aligned than shouldn't the cantilever... unless it is bent?

I ordered a new stylus from Sumiko (via Listen Up) when I landed in Chicago. Upgraded from a Rainer to a Olympia. Suddenlty started notices more noise on my records which is why I pulled out the cartridge protector in the first place. Figured it could just be a stylus that picks up more detail for good and bad but wanted to make sure.

Of note, Sumiko doesn't put a protector on their needled and the one I recieved had popped out of it's little pocket in the foam and instead loose in the case if that makes sense.
 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
The



If the cartridge is aligned than shouldn't the cantilever... unless it is bent?

I ordered a new stylus from Sumiko (via Listen Up) when I landed in Chicago. Upgraded from a Rainer to a Olympia. Suddenlty started notices more noise on my records which is why I pulled out the cartridge protector in the first place. Figured it could just be a stylus that picks up more detail for good and bad but wanted to make sure.

Of note, Sumiko doesn't put a protector on their needled and the one I recieved had popped out of it's little pocket in the foam and instead loose in the case if that makes sense.
Click to expand...
The cantilever (the tube the stylus is attached to) can be slightly off. That’s why you at align the cantilever, not the cartridge body.

If you are picking up more noise, it just may be a case of the stylus riding deeper in the groove and picking up dust/dirt.
 
HiFi Guy said:
The cantilever (the tube the stylus is attached to) can be slightly off. That’s why you at align the cantilever, not the cartridge body.

If you are picking up more noise, it just may be a case of the stylus riding deeper in the groove and picking up dust/dirt.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. Records I was playing had just gone through a Humminguru. So def weren't dirty

Just swung by a Chicago shop. They took one look and it and said the stylus is bent. Must have happened during shipping. Gonna contact Sumiko about a refund as they are the one choosing to not put a slip cover protector on these things. That's on them. Not ListenUp.
 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
Thanks guys. Records I was playing had just gone through a Humminguru. So def weren't dirty

Just swung by a Chicago shop. They took one look and it and said the stylus is bent. Must have happened during shipping. Gonna contact Sumiko about a refund as they are the one choosing to not put a slip cover protector on these things. That's on them. Not ListenUp.
Click to expand...
Keep us posted - they should make good on that
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
Keep us posted - they should make good on that
Click to expand...

For the record, they want me to ship it to them and have their warranty department look at it to see if it can be fixed or needs to be replaced. Had no idea they offered warranties in the first place. Problem is, they can't give me an estimate on a timeline.

They, of course, have this approach because they'd prefer I go through the shop but I don't want to do that bc Listen Up hooked me up in the first place and is a retail shop trying to survive this pandemic. So it'd really suck if they got caught holding the bag.

I may just get a new Rainer cart / stylus and have it installed locally while I wait. And then whenever they do right, I'll have a spare Olympia needle.
 
Have fun with your Dr. Feickert! Proper cartridge alignment is paramount no matter what alignment you choose and the Feickert is immensely more accurate than any paper protractor. Not only do you get higher fidelity but your vinyl will love you for it by lasting longer. Recently purchased the WallyTractor to facilitate that important function. It’s universal and easily works on just about any arm known to man. You have the choice of either Lofgren or Baerwald alignments and it can even differentiate between alignments for “old” (pre 1990) and “new”-centric record collections. I found it to be extremely unfussy to use even for these old eyes. It’s worth became obvious with the first record listened to after using it with simply a more “you are there” presence.
 
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HiFi Guy said:
You don’t need a different/better protractor. That’s the Rega supplied protractor for their arms. Rega has their own proprietary alignment. Other alignments will put the stylus in a different place. None are perfect- each alignment has pros and cons.
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it's my first time reading that rega has their own proprietary alignment...if i have a rebuilt thorens with a rega moth tonearm (from vinyl nirvana), what's the best way to align my cart (grado gold 3)? can i use a geodisc or should i be using a rega protractor?
 
Proprietary only in that if you have a Rega cartridge that has the three hole mounting system on a Rega arm with same it has one alignment only. Use the regular two screw mounting system and you can align things any old way you want using the protractor of your choice.
 
Personally, I don’t care for the modified Stevenson alignment that is utilized with Rega’s three hole system. Highest distortion levels of the four most used alignment specs over the narrowest band of the record grooves.
 
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