Measure out your tonearms spindle to pivot distance and check to make sure its spot on. If not, loosen up the arm locking nut and set it properly. The closer you get to perfect here the better.
Once you have the right distance tighten down the nut so it is secure.
Loosen the cartridge screws if you have a slotted headshell. Otherwise follow the manufacturer's instructions to set overhang.
Then drop on the AccuTrac protractor and here is how to set your alignment.
First step, I like to start at the extremes. Drop the needle right on the outside line.
You can see how the Grado is sitting right at the edge. I drop the needle on the arc line marked Magnepan Unitrac. I own other arms. Ken's AccuTrac covers those arcs as well.
Second step is to cue up the arm and place the stylus on the inside line. If it doesn't track the arc like you see in picture two you need to adjust the overhang so the needle will track the entire arc.
Either slide the cartridge toward the pivot or out from the pivot to accomplish a successful arc. On some SME arms you move the main bearing pivot in or out and on the Unitrac arm you see pictured you rotate the arm rest inwards or outwards to establish the proper arc.
Step three, once you have the arc established, now set the cartridge into one of the grid patterns and square up the body to match.
While the parallax error prevents you from clearly visualizing the alignment, the Accutrac grids make it easy to align the Grado Reference Master cartridge.
Step 4 is to put the cartridge into the inside grid and verify its still square. If not then something is off somewhere.
Step 5, if you are unable to get the proper spindle to pivot distance then getting the arc perfect will be tough. If you cannot get this step right remember it would be more important to track the arc as well as you can and make sure to square up the inner grid.
Step six, seven and eight is to adjust the tracking force and stylus rake angle to provide the best possible sound quality. Azimuth is important as well. The stylus should be riding the groove straight up and down.
I love this protractor. I can drop an expensive diamond on the laminated card knowing it can do no harm.
Hope the pictures help. BTW the pics might mix in one of the early prototypes. The current model is superb!
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