- Pics are worth a thousand words. - tubesforever 23:55:08 07/02/09
(2)
- In Reply to: RE: Review: Accutrack protractor and big thanks to Kwillis and Tubesforever posted by nu2toobs on July 02, 2009 at 19:28:37
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!
"Music Matters" Help support our schools music programs.
Edits: 07/02/09
- Hey! That looks like a prototype protractor Garth sent me. - JimK 12:27:09 07/03/09
(1)
- In Reply to: RE: Pics are worth a thousand words. posted by tubesforever on July 02, 2009 at 23:55:08
Are the two related somehow? Anyway, Garth's had a piece of string on it which took me a little time figure out, but after getting the hang of it I really liked it for my RB300.
Hmmm. I wonder where I put that thing...
Jim
- His was probably more like the Turntable basics.... - tubesforever 23:36:57 07/03/09
(0)
- In Reply to: RE: Hey! That looks like a prototype protractor Garth sent me. posted by JimK on July 03, 2009 at 12:27:09
They use a sight line to line up to the pivot point. That's what Garth's string was intended for in my best guess-timate.
Once you sight line the pivot, then you can use the protractor for lining up the grids.
With Ken Willis at the helm, he can compute the actual tonearm you are using and build an arc for that specific tonearm.
No guess work is left because there is no sight line to verify.
What the pics don't show is the very soft clear plastic laminate over the firm board. The plastic laminate allows a soft resting place for a stylus. I like it a lot better than the hard plastic turntable basics surface.
Its the little things that count.
"Music Matters" Help support our schools music programs.
- His was probably more like the Turntable basics.... - tubesforever 23:36:57 07/03/09
(0)
- Hey! That looks like a prototype protractor Garth sent me. - JimK 12:27:09 07/03/09
(1)
- Email Ken Willis via the forum, give him the spindle to pivot distance and he will make you one - Olly 19:41:19 07/02/09
(0)
- In Reply to: RE: Review: Accutrack protractor and big thanks to Kwillis and Tubesforever posted by nu2toobs on July 02, 2009 at 19:28:37
Personalised Accutrac protractor is the way to go.
OLLY
- RE: Review: Accutrack protractor and big thanks to Kwillis and Tubesforever - John Elison 19:40:10 07/02/09
(0)
- In Reply to: RE: Review: Accutrack protractor and big thanks to Kwillis and Tubesforever posted by nu2toobs on July 02, 2009 at 19:28:37
An Accutrack protractor is an arc type protractor that contains up to four different custom alignments. It is one of the nicest arc protractors available today.
Post a Followup:
