I have to say that I'm thoroughly satisfied with the result of setting my cartridge with the MintLP Best Tractor. It would be an understatement to say I was skeptical about the cost of admission, but after helping a friend set up his Koetsu Black Goldline on the DV507II and hearing the effect in reducing distortions I had ordered my product as soon as I returned home.

To cut to the chase, the Mint allows you to dial the cartridge closer to the ideal by using a super-fine arc and the parallax lines aid aligning the cantilever to the groove at the null points. The result, for me, is better left to right balance, improved dynamics, more full and more rich bass (intelligible, with less overhang), improved clarity and extension of the treble (less washy/splashy), improved tracking ability, transparency is improved with background phenomenon better realized. Overall, a greater ease of the system to perform.

I had used the free printable Rega protractor from Vinyl Engine. I always had trouble and frustration getting the cartridge to align at both nulls, but this is because the geometry of Rega and Audiomods is just slightly out (Audiomods has an offset of 17.25mm and effective length of 239mm, compare to Rega's 15mm and 237mm). After using an Accutrak (printed) it got much better after very careful alignment. I was very impressed with this device - until I lay the needle on the Mint. Even without the magnification I could see that the offset was not correct which, again, I attribute to the fine arc of the Mint. The zenith was also out by a noticeable margin also.

I was a bit gloomy with my system prior to getting the Mint, it didn't sound right, I didn't listen to records very often and when I did I'd get fatigued and bored of it quickly. But now, I'm energized to the point of building/improving the system even further - just how much MORE is possible from my TT setup (and rest of the system). I'll never say my system is perfect and I do realize that there are trade-offs/compromises/limitations with the equipment and room. But now I'm enjoying it, and want to enjoy it more.

You MUST have excellent lighting (putting the needle between your eye and the light source really helps) and patience to use this device. It takes small adjustments and time. The result is well worth it, and the "upgrade" in sound for the price is better than cable swaps, preamp swaps or the like because all the detail that ISN'T picked up from an improperly aligned cartridge and all the mixed signals sent from such will muddy up the entire system.

I've now, for various reasons, re-installed the Colibri four times and it does get easier with each use. Most people, though, if not doing mods to their TT, will only really need to use this once for any particular cartridge. My guess is you might not want another cartridge once it's setup with the Mint.

On the downside... if you go through tables like underwear then the Mint will not be the best option (though it could be sold with the table to recover some cost). If you have multiple arms then you'll need one for each arm where the geometries differ.

 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - nanbil 08:24:05 05/18/14 (3)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - plastico 05:58:04 05/31/14 (2)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - steven d 17:44:12 05/31/14 (1)

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 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - nanbil 08:24:05 05/18/14 (3)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - plastico 05:58:04 05/31/14 (2)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - steven d 17:44:12 05/31/14 (1)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - plastico 06:18:34 06/01/14 (0)
 RE: I'm grateful - amioutaline? 14:47:12 05/17/14 (4)
 RE: I'm grateful - steven d 17:02:07 05/17/14 (3)
 RE: I'm grateful - amioutaline? 17:09:49 05/17/14 (2)
 RE: I'm grateful - steven d 18:13:23 05/17/14 (1)
 RE: I'm grateful - markd51 18:50:14 05/17/14 (0)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - CometCKO 10:47:08 05/17/14 (4)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - steven d 13:28:27 05/17/14 (0)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - SgreenP@MSN.com 10:56:02 05/17/14 (2)
 RE: REVIEW: MintLP Audiomods Accessory - steven d 13:31:17 05/17/14 (1)
 Yes, and as you said, great lighting makes a huge difference! - CometCKO 14:27:46 05/17/14 (0)

My pal who I helped set his Koetsu is in his 50s, is overweight, tall with a bad back and knees. He's anal about his system and I couldn't bear to think of the trouble he would have trying to do this process himself.

His Koetsu was aligned previously with the Feickert, yet still both his overhang and zenith were off and both were noticeable without the magnification.

Right now I'm getting a paint job for the TT so I'll have to go through the Mint process at least once more :(

I'd prefer to move the table into the kitchen while doing this, but it's a nuisance to level and re-level, so I just keep it where it is. I gotta be on my knees and hunched over see the needle.

One, I may get as close to the Mint as necessary with the Hoffman Protractor I already use

Two, I can get properly close a great deal easier with magnification and so I ordered a magnifier linked in an Audiogon thread for just Seven Bucks

Make that Three Conclusions

Third, a Dime weighs 2.228 grams and my Shure SFG-2 balance scale is dead nuts accurate!

• Conrad Hoffman Protractor

What I did do, and should have done, in this day of Google was search prior to posting previously. Having just done a google search for images I can see what's up with the Hoffman arc. If I'm looking at correctly labelled images of the Hoffman then it would seem very similar to the Ken Willis system.

Let's assume for a moment that a printed arc protractor (Hoffman or Willis) uses the exact same geometry for a given arm. I can see a few sources of error with a printed arc:

-the ability of the user to cut the spindle hole to the exact size of the spindle
-the ability of the user to centre the the spindle hole
-the ability of the printer to print to the exact scale required
-the ability of the user to measure and resolve the scale with a measuring tape
-the ability of the printer to print fine
-the ability of the user to resolve the needle to be centred on the arc
-the ability of the user to resolve the cantilever to be aligned with the groove at the nulls.

These errors CAN be minimal, but all need to be minimized as close to nil as possible in order to keep the overall error at nil.

My experience with the Willis (and other printed protractors) and the Mint has led me to believe that the Mint takes care of most of these sources of error, leaving the only sources of error of the last two points above (which are made easier to resolve with the super-fine arc and the parallax lines).

Using the Willis arc I believed I was DEAD ON. The Mint and listening showed otherwise.