jcmusic Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 What are you TT guys using for cartridge alignment tools? Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I use: - A Shure gram gauge!! - A Shure cart alignment tool that I snared away from Gary (he had an extra), to adjust the HORIZONTAL alignment of the cartridge's CANTILEVER with the straight line through where the stylus sits on the tool, as viewed with my ILLUMINATED MAGNIFIER. (Lining up the cartridge BODY from above is a second-best way, but probably OK in nearly all cases.) - A mirrored alignment tool to check for the VERTICAL alignment of the cartridge as seen from head-on and somewhat above, as seen from above with my ILLUMINATED MAGNIFIER. - The illuminated magnifier, which I got from Ace Hardware for $7 or $8. This is the best I've found, since it's more than 2-power and focuses at about 3" - 6" away. - Something with measuring lines on it to check that the height of the front of the tonearm is the same height off the record as the rear of the tonearm. - A 6-inch level, to make sure the plinth and platter are LEVEL. And, read this carefully: A Beginner's Guide to Cartridge Setup. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudret Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 - A mirrored alignment tool ...Larry, do you have a link to the mirrored alignment tool. I would like to buy one.Kudret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted August 21, 2006 Author Share Posted August 21, 2006 Kudret, I found one here. http://hcmaudio.com/hcm.asp Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I use: - A Shure gram gauge!! - A Shure cart alignment tool that I snared away from Gary (he had an extra), to adjust the HORIZONTAL alignment of the cartridge's CANTILEVER with the straight line through where the stylus sits on the tool, as viewed with my ILLUMINATED MAGNIFIER. (Lining up the cartridge BODY from above is a second-best way, but probably OK in nearly all cases.) - A mirrored alignment tool to check for the VERTICAL alignment of the cartridge as seen from head-on and somewhat above, as seen from above with my ILLUMINATED MAGNIFIER. - The illuminated magnifier, which I got from Ace Hardware for $7 or $8. This is the best I've found, since it's more than 2-power and focuses at about 3" - 6" away. - Something with measuring lines on it to check that the height of the front of the tonearm is the same height off the record as the rear of the tonearm. - A 6-inch level, to make sure the plinth and platter are LEVEL. And, read this carefully: A Beginner's Guide to Cartridge Setup. Larry All good stuff. I use a DB Systems protractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Larry, do you have a link to the mirrored alignment tool. I would like to buy one.Well, the only one I can find quickly in a Google search is this $20 item: http://www.turntablebasics.com/align.html, sold by Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds among others. It serves the purpose well enough because it's approximately the thickness of an LP, which will make the cart level with the surface -- much thicker or thinner will throw it off. For vertical alignment, you will need to rest the stylus on the mirror away from the confusing lines and squares. (I didn't find those lines/squares that useful for horizontal alignment.) You look head-on at the front of the cartridge to see if it appears to lean to one side relative to its image. Some cartridges have nice a vertical line or groove on the center of the front of the cartridge -- a slight lean will show the vertical line at a slight angle to its reflection. lc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudret Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Thanks, Larry. I just ordered one. Kudret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I like that mirror too. Inexpensive and easy to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Alignment tools, I don't need no stink'in alignment tools! No alignments on my B&O table, the entire thing is already self engineered to optimise the stylus to cartridge to arm to mount to table, etc...I switch out different cartridges from my collection - only other adjustment is the tracking force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillH2121 Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 I use the mirrored alignment tool from turntable basics. I run a black thread from the spindle to to the pointed arm base on my Scout TT - makes it easy to square-up the line on the alignment tool. After aligning with the mirrored tool, I've found that its also dead-on with the cardboard tool that comes with the Hi-Fi test record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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