Technical Support

Notes:

The support links on this page are general in nature.

The section at the left ("Turntable/Tonearm Setup") has detailed commentary which is sequenced in the order you would approach your first pass at a setup.

Trackng force and VTA/SRA are intentionaly placed before overhang/offset angle because these two parameters affect your geometry. For this reason, you need to do a rough setup of these two parameters first.

The height of your tonearm (VTA/SRA) as well has how much you compress the cantilever (tracking force) has a direct effect on the effective length (and therefore, the overhang).

You most certainly return to tracking force and VTA/SRA during your listening tests (and on an ongoing basis), but it's important to peform a rough setting of these two parameters before performing your basic geometry alignment (overhang/offset angle).

Setup of a tonearm and cartridge is an iterative process, and we'll make those interactions more clear on the setup pages.

Setup Tools

  • MintLP (opens in new window) - for the standard in arc style cartridge alignment protractors and other analog accessories.

    The Mint LP protractor is our alignment tool of choice. Yip has our record spindle diameter on file.

  • Turntable Basics (opens in new window) - Purveyors of a reasonably priced cartridge alignment protractor. This is the best of the currently available two point protractors we've found. Order the standard spindle hole size (.282) version for Galibier turntables.

Cartridge Retipping

  • Soundsmith (opens in new window) - Hopefully, you'll need their services later rather than sooner, but we've heard both Peter Ledderman's strain cartridge as well as his incredible rework of a Benz LP, and we give his work our highest recommendation.

Resources and Free Stuff

Arm and Cartridge Setup Resources

Note: There's quite a bit of valuable information in the links below. We don't necessarily agree with everything on these links, however. Still the resources below are a good primer on turntable and tonearm setup.

For our take on this topic, reference the setup links on the left side of this page.