-edible zone-

Alignment FAQ:An Illustrated Definition of Terms

   Set tonearm overhang Overhang, Pivot to Spindle Distance, Null Points, Tonearm Pivots:Horizontal and Vertical.

   Effective Length illustrated Effective Length, Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA) Stylus Rake Angle (SRA)

   Good Azimuth illustration  Azimuth: the good and the bad

 

   TP16 feeler gage adjust vta/sra Adjusting VTA/SRA on a Thorens TP16 tonearm

   stylus cantelever  cartridge / arm matching

   Effective mass Adjustments

  2-point-protractor Adjusting Overhang with a 2-point protractor 

  tad arc protractor in use  Adjusting Overhang with a TAD Arc protractor

  magnifier for zenith check  (hint: click thumbnail to view image full size)

  Headweights; What They're Good For

  Building an armboard to fit the SME 3009 S2 Improved to a Thorens TD160

 

Definition:  Mistracking:.....an audible distortion that is related to the ability of the stylus to follow the groove path in the record.  Poor alignment or a worn stylus will hinder tracking but sometimes a particular record will have a passage of extreme amplitude that will prove difficult for some cartridges / styli to accurately track.  Then the result is that the stylus does not remain in complete contact within the groove. 

   Related spreadsheets (requires MS Excel) click on link to open the sheet on your computer.

   Brian Kearn's Arm Data Calculator

   Freek's Resonant Frequency Calculator