Lyra Atlas experiences

Nandric...I was writing of your unfriendly comments to our Mexican friend.  It would  be better to discuss our beloved black boxes instead.

Records are easily damage with one play when torture tracks are negotiated at poorly set up vtf, a/s , - especially with severely cut stylii, etc. which negate any value for their subsequent use.

Using a fozgometer to align azimuth seemed reasonable until I discovered that:

• It needs new batteries
  
• It has to be calibrated
• It costs $300
• It is a box consisting of a meter, analog difference calculation and a couple of idiot lights
• Its output still must be interpreted (See the experience of other writers who have reported "thumbs up" from the device when their vertical angle was anywhere between 7 and 15 degrees, clearly not correct)

I will and have paid five-figure sums to purchase gear (even cables) that make an audible difference, when there's no alternative.  Since I am not an electrical engineer nor do I wish to build my own gear, there IS no alternative.  But this is a case where better alternatives exist.  Had they priced fozgometer at $50, it might be worth trying.  But this is an egregious example of pawning off an overpriced gizmo to the ignorant.

If one is going to make this adjustment using some instrument, it seems to me that instrument should be capable of delivering all the relevant information.  A decent and well reviewed digital oscilloscope is available for $400.  Or, the Adjust+ software is in the same ballpark, and it will enable deeper understanding of the task you're performing.  Both methods require learning and patience.  It's not beyond the ability of most audiophiles to do so, and we will be better informed for it.  I recommend reading Andre Jennings' article in The Absolute Sound titled "Setting up a Phono Cartridge".

o_holter: The Lyra Atlas has never actually skipped a track in my experience.  The mistracking to which I refer is a mild "breakup" on hot recordings of percussion, and piano is a good example.  It doesn't only happen on one LP.  I have heard it on a brand-new Music Matters reissue of a Blue Note, but I didn't write down the specific LP number.  I have also heard it on London CS 6996, Radu Lupu playing Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 5, where the breakup happens on side 2, last track, in the left channel.  It's rare, but disturbing when it happens.

I'll check all the parameters that stringreen recommends and report back when I've solved it.  Thanks to all.