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Setting tonearm angle?

I recently lucked out and got a great deal on a VPI Scoutmaster 2 with JWM 9T arm and proceeded to set it up.
I had never owned a high end table like this so the set up was a bit new. My question concerns the VTA of the arm. I set it by measuring from the bottom surface of the arm to the record surface at several places along the arm to get the arm as close to level as possible.
Is that a logical thing to have done? Would the sound better if the angle was biased in one way or the other? (Dynavector DV-20X2 H cart being used) Thanks.
rmcfee
rmcfee OP
19 posts
 
True, I have no reference. I just made adjustments until bedtime.
Changing all those parameters each time is time consuming and it would be so great if you could adjust the VTA as the record played.
The azimuth setting changed quite substantially as did the tracking force so those couldn't be ignored.
Eventually I got too tired to be subjective at all.
Crazy hobby!
actusreus
733 posts
 
Why would the azimuth change when you adjust the VTA? The two are set in two different planes. The SRA and overhang, sure, but not the azimuth.
islandmandan
848 posts
 
I have an on-the-fly VTA adjuster on my Dynavector 501 arm (Pete Riggle), and I have several cartridges to adjust VTA on. They vary greatly in proper adjustment, from the Dynavector XX2MKII, two different Actex LPM, and Zu Denon 103R.

Having the Riggle VTA adjuster helps considerably in quickly setting VTA to optimum height. The point being, after overhang and alignment has been set for each cartridge, in their individual headshells, I have noticed no loss in sound quality due to improper overhang, just the improvement gained by proper VTA.

In other words, I haven't noticed the necessity of adjusting overhang as VTA is adjusted. I may be missing something, maybe the fact the sub-arm is so short that when the main arm is raised, the changes in VTA may occur with less variation in height of the main arm.

Further discussion would be welcome, as I am still learning about how to get the most out of my analog rig. I think I would go nuts if overhang had to be reset each time. Makes a good case for multiple tonearms/turntables.

Best regards,
Dan
prcinka
364 posts
 
agree with Islandmandan...almost all cartridges need some sort of angle not the straight line as the tonearms is set in the first time...also double check the tracking force again with the Digital Tracking Force Gauge after you set the VTA.
rmcfee OP
19 posts
 
I agree that VTA shouldn't affect the azimuth, in theory. It does in this case. Tracking force goes off a lot too.
The VPI arm with it's free moving wobbly pivot system is a bit weird to work with. Seems to be a great system though.
Is this "unipivot" systen used in other TT designs?
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