Setting VTA on a new Shelter 901?

That sounds like a pretty precise instrument, very interesting.

I use a deck of playing cards when setting the VTA on arms that have coarse adjustments like yours. Put the deck under the arm, touching the bearing and lower the arm until it touches the cards. To increase VTA add more cards and lower the arm down on the deck again, to reduce it, just remove some cards. This allows very, very precise control of VTA on even the most persnicity of arms.

The playing card approach is a GREAT idea, Viridian. No dealing off the bottom, though!

Noel,

901, apparently due to its geometry, is very sensitive for VTA. The people who report opposite are just have low discrimination playback systems or hearing. The 901 yields the best result around 1.7-1.9 and for each mass it would require own very precise VTA setting. Unfortunately, due to luck of precise unified VTA measurement, no one would be able to tell you an absolute values for a specific mass. You have to plays with it. The Playing Cards method is very useful however it would not necessary work with 901. The “standart” playing cards are too thick for the 901’s VTA sensitively and you will eventually find the 17 cards is too high but 16 cards it too low… You may search for the thinner cards or to tape on some of the cards 0.1 mm tape (as I do)… Also, you might discover in future that to set VTA according to the system tonal balance (bright, warmth, break-up that happens on crescendos and so on…) is not correct way to search for a correct VTA... Good luck.

Rgs,
Romy the Cat

PS: posted despite a great opportunity that the post will be vandalized by the local “administration”…

Clearly, as far as the Shelter is concerned, I am not playing with a full deck.
Marty