Overhang for Ortofon 2M Bronze on Rega RB301

I've been doing searchs on thoughts about the optimum overhang for the Rega tonearm. One that I kept running across said the overhang for the Rega tonearm should be 15mm. So rather than spend $110 for a Mint Best Protractor I thought I would simply place the cartridge directly over the spindle and measure the distance from the center of the spindle to the stylus tip with a metric ruler and adjust the distance to 15mm. Well after doing this I listened and have to say this is the best sounding setting I have heard so far; it really sounds exceptional now.

Hmmm....maybe. I've never heard this-but how do you adjust for the relationship of the stylus to the groove, i.e. the 'zenith'? With any stylus shape other than a conical (or elliptical) the stylus must be 'squared' to the vinyl groove, hence the grid lines on a protractor. Hey-you've got to use a protractor, for the sake of your vinyl.

Oh, and as an aside.....a 'blank' record cannot be used for anti-skate adjustment. Just saying. Anyone who tells you otherwise hasn't a clue.

And as a final aside-fer chrissakes, adjust your cart with a decent protractor, sit back, and spend some time-and I mean weeks, at least-listening to your records. This is about music, not futzing, and only with listening experience will you be able to determine if a change is an improvement, or just a change. In other words, simmer.

Johnbrown - apparently there are people on vinylengine.com who think otherwise; that's where I got my information. The blank side of the album I use does work for anti-skate; once you get it right the cartridge stays right in the middle and won't be pulled inward or outward.

Bobgates, that might be true, but the setting arrived at is but an approximation of the real playback conditions, since there is much less friction generated in a groveless portion of the disc.

The 'listen' to the distortion in both channels method is superior.

salut, Bob P.

Inpepinnovations - I can't agree with that; I much perfer the grooveless record approach and find it gives me the best results. Of course there's more than one way to skin a cat.