VTA setting for 'parabolic' and 'elliptical' styli

DerTonearm,
I have an SME V, you'd recall and I use hardwood spacers, my shelf would start to look like a 'Baukloetzchenkasten' :-)

>>> Changing VTA becomes a matter of 15 seconds. <<< maybe with a Micrometer VTA arm, yes.

Doug,
:-).... >>> Records that we've played for years develop a long list of height settings as we change cartridges (5 or 6 so far) and tables (3). <<<
Like I'm so behind the curve people, shame on me, what can I say :-)

>>> for any given LP is extremely small, especially with a modern stylus profile <<<
Hey, keep it coming Doug! I's afraid to hear all of that. I start looking for my CD player from underneath the table (where I've taken cover).

No joke, how on earth can you practice that with a more 'normal' arm I ask?
I'd be up to my eyeballs in wooden spacers and not talking in microns of up/down...

In terms of this gambit a hell of a lot of tone-arms would just not quality, or? Makes me think of all these old ones... you know.

Big thanks you for sharing some of your 'inner circle' stuff, I truly appreciate that. So much more food for though, oh my!

Bless all your dedication, now I gotta go and try sleep this off...
Axel

Raul,

Just kidding about "madness". You're right about organization and discipline. The longer you do this the easier it gets. Record keeping makes it quick and practice makes your ears better. Like Dertonarm we usually adjust without even thinking.

Still, if we listened mostly to rock, R&B or other amplified music I doubt we'd bother. The nano-timing cues that VTA affects matter most for acoustic instruments and very skilled vocalists. Getting a harpsichord or mandolin right is impossible if VTA is off. Getting an electric guitar right, or at least close enough to boogie, is much easier. Alot of rock listeners just rock on, and that's probably best.

***
Axel wrote:

No joke, how on earth can you practice that with a more 'normal' arm I ask?
I'd be up to my eyeballs in wooden spacers and not talking in microns of up/down...

Good question and a true observation.

We first heard the effects of VTA fine tuning while using an OL Silver (Rega clone) with an aftermarket height adjuster. That was worse than SME, since we had to loosen the locking nut underneath the armboard for every adjustment. Micrometer precision was almost impossible, since there was no dial with finely spaced and numbered marks.

Yet we heard the difference when VTA happened to be just right and it began to annoy us when it was off. Thus we discovered one "non-negotiable" requirement for our next tonearm: on-the-fly height adjustment with easy and precise repeatability.

That eliminated pretty much everything but Graham, VPI, TriPlanar plus a few very costly linear trackers. We couldn't afford those, so at least the shopping was easy!

Good night!

Hi All,
Doug says:
>>> ... Yet we heard the difference when VTA happened to be just right and it began to annoy us when it was off. <<<

That is also exactly my experience, no argument at all, including the annoying thing when it is off.

There are some records were I would not know at this stage, if they are just too bright (Mercury, Electra..) or some just too dull.

I agree that after some time one gets a feeling for how much up/down would get you close, but in those cases it would be so much, 4-5mm, that the next record would have to be re-adjusted again by a similar margin.

What have our experts in store for tone arms other then: Graham, VPI, TriPlanar ? --- Go get one :-)...

And how about these so much discussed and so highly rated oldies like: Fidelity Research FR-66S, Audiocraft AC-4400, SAEC 506/30, Micro Seiki MAX-282, etc.
That makes $6 500 arm even more a 'collectors item' with VTA adjustments at least as 'wanting' as an SME...

Or is it, in getting back to the subject, that using 'parabolic' and/or 'elliptical' styli will take care of some of these VTA variations?

I think they aught to be more 'forgiving' as they are less resolving?

Raul takes up MMs, now we are getting back to elliptical? (I did NOT say spherical yet :-)

Axel

Dear Axel, given its ever increasing diameter armpipe (in conjunction with its "upper floor" cartridge mounting headshell) the SME V is most troublesome - to say the least... - to adjust to VTA settings required for older (read: most pre-1972 cut records) LPs. The SME V is a most modern "child of the early 80ies" which took all technical aspects of its day in consideration and assumed perfect angle styli, high body and slender cartridge body (Ortofon...) and modern (DMM cut) records to be played (only.....).
Sorry - the SME V is in fact the one prominent non-compliant tonearm when it comes to meet different cutting angles and the resulting demand to different VTA settings.

Cheers,
D.

Hi D.
thunder and lightning, there we have it, and I guess all works just the way you put it.

Like buying a new car and then wanting to fit old (white wall?) tyres.

Thank you for clarifing this matter.
Axel
PS: and then some time, if you try, you get what you need...