Mint Protractor for the Classic Toneram 10.5i-SE

Interesting, I optimize my VTA the realign with the MINTLP. For my cartridge I have 9 turns on the VTA tower. I then realign with the MINTLP with the 9 turns on the VTA tower, that ensures I am right on with the arc protractor at my optimal VTA. I just checked the Jig, with the same 9 turns, and the stylus is still within the dot, but towards the back of the dot, towards the pivot. It is not centered on the dot. Of course if I lower the VTA the stylus moves up, so I could change the VTA and make it come right on. Bottom line, when the MINTLP is right on, with my 9 turns on the VTA tower, I am towards the back of the dot on the VPI jig.

Captain_winters, you are right. I was wondering about the same thing as I recalled that when I first got mint protractor, I thought that mint required me to move the cartridge backward a notch as well. Anyhow, my VPI protractor was not quite setup properly. I never used this protractor actually since my local dealer used his VPI protractor to setup my table initially then after awhile, I used mint protractor to readjust the cartridge again which I liked the result better. Anyhow, so I took out the arm and readjusted VPI protractor again to make sure I get the right lenght where the protractor snug up against the armbase with as little wiggle room as possible. After doing that, the tip of the stylus that is alligned right on the line with mint protractor sits pretty much on the back edge of the dot on VPI protractor. However, this is with VTA adjusted to the sound that I like using mint protractor, since VPI protractor is thinner, the actual point may be different yet again.

Thank you both. I appreciate your responses!

Interesting points about the VTA. I must say I get a headache thinking about compensating for the actual difference in thickness while listening to records after aligning with the Mint. Since the Mint is thicker, every time you re-align, you will necessarily be changing the VTA/SRA at the record level, which would in turn alter the arc followed by the stylus in comparison with the Mint arc. Perhaps if you could hear what the Mint sounds like at that thickness, you could then readjust by ear. Confusing!

Anyway, for me the difference seems to be about a millimeter between the two alignments, which perhaps tells me that my S2P is after all slightly bigger than the standard 258 mm.

Last question: what is the overhang on your Mints?

Thanks guys!

The VPI jig wants more overhang. Using the calculator:
MINTLP uses Lofgren A (Baerwald) the overhang is 15.025mm. Maybe the VPI jig is using Lofgren B the overhang is 15.422mm

Löfgren B - minimizes distortion between the inner and outer grooves resulting in the lowest average RMS distortion at the expense of slightly higher distortion close to the inner and outer grooves

I've convinced myself that the MINTLP uses IEC standard Lofgren A (Baerwald), which at 258mm results in 15.025mm. The Lofgren B IEC standard comes out to 15.422mm which might be the difference between the MINT and the VPI jig. It looks pretty close to a half a mm. The VPI jig wants more overhang which is consistent with Logren B.
Of course non of this solves your problem of 262mm spindle to pivot. Might I suggest you download Conrad Hoffman's program and print out IEC Lofgren A at 262 and compare it to your MINT protractor. I suspect your MINT is either 258mm or 259mm, since both of those numbers were used in the past. You could also print out a 258 and 259 and check those against your MINT and then you would be sure of what you have. Ultimately though you might consider using Hoffmans printout at 262, since that is you spindle to pivot distance.