How did i ever live without......

[enrae8]

VTA - I started collecting records in the very late 60s (we didn't even have a record player!) I eventually bought my 1st proper system in the late 70s (NAD 3020,TT and Speakers)

As my finances fluctuated so did my systems from the NAD i went to all Pioneer inc TT,I then bought a Thorens deck(not sure which model think it was a TD160) which was brilliant, from there i moved to a Rega RP3 (a mistake IMHO) with Micromega amp and CD

In all that time i never bothered about VTA(i didn't know what it was!)

Having recently got the Audiomods with VTA ,i find that i'm adjusting quite a lot and what a big difference it makes!! particularly when it comes to new heavyweight pressings and old thinnies

I have noticed though that there are some pressings which are hardly affected at all by VTA - Golden Earring/Moontan 1st pressing- Crowded House/Woodface both sound great as do a few others

Whereas The Cure/Disintegration is terrible no matter what you do (Pictures of you on 12" 45 sounds good though!)

It would be nice if a standard could be set and then all vinyl would be perfect

 

[SergeAuckland]

There is a standard, currently 23 degrees. It used to be 15 degrees back in the '70s, hence the Shure V15 series which had a tracking angle of 15 degrees, set when the arm is parallel to the LP.

A modern cartridge should have a 23 degree anlge, but not all do, furthermore, depending on when the LP was cut (not when pressed, as the tracking angle is set in the cutting) it may be cut to 15 or 23 degrees or to something else.

Finally, if you move the arm up or down by a few mm, calculate what the change in angle results from that. You'll find that the change is very small, a matter of a degree or two, depending on how much you move the arm up or down and how long the arm is.

S.

 

[enrae8]

I guess that some albums are just badly mastered and produced and there's not a lot you can do about that

 

[Moko]

I take it you have seen this article http://www.analogplanet.com/content/how-use-usb-digital-microscope-set-92-degree-stylus-rake-angle-sra

You can also use a digital camera to achieve the same images that can then be measured, you're going to be in 7th heaven

 

[Guest]

No wonder CD caught on!

 

[SergeAuckland]

No wonder CD caught on!

Leaving aside any question of sound quality, one major aspect of CD which attracted me from the start was the trouble-free nature of CD. LP playback had just too many variables which had to be got right.

Fine if fiddling with VTA or whatever is part of your hobby, but it got in the way of just playing music. Even CD got replaced by streaming in my case for ease of use.

S

 

[enrae8]

I take it you have seen this article http://www.analogplanet.com/content/how-use-usb-digital-microscope-set-92-degree-stylus-rake-angle-sraYou can also use a digital camera to achieve the same images that can then be measured, you're going to be in 7th heaven

Interesting article, something to look into in the future as i need to get an RCM amongst other things

 

[oldius]

Serge, you're twisting my melon man!

 

[sonichit]

Serge, you're twisting my melon man!

[video=youtube_share;KnBi-LNM0Og]

 

[enrae8]

Leaving aside any question of sound quality, one major aspect of CD which attracted me from the start was the trouble-free nature of CD. LP playback had just too many variables which had to be got right.Fine if fiddling with VTA or whatever is part of your hobby, but it got in the way of just playing music. Even CD got replaced by streaming in my case for ease of use.

S

I find the whole ritual and involvement of playing vinyl more enjoyable than listening to digital files,i find myself flicking endlessly between artists and tracks, whereas with vinyl i really find it more relaxing and generally listen to complete albums