Origin Live Sovereign MKI - Manual (Page 14)

14
Hi-Fi cartridges - setup procedures
I N T R O D U C T I O N
G E N E R A L C O M M E N T S
As we supply most makes of hi-fi cartridge we get asked questions from time to time about various issues regarding set up and care. To
help newcomers to this area we have published the following notes. These guidelines are of a general nature - we publish them only to be
of help and although widely accepted they are not formally authoritative - we cannot accept liability if you choose to use them and neither
do we encourage the time consuming occupation of answering queries surrounding the procedures outlined - these are best referred to the
manufacturer of your specific hi-fi cartridge.
For those new or inexperienced to fitting hi-fi cartridges we would state that this is NOT difficult and much of the detail and perfectionism
outlined below is for those who like to experiment. We ourselves do not normally check azimuth, or vary tracking forces from the
manufacturers recommendations - neither would we worry if the arm was up to 3mm away from the recommended distance from the
spindle - although all these details are audible they are generally of a fairly low order, although tracking force and VTA are worth trying
should you feel anything is lacking. If things seem complicated we would encourage you not to be put off as it all becomes clear once you
get started.
Before fine-tuning the set up as described below you should allow the cartridge to “run in” properly - at least 40 hours for some cartridges.
I M P O R T A N C E O F C A R T R I D G E S E T U P
Hi-Fi cartridges travel like a bobsleigh through the grooves of a record only a few thousandths of an inch wide. You hear groove displacements
of the order of a few millionths. (That’s like splitting a hair into one thousand pieces.) Every bit of motion or vibration allowed at this level
can be heard enormously amplified through your speakers. For this reason it is good to set up the turntable and arm correctly so that the
audio cartridge can do it’s job properly. For instance a turntable out of level can produce side forces on the pickup cartridge tip that will wear
it more on one side than the other as well as have a slightly degrading effect on the wear of your records.
L E V E L N E S S
When a turntable goes out of level, the platter bearing performance and the arm’s dynamics, specifically anti-skate, are negatively affected.
So be sure your turntable platter and tonearm mounting board are level - use a spirit level. If the platter is out of level, first adjust the surface
that the deck stands on. The suspension (in the case of a suspended sub-chassis design) may also need levelling if it has subsided over time.
H I - F I C A R T R I D G E S A L I G N M E N T
Alignment for hi-fi cartridges needs to be optimised in three different planes. However, it cannot be perfect in all three planes, so it must be
optimised for an overall best balance or compromise. The final authority should always be your ears and preferably over an extended period
of listening time. Bear in mind that each record is cut slightly differently. Here again, optimise for an overall balance of good sound over a
wide range of records. The three alignment planes are as follows. (Please note that it is the stylus, not the cartridge that is being aligned.)

Lateral tracking angle
Viewed from above, the hi-fi cartridges arcing movement across the record must maintain the stylus in the same relation to the groove
as that of the cutting stylus’s straight-line tracking; this is Lateral Tracking Angle, or Tangency. Apart from linear tracking arms this is
always a matter of the best compromise.
 Azimuth
Viewed from head on, the stylus must be perpendicular in the groove so as not to favour one groove wall, and therefore one channel,
over the other wall/channel; this is Azimuth.
 Vertical tracking angle (VTA)
Viewed from the side, the stylus must sit correctly in the groove, at the same angle as the original cutter; this is Vertical Tracking/Stylus
Rake Angle. VTA, however, varies from record to record. Therefore, this alignment must be set by ear, even more than is the case with
the other adjustments).