Origin Live Rega Modification Kits - Manual (Page 13)

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Hi-Fi cartridges - setting up procedures
I N T R O D U C T I O N
G E N E R A L N O T E 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 relatively 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 O V E R A L L 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. If the arm board is not level (which means the arm
pivot is not vertical), either return it to your dealer for repair or re-level it yourself by shimming between the mounting
board and it’s support.
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)