This looks pretty decent for the money, just ordered one so will let you know if it's any good when it arrives. Should make checking the arm is level a bit easier!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2219963626...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland
Posts: 533
I'm stuart.
This looks pretty decent for the money, just ordered one so will let you know if it's any good when it arrives. Should make checking the arm is level a bit easier!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2219963626...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Thanks for the link, I've bought one too !!
Jim.
It's the stylus/cantilever you need to check against the record/platter.
Checking the arm/headshell or cartridge body presumes the cantilever is exactly true and they quite often aren't.
I doubt the accuracy would be any greater than a spirit bubble placed on the headshell and you could make one by laser printing on to acetate for Pence.
And, unlike the ebay pictures, you have to have the stylus on a record, for it to work.
It's just another thing to store in a drawer
Last edited by Qwin; 05-06-2017 at 11:37.
Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland
Posts: 533
I'm stuart.
It'll get me in the right ball park much quicker than my usual faffing around and then I can adjust by ear to what I think sounds best.
Yes, final adjustment by ear as none of these things will get you exactly right.
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 306
I'm Mel.
I can never understand why people do this - bearing in mind the tracking weight is likely to be only around 1.5 - 2.0 arms why put a heavy weight on the headshell to cause the cantilever to sag like heck and probably cause damage to the cart. Surely its best to keep anything off the cart while setting up and use external gauges ?
Agreed - though I imagine the idea is to adjust the counterweight so as to conterbalance the weight of the bubble-level, whilst maintaining the chosen tracking force for the cartridge. All a bit of a phaff really. I just use the alignment protractor turned on its side.
Barry
Wrong assumption, the spirit bubble I use weighs 0.23g I usually use the mid point tracking weight so its additional weight usually falls well within the cartridges useable range. I can't see any change in ride height when I use it, record thickness variations would be greater. No way is it going to cause damage, give people the benefit of having common sense, I'm not talking about using a 30mm diameter puck, which would act as you suggest.
I've considered glueing it to my headshell, making it a permanent visual aid.
Last edited by Qwin; 05-06-2017 at 19:46.
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 306
I'm Mel.
Bonded to the head shell I would agree with you as the balance weight would be taken into account in setting the tracking weight. Unfortunately many bubbles on eBay weigh closer to 2.5 to 5 grams or even more and photos shown of these in use on this forum sitting on the arm and head shell do not give a good insight to setting vta or horizontal orientation unless it is mentioned the balance weight needs to be accounted for.
Personally, bearing in mind cartridge costs I prefer gauges which do not touch the arm at all.
That said we all have different views and its good to air the pros and cons of them all from our own personal perspective.
Mel
Cheapest solution for me was to glue some graph paper to some cardboard and eye it through to get the cartridge bottom level,interestingly the tonearm after this was done was tilting back which is how most 2m black owners end up with.
My System
John Wood KT88 Amp.
Paradise Phono Stage
Sony TTS-8000 Turntable.
PMAT-1010 MK6 Tonearm.
Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
Sony X555ES Cd Player
Yamaha NS1000m Speakers