Is your TT level?

[Audio Al]

Just noticed this gizmo for sale

http://www.machine-dro.co.uk/machine-dro-digital-protractor-high-resolution-0-05-degree.html?ref=1

May add one to my Xmas prezzy list :eyebrows:

[jollyfix]

I just use a boat level, i always check to make sure its still accurate before using.

[hifi_dave]

Buy a £3 spirit level from B & Q or Homebase. Perfectly good for the job.

[jollyfix]

Buy a £3 spirit level from B & Q or Homebase. Perfectly good for the job.
yep, small boat level, just check its accurate by turning it round on the spot and check that the bubble is in the same position. The cheap levels sometimes are not that accurate. The old days before cheap throw away tools, there would be screws either side of the vial to re- adjust if not accurate.

[Clive]

If you want to get all anal about TT level check the accuracy of any level you buy. I have a couple of round bubble levels, the specs of the 2 levels were very different with one being about 10 times more accurate than the other. IIRC the specs are in mm over 1m. Some of the cheap ones are very insensitive but still probably good enough.

[seoirse2002]

Iphone has a built in level

[Clive]

Iphone has a built in level
So does my Sony camera but I wouldn't trust either for anything other than approximations. Most levels are accurate to around 0.5mm in 1m. I have no idea what the iPhone spec whether the side of the case is flat enough for consistency.

[walpurgis]

The more level you can get a turntable the better obviously, but there are sensible limits as to the required accuracy and you'll never achieve absolute an absolutely level TT except by luck (even the best instruments are not totally accurate).

[losenotaminute]

The more level you can get a turntable the better obviously, but there are sensible limits as to the required accuracy and you'll never achieve absolute an absolutely level TT except by luck (even the best instruments are not totally accurate).

Floating the TT on liquid mercury would be one way to be sure it is absolutely level, but I'm not sure it would do much for the sound quality.

[Clive]

Level accuracy required varies, a spherical stylus is far less picky than a line contact. Likewise pivoted arms vs linear tracking. Also the arm needs to be level and azimith right too at the stylus. TTs can be very accurate measuring intruments depending on the design.

With the iPhone I expect it uses it's accelerometer, now is that callibrated? I bet it can be soldered in place on to certain accuracy. I wouldn't trust it for my TT but my arm and stylus need exacting setup.

[Thing Fish]

Does the job perfectly well. Currently on sale for 49p...:)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/circular-spirit-level-10333

[jollyfix]

49P Thats cheap.. The problem i have with a circle level is that you can't test it as you would a boat level or similar, as mentioned some times a cheap level ain't all that good, you pay for what you get.

[Rare Bird]

Ever wondered how left handed people get by!

NfD2omr9m6E

oops sorry carry on

:sofa:

[jollyfix]

That tune , i have the sudden urge to slap my thigh and bob my head at the same time. Oh yeah i'm a lefty

[Ali Tait]

Ever wondered how left handed people get by!

NfD2omr9m6E

oops sorry carry on

:sofa:

Ye'd need left handed records too... :D

[Thing Fish]

That tune , i have the sudden urge to slap my thigh and bob my head at the same time. Oh yeah i'm a lefty

I too was slapping and bobbing to that tune the difference was that I had to do it naked...:carrot:

I'm dual nationality so either hand will do.

[walpurgis]

Floating the TT on liquid mercury would be one way to be sure it is absolutely level, but I'm not sure it would do much for the sound quality.

That would only work if its weight was evenly distributed! ;)

[walpurgis]

Ye'd need left handed records too... :D

No. You play them backwards! :D

[Ali Tait]

Not good for the stylus!

[Qwin]

The TT being level is pretty much irrelevant!

It’s the platter that needs to be level.
But even then it’s not critical as the platter speed is low and the stylus angle is usually set against the record/Platter reference.
Obviously if it’s a long way out, that’s not good and it will effect things like anti skate values. Lift one end of your TT while playing; you will be surprised how far you can tilt it before it makes a difference. But level is best.

On both my Technics decks the platter and deck top surfaces were not perfectly parallel, something to bear in mind when checking.
Anyone used to a sprung/suspended sub chassis will be familiar with this as the two never quite align when the bounce is even in my experience.

I found with the 360 deg bubble type gauges, the smaller they are the less accurate. I bought a batch of four (guessing they would be inaccurate) very small gauges that can be placed on the headshell and found only one was accurate. The worst was a long way out; if you rotated it on the spot you got substantially different readings depending on orientation about 50mm/M out when used on a 3M straight edge, which made it pretty useless. ;)

[Macca]

The TT being level is pretty much irrelevant!

It’s the platter that needs to be level.
But even then it’s not critical as the platter speed is low and the stylus angle is usually set against the record/Platter reference.
Obviously if it’s a long way out, that’s not good and it will effect things like anti skate values. Lift one end of your TT while playing; you will be surprised how far you can tilt it before it makes a difference. But level is best.

On both my Technics decks the platter and deck top surfaces were not perfectly parallel, something to bear in mind when checking.
Anyone used to a sprung/suspended sub chassis will be familiar with this as the two never quite align when the bounce is even in my experience.

I found with the 360 deg bubble type gauges, the smaller they are the less accurate. I bought a batch of four (guessing they would be inaccurate) very small gauges that can be placed on the headshell and found only one was accurate. The worst was a long way out; if you rotated it on the spot you got substantially different readings depending on orientation about 50mm/M out when used on a 3M straight edge, which made it pretty useless. ;)

I have wondered about that - on both my SL1200s the platter can be level but the deck shows off level. I figured that levelling the platter was the way to go. I use a round level and a standard one. Hours of fun. Not.

[Clive]

I level the shelf first, then the plinth, then tweak such that the platter is level and finally I level with a record on the platter, preferably not a warped one! I also level the parallel tracking arm and check azimuth. On this deck the final test is whether the stylus drops cleanly into a groove or is deflected, you can do this with a pivoted arm if you remove the bias. If this sounds laborious, it's not - it's quick. BTW I need to re-level my deck every few weeks as I use a cellar room; the house is vintage 1904, the floor is a relatively thin skim of concrete and level changes a little due to wet / dry conditions.