Baerwald and Lofgren alignment techniques

[Sand Dancin Donkey Walker]

Have any one here given much time, thought and listened to the differences you get from using the different cartridge alignment geometry’s, I am think of the Baerwald and Lofgren alignment techniques. Is there a preference for one or the other, or is it a case of one is more suited to vinyl manufactured from a specific era. I personally have setup cartridges with both but to be honest never really sat down and seriously considered the advantages or otherwise.
I think the most satisfying sound was when I used a Graham Phantom and the alignment jig that comes with the arm lets you set up either of the geometry’s but also allows a mid point between the two to be set.
Look forward to peoples thoughts and actual experiences, it might just tempt me into giving it some serious though to actually trying the Baerwald and Lofgren setup’s and try to differentiate between the two.
A bit of an anal question but could be worth some careful though.

Andy - SDDW

[Peter Stockwell]

FWIW, I flt that baerwald better than Stevenson on Technics deck. But from looking at the Feickert protracter, I think it's only likely to be critical on extrremely long playing sides, say beyond 25 mins.

[thrunobulaxx]

I had a play around with different protractors downloaded from the VE, As my deck has rega geometry i went for the rega specific types.

With the Baerwald i was amazed at the overhang it was giving me, it looked very wrong with the cart body out from the headshell by a good 1/4" and very slightly turned in towards the spindle, so much so that i wondered if i had got my distances right in the plinth holes, but checked again and spot on.

The difference between the new setting and what i had from my old "Hi-Fi news" thing was a revelation to me and i realized i had been missing out for years, surface noise dissapeared, and that was very noticible at the start of the record.

I also got a Stevenson rega specific and tried that, a bit less overhang but the same slight "toe in" and thats how i have left it, as i think its better sounding overall to the Baerwald.

I have to admit that untill i did this i had no idea just how must very slight differences in cart set up can make.

Ps. if your looking at the cart in my avatar and thinking whats he on about there is no overhang, its cos its coral MC81 stripped of its case (so i could repair it)

[Mike]

More please everyone!

The setup of my own deck is tantalisingly close now and I have numerous 'quandaries' to resolve. I'll be mounting a Hadcock to a Technics SL120, but which Hadcock?... At the moment it's 228 but I have some SS tubing with which I can convert it to a 242, or even a bit longer! Limiting factor is probably going to be the headshell offset though, I've feeling that 242 may well be the limit. Otherwise Hadcock would have probably made a longer one themselves by now. Maybe?

Andy (SDDW), can I borrow you and your lovely Dr. Feickert Alignment Tool sometime pleeeease?

ATB,
Mike.

[Sand Dancin Donkey Walker]

Hi John
I know what you mean with your note of how much O/H you get with the Baerwald setting. I am currently using the Baerwald setting and an pleased with the results. Though as I noted in my post I have switched between the 2 settings but never really quantified the differences.
Though I was once told by someone who should know that the Lofgren setting was more suited to vinyl from the 70's due to the differences used at the time with the angles used on the cutting laithe heads. Evidently they changed slightly in the 70's but reverted back in the 80's. I can't substantiate any of this by the way, so I can't answer any searching questions.
Mike in answer to your request NO

Only kidding, just let me know and we'll sort something out

Mike have a new Alignment Protractor below, which we can try out, your TT and arm must be really good to set it up with this one. Never did get any results from it on mine

Mike in your last post who does the 'lovely' refer to - Dr Feickert or myself ???!!!



Andy - SDDW

[Mike]

Mike in your last post who does the 'lovely' refer to - Dr Feickert or myself ???!!!

The device!

[Sand Dancin Donkey Walker]

Mike
Now you've hurt my feeling, I only had one left and now it's damaged

Andy - SDDW