Zero Distortion: Tango Time

tima

Industry Expert
Mar 3, 2014
5,778
6,820
1,400
the Upper Midwest
Today I was moving around my carts to different arm and tt. My tonearm guy came and did his work on SAT/AtlasSL. He had this azimuth initial adjustment tool. I found it very practical and quite efficient.

View attachment 55104
Just install it as a cart and adjust the arm till the device is flat out on the record. Then take it out and put on the cartridge. Brinkmann arm includes this tool in their arm. My friend is a distributor of Brinkmann so I now have one.

Tang

Interesting tool. While all we have here is the picture, it looks like the tool aims to set the head shell level with the record, and presumably the stylus perpendicular to it and centered in the groove. Some folks believe this actually is the starting point for setting azimuth, with the next step being to adjust the cartridge for equal (or near equal) crosstalk and possibly phase angle. Those would require electrical measurement and a test record, or careful listening with adjustment based on that. Tang, were there any further steps beyond what you describe?

Edit: looking closer, it appears a test record is on the platter???
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
Interesting tool. While all we have here is the picture, it looks like the tool aims to set the head shell level with the record, and presumably the stylus perpendicular to it and centered in the groove. Some folks believe this actually is the starting point for setting azimuth, with the next step being to adjust the cartridge for equal (or near equal) crosstalk and possibly phase angle. Those would require electrical measurement and a test record, or careful listening with adjustment based on that. Tang, were there any further steps beyond what you describe?

Edit: looking closer, it appears a test record is on the platter???
It is a good practical tool for a starting point. If the cart is made well then it works beautifully without a fuzz. But tbh I play around switching carts arms a lot the process of using Dr.Feickert Adjust+ or a Fozgometer is just too time consuming for me and I didn't find any significant improvement over the simple eyes and ears technique. A few times I even found Fozgometer readings made me adjust way too unusual I did not think it was right. Something probably went wrong with the meter. These days, only when I hear something rather suspicious then I use these two tools. Yes the record in the picture was a test record.

Tang :)
 

Folsom

VIP/Donor
Oct 25, 2015
6,024
1,490
520
Eastern WA
It is a good practical tool for a starting point. If the cart is made well then it works beautifully without a fuzz. But tbh I play around switching carts arms a lot the process of using Dr.Feickert Adjust+ or a Fozgometer is just too time consuming for me and I didn't find any significant improvement over the simple eyes and ears technique. A few times I even found Fozgometer readings made me adjust way too unusual I did not think it was right. Something probably went wrong with the meter. These days, only when I hear something rather suspicious then I use these two tools. Yes the record in the picture was a test record.

Tang :)

Well the solution is CLEAR. You need 10 more arms.

Actually I think what would be best is setting a good headshell to zero, and then putting all the carts on a headshell that can independently adjust azimuth so you can swap perfection.
 

tima

Industry Expert
Mar 3, 2014
5,778
6,820
1,400
the Upper Midwest
It is a good practical tool for a starting point. If the cart is made well then it works beautifully without a fuzz. But tbh I play around switching carts arms a lot the process of using Dr.Feickert Adjust+ or a Fozgometer is just too time consuming for me and I didn't find any significant improvement over the simple eyes and ears technique. A few times I even found Fozgometer readings made me adjust way too unusual I did not think it was right. Something probably went wrong with the meter. These days, only when I hear something rather suspicious then I use these two tools. Yes the record in the picture was a test record.

Tang :)

Yes, you're right to be cautious if the angle looks too far off. I won't go past 1.5 degrees and even that seems a lot.

Not all cartridges are equally sensitive to azimuth.

It can be done by ear. Play a record with a centered female vocalist. Try to make her mouth as small as possible. Less than optimal azimuth yields a voice that is splayed sidewise.
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
This past two weeks I have been advancing my classical music enjoyment into symphony. My head and ears are pretty basic and simple. I don't like too sophisticated, technically wow complicated music. I do like romantic, poetic, emotional and dramatic classical music. Liszt is one of the composers that fit my bill. Here is Georg Solti with L'Orchestre de Paris on Tasso. On second side it has the Memphisto Walz No.1. Great sounding record and music that you can enjoy both sides. This is a Decca SXL 6709. I know that my system is good at chambers but I am only getting to know that it plays symphony pretty damn well too...at least it stopped me from working and drew me to listening to this record until ended.

1F2FBAFC-EA83-476C-A842-C2958A7F5750.jpeg

 

Folsom

VIP/Donor
Oct 25, 2015
6,024
1,490
520
Eastern WA
I'm surprised. I'm not too big on symphonies, and didn't suspect you'd get into them either. It's just very challenging not to hear movie sound track when listening to them.
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
I'm surprised. I'm not too big on symphonies, and didn't suspect you'd get into them either. It's just very challenging not to hear movie sound track when listening to them.
Come on Folsom. Liszt is such a genius.

I surprise myself too hehe. I keep surfing on youtube and getting many really interesting and exciting symphony. Now I hardly listen to jazz which was my main music before that Bonzo guy came to my place and poisoned me with classical stuff. Exciting Symphony with depth, width, extreme air, dynamic and drive totally transport me to another place.
 

Folsom

VIP/Donor
Oct 25, 2015
6,024
1,490
520
Eastern WA
I wasn't Jazz, but I didn't use to listen to classical either... We got hooked at a similar time.

Tima, I haven't a clue what you just said.
 

tima

Industry Expert
Mar 3, 2014
5,778
6,820
1,400
the Upper Midwest
I do like romantic, poetic, emotional and dramatic classical music.

After that Elgar, seems maybe you like a bit of lush strings? (V. nice, btw.) Try this for poetry and drama:

Mendelssohn - Scotch Fingals - MAAG - LSO.jpg
Decca SXL 2246

Of course your description of what you like cries out "Rachmaninov". (Start there and we'll ease you into the late 19th C. and back.) Consider his Symphonies #2 and #3. Not symphonic but you also might like:

Rubenstein_Reiner_Rach.jpg
LSC 2430

Compare this with Ms Yuja's version - it could be educational. :)
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
After that Elgar, seems maybe you like a bit of lush strings? (V. nice, btw.) Try this for poetry and drama:

View attachment 55298
Decca SXL 2246

Of course your description of what you like cries out "Rachmaninov". (Start there and we'll ease you into the late 19th C. and back.) Consider his Symphonies #2 and #3. Not symphonic but you also might like:

View attachment 55300
LSC 2430

Compare this with Ms Yuja's version - it could be educational. :)
Please don't tempt me with the Decca. I am taking pills to calm down my urges. I have both albums but not originals. This Rubinstein is the only Rubinstein I like. No..there is another one..the Chopin Polonaises. He played better than most imo.

Yuja is great. (Although on this Rhapsody on theme of Paganini Rubinstein totally blows her away.) You have to get pass her miniskirt and Jimmy Choo high heels. ;)
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,448
13,475
2,710
London
Please don't tempt me with the Decca. I am taking pills to calm down my urges. I have both albums but not originals. This Rubinstein is the only Rubinstein I like. No..there is another one..the Chopin Polonaises. He played better than most imo.

Yuja is great. (Although on this Rhapsody on theme of Paganini Rubinstein totally blows her away.) You have to get pass her miniskirt and Jimmy Choo high heels. ;)

If you want to get past her miniskirt you need a pill to calm down your urges
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,448
13,475
2,710
London
I vote the classial departure section of this thread for 'best ever' status. Passionate and fun dialogue about music. Tiny bit about gear etc. Wonderful.

Don't make him blush more than in a Thai bar. So you didn't read the part where he was showing off 12 carts, 4 TTs, many arms, phonos, etc before?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lagonda

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
I haven't talked to Gian for a week and I miss him. If I were woman I will tease him with this song. :D

 

Folsom

VIP/Donor
Oct 25, 2015
6,024
1,490
520
Eastern WA
Does it sounds good there? It sounds ok on Youtube, but it's a newer pressing....
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
When Bonzo told me he danced listening to classical, I thought he was just silly. Now that I am more and more into this, I actually do stupid body movement and dance listening to my favorite pieces of classical music. Here is another Liszt's that is performed excitingly by Zubin Mehta and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra, the Battle of the Huns. This album also has another piece called Mazeppa which is also good. It is a Decca UK so the sound is trustworthy. I am sure my system has many flaws depending on one's ears. But the great thing about it is it sounds so "alive". It simply leaves me to just enjoy or not enjoy the performances.

EF196C7E-4A0E-477E-A8BB-DBA4567ED27B.jpeg

 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
This Beethoven Sonate op.106 just "flow." ;) You can just keep listening, sink into music. Your attention will be focussing where Pollini gonna take you next with his key board. Such great "continuousness." I am now a big daddy using these sophisticated words..hehe. Kidding aside. This is one of the limited number of decent DG I own. I paid five bucks plus twenty five bucks shipping. DG2530869. UK pressing.

ECFB8B97-E891-429C-B36D-95062870D040.jpeg

 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing