David's skills are not mythical. He has superior knowledge and experience, just like others who are good at it. Just ask his clients who hire him to fly around the world to set up systems. Steve W hired him to set up his TechDAS AF1 because the dealer could not do it and to then also set up subsequent cartridges. I have not pushed David's set up skills. There is no need. I have described the results of his work in some posts because I have heard the results directly, but have never shared the process or taught anyone how to do it. It is not my place. David only shares them with friends and customers.
I set up my own cartridges and arms long before I met David Karmeli. I mounted cartridge's in friend's systems too. Then, two or three years ago, David taught me his process when I visited him in Utah the first time. I learned by doing. He walked me through the process while I set up the cartridge and tone arm on his system. He taught me a very specific process that I now use myself.
I left Utah and came back to my house and set up the cartridges on my vintage Japanese Micro Seiki SX 8000II after it arrived. David then came and we reviewed his process and improved the set up slightly. I then got Vladimir Lamm's AS1000 and set up the cartridge and arm to compare to my MS table in my own system. I then bought the AS2000 and made those comparisons, always setting up the arms and cartridges myself. David then came to visit a second time to confirm set up and to hear my new system. I made some slight adjustments based on his comments.
I have quite a few cartridges now and switch between them, always requiring new set up. I actually installed a Colibri yesterday before a friend came over to hear my system. I do not have the knowledge or experience that David has, but I do it myself, and yes, "It can be very satisfying to know you did it."
