Ortofon A90

[JackD201]

I don't know if it's dialed in Eddie but I will say that the shot is absolutely KICK ASS!

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

I don't know if it's dialed in Eddie but I will say that the shot is absolutely KICK ASS!

Salamat Jack!

I truly thought I could get a better shot with the 413 versus the the 313. Maybe I was just setting my expectations a bit too high!

On certain shots it appeared that there are TWO angles on the rear part of the stylus but I couldn't get it sharper or closer to verify so I utilized the angle on the picture that I posted.

Wonder if anyone has a close-up stylus profile pic that I might be able to study. The Ortofon website talks about the Replicant Stylus but that's about it.

 

[JackD201]

Walang Anuman Eddie

 

[Mike Lavigne]

not to be a kill-joy.......but numbers are only for getting into a set-up ballpark. ears should be used for fine-tuning of VTA, VTF and azimuth. exception might be to come back to a previously 'perfect' set-up.....assuming you did accurately measure where you were. then there is the issue of mechanical wear over time which can move the ideal set-up slightly. finally there are different pressing thicknesses.....so getting too anal on VTA can become crazy. normally i don't change VTA for every different weight pressing, although i have done that on occasion.

the best tt/arm/cartridge set-ups i've seen/heard did not involve precise concern with any numbers except overhang and use of a Mint Lp....and i am specifically referring to dozens, maybe over one hundred A90 set-ups.

however, i do expect there is more than one method of great set-up....so who knows what approach is ultimately the very best?

OTOH those pics are very cool.....and i did seriously consider buying one of those Dynalites.

sorry i've not joined into this thread for awhile, i've been on vacation recently and just returned.

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

Hi Mike... welcome back! Hope you had a great vacation!

Got some great advice earlier today and was able to remove the plastic ring on the Dino-Lite so I could increase the magnification. To me it only made this more complicated as this stylus is quite complex. I am agreeing with Mike.... I'll probably rely on my ears to get this dialed in.....

For your enjoyment I've attached the best pic taken this evening....... would like to get it sharper but this is as good as I can get it.....

 

[MylesBAstor]

Nice photo!

Eddie: How did you remove the ring?

Bottom line, the microscope, oscilloscope, Fosgate, AT, Feickert and whatever equipment one uses to align a cartridge is very important in getting that first approximation! Then one can fine tune it. If the basic parameters are off, then anything else one does is hopeless Also, as I'm getting older, even with glasses, I'm not that confident in what I'm seeing

 

[ack]

With the ring removed so that the lens can get closer (which also removes the LEDs, therefore, backlighting was employed) I get 110x optical magnification. The first picture is the old vertical as set by the human eye with the aid of 10x loupe; the second is a new vertical with the arm lower by 4mm than before.

Old:


New:


Zoomed in "new vertical" at the tip:


Although earlier I believed the "new" vertical is the correct one, I now have doubts... So this is now a game of pick-your-preferred-vertical

I am not sure if the 'scope was positioned precisely parallel to the record...

 

[ack]

GIMP to the rescue - 400% magnification indicates that the original, eye-set, vertical appears to be dead on; the "new" one is clearly slightly off:

Old:


New:

 

[MylesBAstor]

Got mine in today However, I took the plastic protector off but the LEDs aren't removed on mine as far as I can see.

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

Got mine in today However, I took the plastic protector off but the LEDs aren't removed on mine as far as I can see.

Hi Myles. Our versions have just the protective plastic ring. Now that you have it off you will be able to increase the magnification. The most difficult part is trying to get a perfectly level shot. If the image is not level then your measurement is harder to calculate or maybe I haven't figured out an easier way yet.

Fun stuff!

 

[ack]

I should also point out that my initial attempt at getting the stylus vertical was actually based primarily on attempting to get the arm parallel to the record using the recommended VTF of 2.3g; after achieving this, it apparently turned out the stylus was indeed perfectly vertical. Therefore, I am tempted to conclude that this is an accurately built cartridge that conforms to the manufacturer specs.

Perhaps I took a long shot in assuming the cartridge is well built, and tried to approach it from that perspective - start with the recommended parameters and see where it takes me. But it appears the results are as expected. Sure things will change over time and will readjust accordingly, but it really looks to me this cartridge is very competently built.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Hi Myles. Our versions have just the protective plastic ring. Now that you have it off you will be able to increase the magnification. The most difficult part is trying to get a perfectly level shot. If the image is not level then your measurement is harder to calculate or maybe I haven't figured out an easier way yet.

Fun stuff!

I'm still trying to figure out how to get the measurement

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

I'm still trying to figure out how to get the measurement

Take a snap shot of the stylus then the picture should appear in the column to the left. You need to either double click on the picture or right click on it and say "open". then you have to enter the magnification number which you'll get from the adjustable ring on the microscope.

Now you can click on the drop down to choose 3-angle measurement (I'm not in front of my laptop so I apologize if I'm not exactly accurate with my directions).

Now what I've found is you have to click and draw a line from right to left then bottom to top to get the angle correct. Once you play with it for a bit you'll see what I mean.

Hope this helps!

 

[ack]

That's exactly how I did it - it's really easy in the end, but you need to play with the software for about half an hour to get acquainted; btw, positioning the angle's lines is purely art and that's why I won't use this tool o calculate SRA, and have chosen math instead - unless I missed something. Getting a right angle is, on the other hand, very simple and straight forward.

 

[XV-1]

You can count me as one happy A90 owner. owned one for just on two years now - thanks Mike L

In fact I need to send it back to Ortofon for a rebuild.

How does it sound

A90 is transparent in a way that it will sound more like your system than any other cart. It is a little laid back in delivery. If your system is fast and lively, the a90 will be fast, lively and pure. Visa versa if it has some warmth.

cheers

 

[rockitman]

A90 owners:

What loading value (ohms) do you use for your A90 ? I have been using 100, but wonder if it should be lower or higher. Thanks in advance.

 

[ack]

1k

 

[rockitman]

1k

wow, really ? What are the ill effects (audible) if the loading is:

1) Too Low

OR

2) Too high

 

[MylesBAstor]

wow, really ? What are the ill effects (audible) if the loading is:

1) Too Low

OR

2) Too high

Mush vs. being bright

 

[ack]

wow, really ? What are the ill effects (audible) if the loading is:

1) Too Low

OR

2) Too high

You mean other than edgy or soft sound? What Myles said