Tonearm height & SRA misconception

[sig8]

I've tried doing this in the past and it is almost impossible to do it right. Getting the lens close enough and correctly parallel to the 'side' of the stylus is difficult. The slightest movement of the microscope makes repeatable measurement difficult -- the support holding your turntable and tool must be very very stable. The software that comes with the USB 'scopes such as DinoLite -- used for drawing angles -- is somewhat clumsy and dependent on drawing with a mouse or trackball which typically do not have sufficiently fine-grained increments of movement.

The only approach I know of that trys to tackle these issue is the WallyScope from J.R. Boisclair. I applaud him for doing the work to make this possible. I read through the manual for the WallyScope. I suppose after you train yourself many times maybe it is "quick and easy" but, imo, there is a lot of work to it. It's a nice kit for $1500

My experience exactly, good to know it's not just me. I have bought three USB microscopes, few stands, one even a heavy duty professional microphone stand to no avail. Not to mention several weekends trying to measure and correct. Tools we have (I do not know about Wally yet), just are not meant to do this. So I will be contacting JR and go over his tools and methods. I will report back in several weeks, as it will be a learning process. I had heard about Wally Tools from Michael Fremer in one of his videos, but I think they are for real now.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

My experience exactly, good to know it's not just me. I have bought three USB microscopes, few stands, one even a heavy duty professional microphone stand to no avail. Not to mention several weekends trying to measure and correct. Tools we have (I do not know about Wally yet), just are not meant to do this. So I will be contacting JR and go over his tools and methods. I will report back in several weeks, as it will be a learning process. I had heard about Wally Tools from Michael Fremer in one of his videos, but I think they are for real now.

Have you tried a Dino-Lite USB Microscope (10x to 200x magnification with polarised lighting) with their accompanying fine adjustment stands and mounting accessories that can adjust in the X, Y & Z planes very accurately and their accompanying polarised lights ?

I am having great success with the Dino-Lite AD-7013MZT and their gooseneck SL-ZW1 polarised light even with their gooseneck stands which aren't so accurate with posiitoning (will buy the Dino-Lite highly accurate adjustment RK-10A stand and accompanying RK10-VX Vertical Arm Extension (as I have a XL DC & 4Point which is high) and the Dino-Lite fine adjustment RK-10-PX XY Positioning Arm).

Photos below are some examples of my MSL Eminent Ex stylus at 200x magnification with (at different positions) and without the SL-ZW1 polarised gooseneck light;







I have many other photos plus photos of my Dino-Lite set-up but the memory size of them is too large to insert into this thread.

 

[mtemur]

I took this picture to check if the shibata stylus is clean or not. it’s sitting over a cd.

I used a generic usb microscope. So even the basic ones can be useful.

 

[Solypsa]

. I know with a high degree of confidence that few people have heard their cartridges at their optimum because almost no one - other than my clients - shim their cartridges to achieve those angles; the average correction being 3.1 degrees which is much more than most any tonearm will allow.

Great point.

Question: Do you know if you can achieve this much ( +/- 3 degrees ) correction with the Arche head shell? The premise is similar, to keep the arm level...

 

[tima]

You are correct, @tima . Microscopy isn’t for the impatient or those lacking dexterity. There are too many ways to make the measurement exercise a miserable one.

I wouldn't fault the end user. Imo, its the lack of necessary tools to do the job.

Wally, with whom I had several conversations and had great respect for, created a description of how to measure a stylus angle. He did not live long enough to devise the technique and tools to assure accuracy in making that measurement.

It is relatively easy to take a nice picture of a stylus with a USB microscope, as we see above, though the microscope may need its lens shield removed. But with your efforts in creating the Wally Scope you know the many issues at hand to achieve a useable picture and a proper measurement. Without more sophisticated tools It would almost be by accident that one could do that by pointing a microscope at a stylus and use the microscope's drawing software.

I suggest folks read the manual for the Wally Scope. (pdf)

 

[J.R. Boisclair]

Great point.

Question: Do you know if you can achieve this much ( +/- 3 degrees ) correction with the Arche head shell? The premise is similar, to keep the arm level...

I don’t know what the angular limits are for that headshell but, as you correctly point out, the principle is the same as my approach. The most I’ve created a compensating shim for on the SRA/VTA axis is 8 degrees. Most cartridges can’t allow that much correction