Using Wally Tools

[tima]

I wonder how large a difference in the SRA needs to be before it is perceptible. Given the range of SRA of a cutter head is 3 degrees (91-94), a fixed SRA of 92 will be out by up to 2 degrees. If one uses a tonearm with an Leff of 300mm, a 1 degree change is 5.5mm in height, which is orders of magnitude greater than the difference in thickness between a 120g and a 200g LP. If it is true that one can hear the difference between LPs of different thickness, we are then talking about a difference of a fraction of a degree. In that case, the variability of the SRA of cutter heads used to cut different LPs will make the whole exercise moot.

And yet small changes can be audible.

 

[adrianywu]

And yet small changes can be audible.

In that case, whether you set the SRA of your stylus anywhere between 91 and 94 degrees will make no difference, because the error while playing any LP is random.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

In that case, whether you set the SRA of your stylus anywhere between 91 and 94 degrees will make no difference, because the error while playing any LP is random.

Wally Tools talk about SRA in some detail (amongst many other topics on setting up a cartridge) in their online 'WallySchool';

WallySchool! Blog | WallyTools

www.wallyanalog.com

Reading through the Wally Tools information, even though SRA is an important parameter, the parameter that seems to have more importance of being correct in order to get the most information out of the grooves and a parameter that many people don't know of or realise is the stylus's 'Zenith'. Wally Tools / J.R. go into great detail about Zenith and the 'Zenith Error' in particular the wide range of errors from some cartridge manufacturers even very expensive ones !

This is the one parameter i.e. 'Zenith Error' for my cartridge I haven't properly checked yet, as I am still awaiting (been waiting over 3 months now) for the UK Distributer for AnalogMagik send me the V2 upgrade for my V1. Once I have V2 I can check my Zenith / Zenith Error (along with the other parameters at the same time and any error I find, I can correct it using the 'WallyZenith' Tool to re-set my cartridge to offset any Zenith Error I may have.

However, what I am waiting for is for Wally Tools to complete the development, build and bring to the market a tool that can read the cartridges Zenith Error directly / semi directly and more accurately. Hopefully it will be available to purchase by end of this year.

 

[rDin]

I 3D printed a support tower for my WallyScope, "molded" around my stands and gear, so that I could do the work direct at the turntable. Prior to this I had to move the table to another surface, but I didn't like the disruption that caused. The support tower also starts the scope in close to the correct distance/orientation, making setup much quicker.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

I 3D printed a support tower for my WallyScope, "molded" around my stands and gear, so that I could do the work direct at the turntable. Prior to this I had to move the table to another surface, but I didn't like the disruption that caused. The support tower also starts the scope in close to the correct distance/orientation, making setup much quicker.
View attachment 114407

Nice custom stand 'rDin'. A+

Doesn't your Wally Scope move around on your stand when you are making fine focusing adjustments with the Wally Scope's fine adjustments ?

I have had to 'G' Clamp my Wally Scope (I have the latest V2 Wally Scope) to my scissor lift stand and also 'G' Clamp my scissor stand to my extended shelf so I have a rock solid non moveable base (particularly as the Wally Scope is very sensitive to movement and vibration in order to obtain and then keep a good focus on the stylus !).

 

[rDin]

Doesn't your Wally Scope move around on your stand when you are making fine focusing adjustments with the Wally Scope's fine adjustments ?

Almost none. All solid and secure. Initial models were wobbly etc but I found ways to remove the movement. The top plate, for instance, tightly grips the WallyScope's bottom plate so there is no movement. I also picked up some longer shaft turning keys (7/64" hex driver) which enable me to work further away from the scope when making adjustments. That also helps as I'm no longer bumping it with my fingers. So now there may be a slight moment of blurring when adjustments are made but they instantly settle once I remove my pressure, eg from the turning keys.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Almost none. All solid and secure. Initial models were wobbly etc but I found ways to remove the movement. The top plate, for instance, tightly grips the WallyScope's bottom plate so there is no movement. I also picked up some longer shaft turning keys (7/64" hex driver) which enable me to work further away from the scope when making adjustments. That also helps as I'm no longer bumping it with my fingers. So now there may be a slight moment of blurring when adjustments are made but they instantly settle once I remove my pressure, eg from the turning keys.

A+
Are you using any other Wally Tools 'rDin' ?

 

[rDin]

Yes. All the available ones, backed up with AnalogMagik to fill the current gaps.

 

[tima]

Reading through the Wally Tools information, even though SRA is an important parameter, the parameter that seems to have more importance of being correct in order to get the most information out of the grooves and a parameter that many people don't know of or realise is the stylus's 'Zenith'. Wally Tools / J.R. go into great detail about Zenith and the 'Zenith Error' in particular the wide range of errors from some cartridge manufacturers even very expensive ones !

Speaking of 'zenith error' is it meant the deviation of the stylus mount on the cantilever from 90 degrees to a line perpendicular to the groove ?

I'm somewhat fumbling for the correct way to describe this. Audio terminology is its own thing. The use of 'zenith' in this way is not intuitive to me. The stylus is a 3-dimensional object in space. I remember hearing descriptions of space capsules as they orbited the earth.

If the airplane is a stylus, I understand Pitch as SRA, Roll as Azimuth and Yaw as Zenith. Does that match your understanding.

 

[tima]

All solid and secure. Initial models were wobbly etc but I found ways to remove the movement.

I'm a little surprised there is not a WallyScopePlatform. (and a giant turtle to sit it on.)

 

[tima]

I 3D printed a support tower for my WallyScope, "molded" around my stands and gear, so that I could do the work direct at the turntable. Prior to this I had to move the table to another surface, but I didn't like the disruption that caused. The support tower also starts the scope in close to the correct distance/orientation, making setup much quicker.
View attachment 114407

Very nice photograph!

 

[rDin]

I'm a little surprised there is not a WallyScopePlatform.

Every system is different, so would be difficult to come up with a universal solution? The WallyScope itself has quite a bit of adjustment range.

 

[mtemur]

If the airplane is a stylus,

I guess “airplane is a cantilever” helps more to understand. The airplane drawing resembles cantilever for me.

 

[rDin]

If the airplane is a stylus, I understand Pitch as SRA, Roll as Azimuth and Yaw as Zenith. Does that match your understanding

That's how I see it, assuming the stylus is at the centre of the aeroplane in that graphic at the intersection of the three parameters.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Yes. All the available ones, backed up with AnalogMagik to fill the current gaps.

A+ Same here 'rDin'

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

I'm a little surprised there is not a WallyScopePlatform. (and a giant turtle to sit it on.)

Wally Tools suggest a clamp on extendable / foldable shelf available from Amazon (as per one of their more recent YouTube videos).

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

I guess “airplane is a cantilever” helps more to understand. The airplane drawing resembles cantilever for me.

If you read one of the Wally Tools papers on 'zenith error' they show an excellent highly magnified image of a stylus skewed to one side which gives the zenith error.

Apparently according to Wally Tools it is quite common in cartridges from lower priced ones up to the highest price ones as many cartridge builders don't have such a powerful (and very expensive microscope) to be able to see it and then alter it !

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

If you read one of the Wally Tools papers on 'zenith error' they show an excellent highly magnified image of a stylus skewed to one side which gives the zenith error.

Apparently according to Wally Tools it is quite common in cartridges from lower priced ones up to the highest price ones as many cartridge builders don't have such a powerful (and very expensive microscope) to be able to see it and then alter it !

Sorry forgot to mention;
It is not the cantilever that is skewed but the stylus itself on the position and the way it is mounted onto the cantilever.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Sorry forgot to mention;
It is not the cantilever that is skewed but the stylus itself on the position and the way it is mounted onto the cantilever.

Link to the excellent Wally Tools paper / write-up on 'zenith error' ;

Zenith Error - The Final Alignment Frontier

At WAM Engineering, we have decided to dig deep in order to learn how a misaligned stylus travels through a modulated groove. To that end, we've modelled up various groove patterns and stylus "mis"-alignments in a very sophisticated and expensive engineering system called FINITE ELEMENT...

www.wallyanalog.com

 

[mtemur]

Apparently according to Wally Tools it is quite common in cartridges from lower priced ones up to the highest price ones as many cartridge builders don't have such a powerful (and very expensive microscope) to be able to see it and then alter it !

But powerful and expensive microscope doesn’t fix it either. AM software fixes it.