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My Rega 5 with the Exact cartridge was a breeze to set up. With the three screw system you can`t go wrong.
As technology marches on, some of the old audiophile ways become lost arts. Do you still have the skills needed to set up and align a cartridge on a tonearm and turntable?
Skill and a few tools. I still have the same set-up guides and measuring devices since the seventies and they still work. I've set up maybe three turntable/cartridge combinations for friends over the last half a dozen years. Not so common these days.
The Telarc Omnidisc is a great help, plus I kept my old stylus guage and other tools. However it is an old audiophile technique that some of the current analog suppliers need to address in their manuals. The assumption should be that the current buyer does not know nor understand how to set up an analog rig and needs very clear and explicit instructions. If this was done properly I don't think even the newbies would have difficulties in setup. This is especially true for individuals in remote areas not near a capable dealer. Not to mention the need for readjustments due to seasonal variations. I also have doubts as to how well a setup turntable would travel and hold it's setup, so it is imperative for the suppliers to ensure their customers can maintain and get the best out of their analog rig with clear and easy to understand manuals.
I am a loner in a third world country that seems to forget history too quickly, on its mindless infatuation with CDs and MP3s and its crappy sound. Since there's no one around to get my TT tweaked, I just began learning (with a little help from the web) to do it myself. To say I feel great about accomplishing this is an understatement.
With the stationary coil models I ensure that capacitance across the shield and the hot leads agree with the designer's specs. Then tracking pressure is set with an external gauge towards the higher recommended value.Horizontal tracking angle is set next with a template, and the zenith is also verified here. Next, azimuth is verified using a mirror. Then VTA is set with the arm parallel to the LP, foregoing further experimantations preferred by advanced hobbyists. For moving coils I have the possibility of low, medium, and high resistance on the stepup device, to comply with the designer's specs. I also examine the stylus with a 10x lens, and clean the tip with a short-hard-bristle mini brush.