My new alignment template generator

[Fiendish]

I've got to say a big BIG thanks for this updated version .

In the past I've held off using this because I was one of the unlucky one who's printer (Canon i865) cut off the 200mm calibration lines. But now they're visible and I've confirmed the print accuracy, I've been able to set up my SRM Arezzo/AO RB251/2M Blue to the nth degree. It took me over 3 hours of measuring / checking / adjusting / coffee break / measure again / check again / adjust again etc etc but the result has been so worthwhile, enabling me to reduce a noticeable left-right channel imbalance and get rid of some annoying sibilance on some old vinyl. I've also noticed better instrument separation, ambience and dynamics.

If proof were needed (which it isn't), this has demonstrated that you just can't be too fussy about cartridge alignment.

Many thanks again...
Fiendish

[j_loop]

Sounds great! When does the Mac version come out?

[Conrad Hoffman]

Probably never, as I don't have access to a Mac, nor does my compiler support it. OTOH, isn't there a way to run PC programs on a Mac? Because of the printer code, I don't know if it would work or not, but I'd be interested in the results if somebody tries it.

Thanks,
Conrad

[j_loop]

Yeah, I figured, but I thought I'd ask anyway. A buddy of mine does have that bootcamp thing so he can run Windows too. I'll get your program to him and see if it works okay.

[dominic harper]

Hi all, i had set up my grado prestige black/ sme 3009 using my clearaudio guage and ears and was very happy with the results. I have been looking at this thread and thought id print a guage off just to see and im gobsmacked. Perfect alignment with conrads tool. To my knowledge, this is the best FREE tool for cartridge alignment. Regards, dom.

[solvin_dk]

Hi Hoffman
Your TemplateGen is great, very easy to use.

Thank you,

Solvin

[arossphoto]

Someone on another forum just told me about your TemplateGen and it is great. However, I have a couple newbie questions that I couldn't find an answer for in the readme file or this thread.

Step five in the readme says "The first goal is to adjust the cartridge position such that the stylus traces the arc on the template". Shouldn't the first step be to line up the P2S distance line with the arm's pivot point? Do you just eyeball this, or is there a way to do it more accurately? I was thinking this would be a very critical first step, and that the template should be perfectly aligned and the platter taped down, before you start moving the cartridge. If your P2S line is off even a mm or two, isn't your arc going to be way off as well?

Thanks,

Andrew

[JaS]

I was thinking this would be a very critical first step, and that the template should be perfectly aligned and the platter taped down, before you start moving the cartridge. If your P2S line is off even a mm or two, isn't your arc going to be way off as well?

Hi,
Conrad's program creates an arc with the radius that your arm should follow for the alignment method chosen. Only an arm mounted at the mounting distance entered into the program and adjusted to the correct overhang will follow the arc perfectly. There's no reason to tape anything down, the pivot line just makes the initial setting up that bit quicker. The same goes for the grids; you just use them the same way you would a two-point alignment gauge, but because you've set the overhang with the arc you're just using them to check the offset angle

Regards,
JaS

[arossphoto]

Thanks for the quick reply. I was just confused because I wasn't sure how to line up the platter after I put on the template. If I move the platter obviously the arc moves around too, so I thought this could drastically change the overhang if the template wasn't perfectly lined up with the pivot point on the arm.

[Imbalance]

Hey

Thought i might try this out, but i seem to get a bit disorientated with the inner and outergroove options, DIN, IEC, and Typical, i only focused on the overhang before with either using Løfgren A or Stevensen, as both carts i use dont fit the Baerwald on a Rega arm, but as i get a shorter overhang that could be used with Baerwald and the DIN norm, i dunno what is correct now?

[JaS]

Thought i might try this out, but i seem to get a bit disorientated with the inner and outergroove options, DIN, IEC, and Typical

This can be a little confusing, but it's a useful tweak. Basically the IEC option will optimise the arc/null points for 12" records with inner and outer grooves within normal limits. Older arms (usually Japanese) are often optimised for the DIN inner groove which results in an alignment optimised for the runout groove on most records... If in doubt I'd set to IEC as this means you can double check using another universal Baerwald /Stevenson protractor, such as the two-point versions on this site.

i only focused on the overhang before with either using Løfgren A or Stevensen, as both carts i use dont fit the Baerwald on a Rega arm, but as i get a shorter overhang that could be used with Baerwald and the DIN norm, i dunno what is correct now?

Unless you have an unusual stylus tip to mounting hole distance on your cartridge you should be able to align to Baerwald IEC null points - simply move the cartridge forward to follow the arc, then skew it in the headshell to match the grids (then recheck the arc).

However, Rega's standard alignment is closer to Stevenson IEC so printing an arc for this will place the cartridge close to centre of the slots for troublesome cartridges, and it should end up fairly square in the headshell.

Regards,
JaS

[Imbalance]

Thought i might try this out, but i seem to get a bit disorientated with the inner and outergroove options, DIN, IEC, and Typical

This can be a little confusing, but it's a useful tweak. Basically the IEC option will optimise the arc/null points for 12" records with inner and outer grooves within normal limits. Older arms (usually Japanese) are often optimised for the DIN inner groove which results in an alignment optimised for the runout groove on most records... If in doubt I'd set to IEC as this means you can double check using another universal Baerwald /Stevenson protractor, such as the two-point versions on this site.

i only focused on the overhang before with either using Løfgren A or Stevensen, as both carts i use dont fit the Baerwald on a Rega arm, but as i get a shorter overhang that could be used with Baerwald and the DIN norm, i dunno what is correct now?

Unless you have an unusual stylus tip to mounting hole distance on your cartridge you should be able to align to Baerwald IEC null points - simply move the cartridge forward to follow the arc, then skew it in the headshell to match the grids (then recheck the arc).

However, Rega's standard alignment is closer to Stevenson IEC so printing an arc for this will place the cartridge close to centre of the slots for troublesome cartridges, and it should end up fairly square in the headshell.

Regards,
JaS

Dunno if my carts are troublesome, but both my Trans Phoenix and Ortofon Rondo Blue wont reach a overhang of 17mm with the Baerwald, so theres nothing left to do then following the Stevenson, and my Phoenix is doing this right now...

My friend is using it now, as his VDH Condor is getting a checkup, and i set this up before with a Feickert and Baerwald, no problems there and i got the picture over time that some arms just cant follow Bearwald because of some carts have different distances between needle and mounting holes.

[JaS]

i got the picture over time that some arms just cant follow Bearwald because of some carts have different distances between needle and mounting holes.

Hi,
Most carts are close to 9.5mm but there is the odd exception. You're right that problems occur when the standard overhang for the arm is radically different; Rega RB arms use 15mm of overhang (a legacy from the ACOS built arms they used to fit) so the 17.3mm needed for Baerwald (at 222mm mounting distance) only needs the cartridge pushing 2.3mm further forward, but throw in an odd cartridge or an arm mounted slightly further away and you'll get problems. It's worth noting that remounting the arm at 219.5mm leaves a standard cartridge in the middle of the slots when aligned to Baerwald IEC, but why bother when Stevenson alignment only needs 15.5mm of overhang and sounds virtually indistinguishable

Regards,
JaS

[Imbalance]

i got the picture over time that some arms just cant follow Bearwald because of some carts have different distances between needle and mounting holes.

Hi,
Most carts are close to 9.5mm but there is the odd exception. You're right that problems occur when the standard overhang for the arm is radically different; Rega RB arms use 15mm of overhang (a legacy from the ACOS built arms they used to fit) so the 17.3mm needed for Baerwald (at 222mm mounting distance) only needs the cartridge pushing 2.3mm further forward, but throw in an odd cartridge or an arm mounted slightly further away and you'll get problems. It's worth noting that remounting the arm at 219.5mm leaves a standard cartridge in the middle of the slots when aligned to Baerwald IEC, but why bother when Stevenson alignment only needs 15.5mm of overhang and sounds virtually indistinguishable

Regards,
JaS

Well i want to fit things right, and buying a Feickert i thought all my troubles would disappear, but Vinyl obviously has to be so clouded with technical issues, so only old guys with knowledge of 100 year old scotch whisky and expensive wine can tell us they know how music sounds best.

U know as well as me Bearwald is peoples choice here, but your right the Stevenson sounds quite fine, and my friend was satisfied with the sound and not a big setback from his Condor..

I got my TT set up by a dealer at first, and he changed the pivot to spindle distance to fit the Feickert's Baerwald, and then i got more knowledge and the pivot to spindle distance must be the exact 222mm at all times if u read up on it, why should there be so many pitfalls big or small as they may be..