Clearaudio Concept Setup

[BobM]

That tachometer resolves to .1 RPM. I just cut out a tiny 1/4" square of the reflective tape that comes with it, peeled off the backing and stuck it to the rim of my platter. Yes, it goes round and round and round. I guess I could take it off once the speed was set properly, but I didn't.

[toobluvr]

The Geodisc is very easy to use.

The Maestro wood cartridge sides are sculpted, not a flat side, plus the sides are not parallel to each other, they are off by a couple degrees. If one only looked at one side they might be tempted to adjust the cart. Looking on both sides reveals that the sides are both off the grid, in opposite directions by the same amount. But the front of the cart is flat and lines up with the grid.

I know it is commonly done, but using cart body to set offset angle is the wrong approach.     It can be a rough starting point, but that's all.

Not all cartridge bodies are square with parallel sides.  Even if they are, it is still not a good technique as the cantilever may not be set squarely and perfectly into the cartridge body.

Simply lower stylus onto the bullseye, view the cart head on (be sure to perfectly sight down the protractor line) and make sure the cantilever itself lines up exactly with the line.  Keep twisting the cart in the headshell till the line and cantilever merge...."become one" if you will.  If it is off, you will see the line behind the cantilever.  If on, you will not.  I believe this is explained by Step 6 on the Geo-disc instructions.

You will need to get really low, and lay a bright flashlight on the platter shining on the work.  I also sight thru a magnifying lens.  Done right, very easy to see and quickly/accurately set offset angle.

[richidoo]

Thanks Bob. It can take the RPM reading with only 1/4" of tape?

Thanks tubluvr. I will check out the cantilever alignment as you suggest. I don't have the GeoDisk anymore, but I'll try to make a  printed protractor.  I think i did try to check the needle alignment on geodisk, but I don't remember it being particularly easy or fruitful. But a thin black line on a white paper would be easier, or as you suggest, shining light on the geodisk line would have helped. Thanks again

[JBNY]

Yeah, you do not need much of the tape to get an accurate reading, it just needs to reflect the light back to the measuring unit for it to work. They include about a foot of the tape with the product, and it is easily reusable. I don't think I have used more than the small piece I cut for the first measurement, I have reused it about 6 times so far.

-Joe

[richidoo]

Thanks joe

Is it correct to set the arm parallel with the plinth for VTA? I know it would be preferable to set the actual angle of the cantilever to the platter surface, but I don't have that ability.

I had to raise the arm about 1/4" to achieve a level arm when using the maestro cart. I remember BobM said tune it by ear, but I wanna know if parallel is the place to start?

In looking at clearaudio cartridge specs a little closer, it seems that their carts might all be the same height, and interchangeable. That would imply that the original, lower pivot VTA was correct even though it is not even close to level. It sounded better, but I also installed a RingMat. Maybe that mat is better than I think, improves sound even when VTA is made worse! 

Since there is always a tolerance in cantilever angle, and arms are not always constant diameter tube, setting it to a specific angle is not always the best way. So how do you guys set your VTAs? By ear?
Thanks!

[richidoo]

I found this article on adjusting it, but I'm sure there are millions more. http://www.theanalogdept.com/adjusting_vta.htm

and:
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?5656-My-Views-and-Procedures-for-Adjusting-VTA

[BobM]

Here's a few more articles to brush up on VTA

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/resources/tonearmvta.htm

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/vta_method_e.html

http://www.stereophile.com/content/tweaking-your-record-player-page-7

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/how-to-set-vta-from-first-principles.151366/

[JBNY]

Setting VTA is probably my least enjoyable thing to do on my turntable, the MMF7.1

[richidoo]

The Concept cuing mechanism rises up with the pedestal, so it is not a factor in VTA at all, as long as the arm angle is within a certain 1/2" range it works fine. I was trying to make the arm level with a ring mat, which was just at the edge but still within cuing range, by 1/32".

Hopefully correct VTA will fall within that 1/2" range, if Maestro is same height as the "Concept" cart that this arm is designed for. So I adjusted VTA to put the arm back in that range. Still sounds good, about the same. I know I am not on correct VTA, so I hope there is more SQ on the table if I can dial in VTA.  

There is a knob on the bottom of the arm pedestal that is antiskate adjustment. I thought it was VTA, but no. VTA is only the set screw. 


Hold the presses: Just found out the Clearaudio Verify tonearm is the same as the Concept tonearm, except the Verify is carbon fiber arm, while Concept are is black plastic arm of sorts.  So, in reading the Verify setup instructions (there are no instructions for Concept arm because it is not sold separately, only with Concept TT) it said to make sure the arm is set level with the TT chassis. This is important because of the magnetic suspension of the arm. It needs to be centered in the magnet for everything to work right, antiskate, etc. Back to the drawing board Oy vay! I may not be able to use this RingMat after all, or make a custom lifting arm for the cue. I've already gotten used to thumbing it so no biggie for me, but my kids and wife would prefer to use the cue stick.

I put the arm back to level with the plinth. I'll have to figure out about VA adjustment from there. I can't raise the pivot any higher or the cue will not let the needle touch the record. There is already a .075" metal spacer/cue stick between the arm and cart to get the needle lower with arm level.

Thanks for the links Bob. Always fun to have new audio reading material!

I also saw Jim Rebman is selling his Concept with Pete Riggle VTAF installed.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=116251.msg1217176#msg1217176

I emailed Pete to find out what it costs. Anybody here using his VTAF adjuster? It is on top of the plinth and supposedly allows adjusting VTA while the music is playing.
http://www.vtaf.com/

[richidoo]

I had an unused DirecTV box lying around so I called to remove it from my bill and they sent a recovery box.

The box has these big blue foam "dots" on the inside as packaging material. They don't rebound from squeezing very quickly, meaning they have high internal friction to absorb shock. 

Being an obsessed audiophile, I could think of only one purpose for these blue dots. Put 'em under the TT!

So I pulled three of them off of the box and stuck them under the TT near the tiny stock spikes. The TT weight compressed them nicely, about 1cm of squish, so I thought they would be well loaded. I put the needle on a record and walked away. Slightly less reaction to footfalls, sounded similar, maybe a little less full in the mid bass, but I didn't have time to sit down to do a comparison. After the side was done, I returned to flip it when I noticed that the whole deck was tilted about 5 degrees to one side!

I assumed these things were identical in size, but they are not molded, they really are "dots" made by dropping liquid onto a flat surface where they foam up and solidify, like a cookie.  The height varies by 1 cm. I could fiddle with leveling the dots from below but life's too short.  Funny enough to share though!

[richidoo]

I have been adjusting VTA by ear and I think I got it right now. Bass is tight and physical, treble is penetrating and crisp. The sound is full and clear, not too detailed, not too boomy. Music sounds full, clear and lively.

Funny, the VTA is set about where it was when I got it, pivot is about .125" lower than a horizontal arm. But it didn't sound anything like this when I got it. I am very pleased with the sound of the Concept now. For reference with Maestro Wood the distance from arm plate to bottom edge of the top lip of pedestal is .97". With a dial caliper I can measure VTA changes accurately to within .010".

[Triode Pete]

I have been adjusting VTA by ear and I think I got it right now. Bass is tight and physical, treble is penetrating and crisp. The sound is full and clear, not too detailed, not too boomy. Music sounds full, clear and lively.

Funny, the VTA is set about where it was when I got it, pivot is about .125" lower than a horizontal arm. But it didn't sound anything like this when I got it. I am very pleased with the sound of the Concept now. For reference with Maestro Wood the distance from arm plate to bottom edge of the top lip of pedestal is .97". With a dial caliper I can measure VTA changes accurately to within .010".

Ok, Rich, how is your L-R channel balance? How's your azimuth?... My Maestro stylus was skewed on the cantilever when I picked it up new. Luckily I had "Fozgo" to the rescue!

Cheers,
Pete

[richidoo]

Thanks Pete! I found some posts about azi, I will try to check it with a PC scope.

[richidoo]

For some reason the vibration sensitivity has been getting worse lately. Horns can sound like gargling. I think some of it is LF resonance from the woofers, and house vibes.

TT was on a lowboy table like this:

So I put it on the floor in a corner of exterior foundation walls and it seems better. Footfalls much less effect, but I have lost some focus and some bass volume. It is on a piece of plywood resting on carpet and pad, too soft.

I have a wall mount designed. I will start a new thread.

[richidoo]

Response from Clearaudio in Germany:

"Thank you for your email and your interest in our hi-fi components.

Please use the clearaudio bearing oil in the small bottle.

You should renew the oil every two years with 1-2 drops. If you notice any changes you can check the bearing and put 1-2 drops into it if necessary.

With best regards,
Franziska Wimmelbacher
Auszubildende Backoffice"