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All of the following procedures apply to a table that has been properly assembled and leveled. - The first step is to adjust the tracking angle of the cartridge, also known as overhang. This must be done with some type of gauge. Most TTs and/or tonearms come with an overhang gauge. They work OK. It has been my experience however that these are not the utmost in accuracy. If you have available to you a Dennesen Sountracker, this is the way to go. They are a little pricey ($195.00 - available from ATA) but you'll never have to buy another one or a better one. If you use the one that came with your setup, be sure to take your time and follow the directions. Also remember that if any changes are made to the overhang setting, you'll need to change your tonearm's balance/tracking force.
The VTA (vertical tracking angle), azimuth, and anti-skate can be set without the use of gauges. When setting these perimeters, keep in mind that we are setting up the arm/cartridge to mimic the way the record was cut. Some setups do not allow VTA adjustment. (Better get a new setup!) Consult your manuals. VTA is easily set by viewing the relationship of the tonearm to the record surface. A good starting point should be with the tonearm body parallel to the surface of the record (viewed from the side). Move the back of the arm up or down to achieve a smooth blending of bass, midrange, and treble. Take your time and don't be afraid to experiment. Critical listeners even adjust VTA for different records!
The next step is to adjust Azimuth. View the cartridge from the front and notice if it's parallel to the record's surface. If not, you'll notice a slight difference in channel balance and/or centering of the center images. Rotate the arm to adjust. If the arm cannot be rotated, use washers or some kind of light weight shims between the cartridge and the headshell to make the adjustment.
You can make a simple device to help you obtain a more accurate azimuth setting. You'll need two RCA "Y" connectors ( (1) - two female to one male and (1) - female to two males). Take one "Y" and cut and rewire one leg of it in inverse polarity. That is, connect the positive (+) wire to the negative (-) and the negative to the positive. Be sure to insulate the splices with tape when you're finished. Now connect the one RCA end of the "Y" to the other "Y's" one RCA end with a RCA butt adapter (female to female RCA connector). If your confused, contact me for a diagram. Put the device between your turntable's output cables and your preamp's phono inputs. The "Y" with the splice made in goes onto the turntable's cable, not into the preamp. Now play a mono record. There should be very little or no volume output. Adjust azimuth until the least amount of volume is heard (no volume).
Now comes the anti-skating. In general, the anti-skate setting should be the same as the tracking force (ex: tracking weight set @ 1.5 gram / anti-skate set @ 1.5). When checking the anti-skate, you view the cartridge on the album head on. The vertical stance of the stylus/cantilever should be centered with the center of the cartridge body. If the stylus points toward the record's center, reduce the anti-skate. If the stylus points towards the outer record edge, increase anti-skate. Happy Listening!
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