AlignmentProtractor.com

What is a cartridge alignment protractor?

An alignment protractor is a tool for aligning a turntable cartridge (or more precisely: its cantilever) as precisely as possible to two null points. This is an important step when setting up a record player. Precise alignment minimizes distortion. Vinyl records sound better and last longer with a well aligned stylus.

Is alignment with a protractor the same thing as adjusting the stylus overhang?

Yes, but a turntable protractor not only determines the correct overhang. It sets the offset angle as well. As there are many different alignment geometries to choose from, the overhang and angle determined by a protractor may be different from the geometry specified by the manufacturer, though. When setting up a turntable, it is important to stick with one geometry.

How does turntable cartridge alignment work?

With a pivoted tonearm and the phono cartridge mounted at an offset angle, there are usually two null points at which the stylus is perfectly tangent to the grooves on the record surface. At these points the tracking error is zero, so no additional distortion is caused by the cartridge being at an angle. The exact location of the null points determines where on the record one will hear the most tracking distortion.

Are alignment protractors for turntables universal?

2-point protractors and linear offset protractors are universal and can be used on any turntable (provided the slots in the headshell are long enough to allow for the chosen alignment geometry). Arc protractors on the other hand are designed for a particular record player’s pivot to spindle distance.

What makes arc protractors so easy to use?

The great advantage of arc protractors is that overhang and offset angle are set independently. This makes aligning a turntable cartridge easier than with a 2-point protractor. Accuracy is easier to achieve than with a sightline protractor. It simply takes less effort to get a good result and minimal fine tuning is required.