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Originally Posted by robd2
Hi guys, has this link moved? Looks like a dead link now.
Thanks,
Rob
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I can't fix the forum's 404, but here's the jist of my post from March 2010 within that thread... with a few updates.
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Here are a few documents (.pdf) and a link that may get you started. There are lot's of articles and views on how to set up a turntable, which really includes setting up the 'table, tonearm, and cartridge.
My suggestion is to read as much as you can and take notes of the various steps and the order they are in. Then aggregate your notes to make a single list of steps to follow, or come back here (your thread) with questions. It will seem daunting at first, but have courage it takes more time and patience than technical knowledge.
There are a few words or terms that may be new. You pay want to print or study the following diagram before starting to read, because you're likely to read about what it depicts:
Here are some articles:
Analog 101 - The Audio Beat, Roy Gregory - apparently
no longer available - too bad it was helpful.
Setting Up a Turntable - Theory (PDF)
Turntable System Setup (PDF)
Practical Guide to Turntable Set-Up (PDF) - Michael Fremer
There are a variety of tools that make the different steps of 'table setup much easier and more accurate. Here's a list of tools I use - stolen from another thread:
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Key ingredients include a will to patience, magnification and lots of good lighting.
The whole process is made easier and more enjoyable with the help of good tools. Doing vinyl well is expensive (and rewarding!) but I wish I had known about the tools I use now when I was starting out - it would have saved me from buying some of the junk I did.
Clearaudio Weightwatcher stylus force gauge - I must have tried 5-6 scales and though its pricey, this one is the most consistent and easiest to use that I've found. And it measures very close to record height. UPDATE: I found a much better stylus force gauge - the Ortofon DS-3. Not normally sold in the US so you have to buy it from Japan off of eBay. I wouldn't pay much more the $100 US for it. It goes 1/100 gram and mine has been reliable and consistent and has a better positioned landing zone for the stylus.
WallyVTA - from Wally Malewicz. Gets the tonearm parallel to the record surface. It won't stay there but its the place to start from. UPDATE: There's other methods such as using a laser level or a small bubble level on the headshell - you'll need a tripod for the laser level and I wouldn't add weight to my cartridge with a bubble level which changes the leveling at the expense of your cantilever. The Wally VTA is the best solution I know of. And the best way to get one is to call Wally directly in Minnesota- his phone nbr is on Wally's Web site
UNI-Pro Protractor or its younger less expensive brother the SMARTractor - from Dietrich Brakemeier at acoustical-systems. Easiest to use cartridge alignment system I've found and it lets you choose a tangential alignment option (Baerwald, Loefgren, etc.) I tried the original Feickert, but found the proper spot for the stylus point to be way too big for accuracy; maybe the newer model is improved. The best ARC protractor I've used is the original WallyTractor, again from Wally Malewicz. I like this one more than the Mint; both are tonearm specific. He has a universal model but I haven't tried that. UPDATE: At this point I recommend the SmarTractor unless you do a lot of cartridge setups, then go for the UNI-Pro.
UNI P2S - Pivot to spindle (P2S) accuracy to 5/100 of a mm. Built in to the SMARTractor and also the Feickert. You absolutely must get P2S distance correct for your tonearm in order to obtain accurate cartridge offset and alignment.
Fosgate Fozgometer and an appropriate test record. The OP (miner) has it right!
Machinist Level - the Starrett 130 is my preferred for leveling the turntable - much easier and more consistent than bubble levels. You do level your table don't you?
Small screw drivers and hex keys - Wiha or Williams (Snap-On) make good ones. Often 'tabes and 'arms come with what they require.
USB Microscope - These can be helpful for getting your stylus to an initial angle (SRA) from whence you can dial-in by ear or use as a baseline to come back to when changing SRA/VTA. You'll need a laptop or other computing device with a USB port. I've mixed feelings on these but they can work if you're patient using the software that comes with them to measure angles. UPDATE: The more I use one of these the less enthusiastic I've become about using them for SRA. They're fiddly and very very difficult to position the microscope lens exactly parallel to the cartridge/stylus. But if your eyes need some help with cantilever alignment, they do offer decent helpful magnification.
Magnification reading glasses and hand held magnifiers - at least for my eyes. The lighted Vivitar handhelds have proved helpful along with various higher powered loupes. For many years I've used the setup in the picture below to examine my cartridge generally and its stylus specifically for dust. The flashlight is listed below, the loupe on a stand is available here.
Lighting New: I've come across a dandy LED flashlight that has 3 lumen levels up to 600, is rechargeable, and best of all is very small. Its the Olight S10R Baton III (Amazon)
Did I mention patience, . 
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One more suggestion and I'll shut-up ...
Try using what I'll call a 'practice cartridge' to get familiar with cartridge alignment. That way you won't be worrying about toasting your $$$$ beauty. I suggest a Denon DL-103R - its got lots of sonic virtue in its own right and only a couple hundred bucks on ebay.
You
can set-up your own 'table and have fun doing it!
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