Uni-Protractor Set tonearm alignment

[turntable]

There is a new Universal alignment tool for your expensive tonearms. check out the audiogon link Not cheap, however it looks the goods.

I might be ordering one next week and compare against the Mint and Fiekert alignment tractors.

audiogon.com



Some more info from the designer


The UNI-Pro's lines and spots are all laser hairline - the sharpest possible.
It's template is true mirror - 3 mm deep parallax. Each template is concave laser-cut to 1/100 mm. The actual "sweet-spot" is 1 single laser shot only. I thought it made little sense to make a spot larger than the stylus itself.
The cross-hair lines are all laser cut - the lines around the needle spot are in a half arc to accommodate the parallax aid lines when actually checking the cantilevers position as well as the cartridge body's azimuth. Furthermore there is a 8 mm vertical azimuth template to check at every possible point across the tangential curve.
The UNI-Pro comes with 3 precision machined POM-adapters for the TT spindle itself. Each adapter has a different center hole to accommodate different spindle diameters ( 7.05, 7.10 and 7.15 mm - others on request ...) so to precisely center each template without even the faintest play.
The template fixed over the spindle adapter then is surrounded by the UNI-Pro's main frame with the positioning linear drive and the magnifier slide.
The UNI-Pro's main frame fits over the template without the faintest play - due to the precisely cut frame and the special concave cut of the mirror templates.

The micrometer driven linear drive allows precise positioning of the locator arm relative to the desired "null point" (each mirror parallax template comes with an individual figure to dial in at the micrometer).
This is to precisely tri-angular any desired geometry.
All this is done in less than 2 minutes.
The magnifier-slide puts the magnifier in exactly the correct position to focus in on the stylus.
You can directly take a bearing on the cantilever and determine whether it is really in right angle to the arc.
I will certainly not mention any other alignment tool here in comparison.
What I am sure about however is, that the UNI-Pro is the first truly universal alignment instrument as it gives the very same precision to ANY pivot (and tangential ...) tonearm of ANY mounting distance and ANY effective length (14" and less that is ...) and ANY geometry.

For important individual tonearms like Technics EPA-series, SAEC, Fidelity Research 64 and 66, DaVinci, Exclusive, Ortofon RMG 309, SME V, SME 3012, Audiocraft 300/3000, 4000, Dynavector, Triplanar, Reed, Talea and several others are individual templates available all made based on the geometry specified by their designers.
All made to the same 1/100 mm tolerance.
A matching P2S-template with 1/100 mm precise readings will be introduced on Audiogon on February 25th.
It will come together with a goniometric tool to determine off-set angle of unknown tonearms.

The UNI-Pro is all precision milled, made and assembled in Germany.
All mirror parallax templates are laser cut here in Munich/Bavaria.
The micrometer linear drive is custom made here in Germany too.
This can't be cheap.
Given the exchange rate between the EURO and the US$ all of you will agree - especially when you actually work with the UNI-Pro and get a real-life-impression first hand - that it is rather inexpensive.
If there are any further questions, I am happy to answer them.
Finally let me state, that this is the alignment instrument I wanted always for myself. It fits my needs and satisfies my ideas about precision and fast as well as easy use.

[Gene]

Looks quite impressive. Looking forward to getting mine.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Gene

Looks quite impressive. Looking forward to getting mine.

I just had Daniel add me to the list for the second production run. He's making a template specific for my SME V. Should be available in April.

[1KW]

I am using the protractor which came with my SME arm and it sounds great ! I don't understand the point of this. Do you really think that SME would include a inferior protractor ?

[turntable]

Puma, SME V is fixed in the headshell right, so you cannot move it ? What are you expecting the Uni tractor will be able to add to the SME V besides accurate pivot to spindle. Interested in your thoughts or what Daniel told you.

Mine is from the 1st run and should be shipped off next week I am guessing. Me, I have specific alignment for the non standard Pioner Exclusive EA-03/10, Graham Phantom, Ortofon AS series as well as standard B, L & S.

[Puma Cat]

Shane, while it's true there are no slots in the SME V headshell for adjusting "horizontal" tracking angle and offset, the holes, depending on the screws used to mount the cartridge, this does allow for a little amount of horizontal rotation of the cart in the headshell. Also, the SME V protractor is not what I would call the most precise because you adjust the offset by viewing outlines of the the arm tube and headshell on the protractor from the top and moving the arm forward or back in it's rack and pinion system until the outlines of the protractor closely surround the perimeter of the actual headshell and arm. This is very susceptible to parallax error depending on the angle you're viewing the protractor from. Not what I consider to be most precise system, and it doesn't take into account at all if the cantilever is not perfectly straight with respect to the cartridge body (which many carts are not). Also the single line on the protractor that is supposed to be used to align the cantilever is thick and black, and it is hard to see if the cantilever is really perfectly straight relative to this this thick line, or not. It's just not finely graduated enough, and little adjustments make a difference with carts as we know. Especially with today's very thin but stiff cantilevers.

Daniel said he would make a protractor for me specifically for the SME V, so I am looking to improve my precision of alignment quite a bit here.

[Removed]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Shane, while it's true there are no slots in the SME V headshell for adjusting "horizontal" tracking angle and offset, the holes, depending on the screws used to mount the cartridge, this does allow for a little amount of horizontal rotation of the cart in the headshell. Also, the SME V protractor is not what I would call the most precise because you adjust the offset by viewing outlines of the the arm tube and headshell on the protractor from the top and moving the arm forward or back in it's rack and pinion system until the outlines of the protractor closely surround the perimeter of the actual headshell and arm. This is very susceptible to parallax error depending on the angle you're viewing the protractor from. Not what I consider to be most precise system, and it doesn't take into account at all if the cantilever is not perfectly straight with respect to the cartridge body (which many carts are not). Also the single line on the protractor that is supposed to be used to align the cantilever is thick and black, and it is hard to see if the cantilever is really perfectly straight relative to this this thick line, or not. It's just not finely graduated enough, and little adjustments make a difference with carts as we know. Especially with today's very thin but stiff cantilevers.

Daniel said he would make a protractor for me specifically for the SME V, so I am looking to improve my precision of alignment quite a bit here.

Well said

[MC352]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Shane, while it's true there are no slots in the SME V headshell for adjusting "horizontal" tracking angle and offset, the holes, depending on the screws used to mount the cartridge, this does allow for a little amount of horizontal rotation of the cart in the headshell. Also, the SME V protractor is not what I would call the most precise because you adjust the offset by viewing outlines of the the arm tube and headshell on the protractor from the top and moving the arm forward or back in it's rack and pinion system until the outlines of the protractor closely surround the perimeter of the actual headshell and arm. This is very susceptible to parallax error depending on the angle you're viewing the protractor from. Not what I consider to be most precise system, and it doesn't take into account at all if the cantilever is not perfectly straight with respect to the cartridge body (which many carts are not). Also the single line on the protractor that is supposed to be used to align the cantilever is thick and black, and it is hard to see if the cantilever is really perfectly straight relative to this this thick line, or not. It's just not finely graduated enough, and little adjustments make a difference with carts as we know. Especially with today's very thin but stiff cantilevers.

Daniel said he would make a protractor for me specifically for the SME V, so I am looking to improve my precision of alignment quite a bit here.

Great explanation, Puma Cat.
I purchased a custom alignment tool for my Rega, a while back, and I felt it made a difference. I came away feeling better about alignment being that much closer to perfect.

[turntable]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Shane, while it's true there are no slots in the SME V headshell for adjusting "horizontal" tracking angle and offset, the holes, depending on the screws used to mount the cartridge, this does allow for a little amount of horizontal rotation of the cart in the headshell. Also, the SME V protractor is not what I would call the most precise because you adjust the offset by viewing outlines of the the arm tube and headshell on the protractor from the top and moving the arm forward or back in it's rack and pinion system until the outlines of the protractor closely surround the perimeter of the actual headshell and arm. This is very susceptible to parallax error depending on the angle you're viewing the protractor from. Not what I consider to be most precise system, and it doesn't take into account at all if the cantilever is not perfectly straight with respect to the cartridge body (which many carts are not). Also the single line on the protractor that is supposed to be used to align the cantilever is thick and black, and it is hard to see if the cantilever is really perfectly straight relative to this this thick line, or not. It's just not finely graduated enough, and little adjustments make a difference with carts as we know. Especially with today's very thin but stiff cantilevers.

Daniel said he would make a protractor for me specifically for the SME V, so I am looking to improve my precision of alignment quite a bit here.

thanks Puma

I'll give some thoughts on the tractor after I get it and compare to my MintLP & Fiekert.

cheers

[Gene]

Originally Posted by turntable

Puma, SME V is fixed in the headshell right, so you cannot move it ? What are you expecting the Uni tractor will be able to add to the SME V besides accurate pivot to spindle. Interested in your thoughts or what Daniel told you.

Mine is from the 1st run and should be shipped off next week I am guessing. Me, I have specific alignment for the non standard Pioner Exclusive EA-03/10, Graham Phantom, Ortofon AS series as well as standard B, L & S.

I am also waiting for mine. The shipping seems to get delayed again and again as Daniel told me initially, it would be shipped on the 14th of March. I hope it is shipped soon.