7
This - BTW ... - is an option to use the
UNI-Protractor to determine the cutting limit of
your record(s). It is nothing but a “helper” or
“indicator” whether your record(s) are rather cut
following DIN or IEC standard
(or none of both ...).
Just put the UNI-Protractor main frame - w/a
UNI-te spindle adapter inserted - on a
record you are fancy about. Now look whether
the run-out groove is closer to the DIN or to the
IEC groove marked ending at “11 o’clock” and
“1 o’clock” on the northern rim of the UNI-
Protractor. This may give you an idea about what
geometry to choose and/or to what cutting
standard to adjust your tonearm.
It may be advisable actually to make a
cross-check with the majority or the most
important (i.e. most frequently listened to..)
records in your collection to determine whether
the majority of your records features rather long
lead-out groove (most modern pressings since
1980 following IEC standard) or whether a
good portion of your collection are early stereo
pressings from the fifties to mid-seventies which
quite often even exceed DIN cutting standard.
Stevenson DIN for example might give better
results on the later, while Löfgren B IEC will give
optimal results with very long lead-out grooved
records. These two “standard calculations” do
mark the two opposite extremes of the options
how to align a tonearm for a 12” record.
The inidvidualized UNI-templates do in most
cases follow the manufacturer’s recommenda-
tions.
With most tonearms of japanese origin this means
in most cases that they follow DIN and the inner
null will be more towards the inner label
(following Stevenson or Baerwald DIN).
With most modern “western” tonearms the
situation is rather vice versa, as many if not all
are designed following Löfgren A or B and IEC
standard (since most of them were designed past
1982).
There are some specific tonearms however for
which I have calculated an unique alignment
taking into account their specific geometry and
my personal ideas about weighted tracking
distortion.
This most notably applies to the Fidelity Research
FR-60 series of tonearms, the SAEC and Dy
-
navector tonearms.
It is impossible to discuss all aspects of tonearm
alignment here in this manual - especially since
there are so many different tonearms out there and
the situation is a bit different in any single set-up.
I am happy to answer any specific questions you
may have about aligning your specific tonearm(s)
with the UNI-Protractor.
Please feel free to contact us whenever you have a
question.
