© Pro-ject Audio Systems · Pro-Ject Align it DS3· Revision 2022.10.14
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Adjust the horizontal alignment of the cartridge
Lower the cartridge down on the mirror (4) and adjust the azimuth on your tonearm (Consult your turntable
manual if necessary). If the bottom body of the cartridge and its reflection are completely parallel to each other,
the azimuth, or horizontal alignment, is correct.
Setting the effective length
Lower the cartridge on the outer alignment point of your chosen geometry/curve and the specific length of
your tonearm. For accurate alignment, keep your turntable’s platter as still as possible, and do not spin it in
either direction. Carefully lift the tonearm again, move it to the second inner point on the curve and lower
the tonearm/cartridge down again. The effective arm length is set correctly if the cartridge sits on the second
point when lowered and follows the curve. If it does not, adjust the cartridge position on the headshell. To do
this, lift the tonearm, loosen the headshell screws a tiny bit, move the cartridge forwards or backward on the
headshell and tighten the headshell screws again. Lower the tonearm and check the positioning at both
points and the curve. Repeat the procedure until you get it right.
Wrong Correct
Cartridge tangency adjustment
An aligned cartridge is essential to ensure the most accurate reproduction of the recording, low noise, and
the least amount of wear on the record and stylus. The stylus tip should remain as tangential to the record
groove as possible as it travels across the record. A pivoted tonearm can achieve perfect tangency at only
two points as the tonearm travels in an arc across the record. These two points are known as null points
(points where there is no tracking error). With this template, you can set the correct tangency so that the
cartridge is aligned to the straight lines on the template at the marked zero points (preferably the outer one).
