[AnalogueInQatar]

Dear members.

I have just set up my Versalex and I am in the process of fine tuning the settings. When the golf ball end is sitting in the goo in the cup, the horizontal plane of the two thread hinges is not perfectly parallel with the plane of the head shell.

If I use the collar to adjust the azimuth and make the head shell azimuth perfect when playing a record, it is clear that the golf ball is not sitting horizontally.

I reckon there is a 10 or 15 degree difference and I need to adjust it.

The Simplex manual suggests course azimuth adjustment can be made by gently twisting the wand until both head shell and ball axis are horizontal. There is a diagram which shows this.

The Versalex (Ltd arm) manual does not say this.

I can play records with a non-horizontal golf ball, but it is clearly not in a comfortable equilibrium.

Can I gently twist the arm? If so, how do I do it? Does it rotate fairly easily or is it stiff? How/where do I hold it?

I hope my poor descriptions make sense.

Many thanks in advance.

Dirk.

[rob400]

Hi Dirk.
Does your Versalex have the newer Symmetrex arm fitted?

[AnalogueInQatar]

Yep. The new one, with the metal piece on top.

I did have a brainwave earlier, though.

Could I have possibly twisted the arm tube as I rotated the counter  weight?

Is it such a  loose fit? 

[rob400]

If you did twist the arm tube inside the metal top (which sits on top of the half golf ball) then you must have been fairly robust or the fit in there is looser than mine. The filament cable nibs certainly need to be in line with the head shell.

The method I use to set up the Azimuth is to place the stylus in the centre area of the LP and if you have a cartridge with vertical sides to it's body shine a light from directly above it to create it's reflection on the vinyl. Easy then to set the cartridge vertical. You will find due to the way the filament cables cross as the cartridge moves over the LP the azimuth will be slightly out one way at the start and the other way at the end of the side. By setting the azimuth true at the centre of LP position the drift is minimal and not audible to these ears. Hope this is understandable.

[AnalogueInQatar]

Thanks for the reply.

I'll take a look in the morning. Your suggested method sounds systematic and methodical.

Dirk.

[AnalogueInQatar]

On second observation, the error appears much smaller, but there is definitely a difference.

It is playing like a demon at the monent, so no problems as such.

I will email the distributor, just to be senisible.

Thanks for the leveling advice.

Dirk.