[unit]

I'm wondering what others use to evaluate their turntable and stereo with. To see if vta etc is adjusted properly.
Also to see if everything is imaging correctly and the soundstage is how it should be.
For instance, if the sax should be just inside of the right speaker and not the middle.
Or you should hear an instrument outside the left or right speaker and not from the center of the speaker.
Any experience you have would be appreciated, such as the album and what to listen for on a particular cut.

[sbrtoy]

There are several setup and test records that are somewhat helpful for this...one is from Hi-Fi Choice I believe and the other from Analogue Productions, there are probably more.

[unit]

I have all of the test records, but I wondered if there was a list of available records that one could use to see if your speakers are set up correctly. Say, if an instrument should be somewhere in the soundstage, say halfway between left speaker and center, and it was in the center on my system, that would indicate that I have the speakers set up wrong, or the azimuth is out of whack on the table.

[JimJ]

I don't know if there are any LPs that are set up like this, but I use the IASCA sound quality competition disc for stage placement...it's used for car audio SQ competitions, comes with a booklet with charts explaining where each instrument should be placed in the soundstage.

As far as checking turntable adjustments, I would do that with an album that you're really familiar with that's recorded very well. I usually use female vocals for this kind of test, because it's ruthlessly revealing in the midrange and I know what those albums are supposed to sound like when properly set up.

[hifitommy]

"For instance, if the sax should be just inside of the right speaker and not the middle.
Or you should hear an instrument outside the left or right speaker and not from the center of the speaker."

all recordings are laid out differently as to instrument placement.  i was acutely aware of this when i had rogers LS3/5A speakers.  EVERY recording i put on, and even some cuts within the same record were different that way.


some audiophile records come with diagrams or descriptions of the layout.  if your cartridge is aligned, and vta/vtf etc are adjusted properly, you wont need specific descriptions.  it will make itself obvious.  a protractor such as the wally or feickert and some advice on what to listen for with vta adjustment will do the trick. 

vinyl engine is a good resource and they have a forum too.  you could try searching at audio asylum vinyl also.