Rega Ania Cartridge Alignment

[Paul R]

This has to be the most annoying cartridge install *ever* - and it should have been pitifully simple. 

 

This is replacing an Exact cart on a Rega Planar 6 turntable. Sweet table. Lousey so and so Rega three point attachment.  

 

How the devil does one align this thing, or is just putting in the three bolts and eyeing thecartrige body alignment supposed to work? Using the Rega Stevenson protractor, who the heck can tell? The cart body is not straight. Eyeballing the cantilever just results in my eyes crossing, I can't tell if the dang thing is parallel or not 

 

Worse, I can't find any information on the Rega three point attachment. It should alleviate any issues with cartridge overhang and all that jazz, but the docs don't say. Why? There *are* no docs, cussed darn cartridge. 

 

Help? 

 

-Paul 

 

[AudioDoctor]

Welcome to the joys of vinyl...

 

edit: tomorrow when I am not about to go to bed I will give you a better answer if no one else has by then.

[StephenJK]

You don't have to use the three bolts!  You can use only two for a more traditional setup.  After that, whatever protractor you like, but if you're having a problem getting a good sight line on the cantilever that may be the issue.  For me, when doing that is one of the few times I have to wear my glasses with progressive lenses - that closeup work is just a blur otherwise.

[davide256]

you need tools to do the job, this one is probably the easiest to use, similar to the aluminum Dennesen tool I used in the 80's. Whats good about this design is that

it makes locking to the center of the arm pivot point easy. Cost  $149

https://www.audioadvice.com/pro-ject-align-it-cartridge-aligment-tool-black.html?gdffi=e01ec84e731342b1899b887d3a8458df&gdfms=03E1208293FC47B88494423816A1D07D&gclid=CjwKCAjwhbHlBRAMEiwAoDA34-Yx6lN27CxNE8Bd0sJT0OZpXIrJCeIeAtvR3REjxcjINyyljkdymBoCV-IQAvD_BwE

 

mobile fidelity makes a disk, you have to sight align with the arm pivot point. When you use one of these, make sure you immobilize the platter as belt drive platters tend to  move in

the middle of alignment  Cost $39.95

https://www.turntablelab.com/products/mobile-fidelity-geo-disc-phono-cartridge-alignment-tool

 

I use this, its a good multipurpose tool but harder to align on the pivot point than the devices above. Cost $20.00

http://www.turntablebasics.com/

 

The fun part comes in if your spindle is extra tight,  had to rasp the spindle hole for it to work with "The AR" platter.

 

Strongly recommend that if you don't have test gear to calibrate tracking that you set tracking higher than the nominal force... too light a pressure causes more damage to

records and stylii than setting the pressure up to 0.5 gm higher. If you have over $500 invested in a cartridge, run/don't walk, to buy a record cleaning machine as it will pay for

itself in reduced stylus wear by reducing friction-able  contaminants on the record surface. ( we grind gems down with grit 😉)

 

Also be sure that your tracking force is set before alignment...it will affect it.  Unless gross movement is required  your balance should be trivially affected by alignment

 

Mirrors are our friend for vertical tracking alignment, so much easier to judge if the cartridge bottom is parallel to  the record with a mirror. Be sure to recheck horizontal alignment

after adjusting VTA

 

[AudioDoctor]

I see some people have already chimed in. I have never been able to get a good alignment with the tools included with a turntable. I also used to have a hell of a time adjusting it, and that may be responsible for some gray hairs...  However, once I started using the Feickert Protractor, I get good sound and a much easier set up.

 

https://www.needledoctor.com/Feickert-Universal-Protractor

 

Another essential, imo, is the fozgometer...

 

https://www.needledoctor.com/Fosgate-Fozgometer-Azimuth-Meter

 

And finally, a test record to use it all on.

 

Good luck Paul.

[Paul R]

Thanks for all the tips guys - this little bugger and I are going to war this morning. Will try just the two screw alignment, but Rega discourages that, saying the cart won't be held tightly enough to the tonearm. Of course, these are the same people that want $250 for torque wrench, but won't offing publish the specs.  

 

I am not getting the bass reproduction out of this I expected,  and iot darn well has to be the alignment. 

 

The old Exact cart did a lot better, and was trivially easy to properly align. Just throw a sheet of white paper under it, if you have the same amount of space showing on each side of the two rear screws, it is aligned. Check with a protractor and it is dead on.  Of course, this pest doesn't let you see through the rear, and they don't tell you how the alignment lines are supposed to be aligned. In the center?  What.... 

 

[Paul R]

Well, the nuisance alignment is finally done and boy, does it ever sound much better!  I had to borrow an Feickert protractor to get the job done right, and then it turned out that a small, simple little change in the 3 bolt pattern make everything "right" That and dialing in 2.0g of VTF, measured on my trusty old Shure scale, and on a modern digital readout.But golly gee whiz - what a battle. 

 

I also installed the replacement LP120-UX, the newer model of the older beastie. Next to the Rega, it appears a bit chunky and clumsy. Next to the old version, it is the very model of sleekness. And quiet as a mouse. You can choose your own RCA cables, and it has a grounding screw. Amazingly, the built in phono preamp sounds pretty good too! And when you defeat it, it defeats completely, even with the USB output I could not resist giving a try. I mounted three extra carts on headshells, for various puposes, but mostly to record really scratched up and nasty records with. 

 

Then I run them through isotope RX7 and they come out the other side pretty nice. Maybe it is time to turn that into a business. After all this aggravation, I thing I should be getting paid. At least beer money!

 

Here's a pretty poor pic (it's the beer guys...). but at least you can get an idea. The uRendu is hiding behind the Rega Neo TTPSU and the Rega Fono MC.

 

-Paul 

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

That Feickert is an essential tool for setting up a cartridge.  Glad you were able to get it done.

[Paul R]

It sure was nice, expensive but nice. I have one on order. 

Need more beer. ]8) 

 

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, Paul R said:

Need more beer.

 

Don't we all.