Does SRA matter with a mono cartridge?

[MikeCh]

Decided to play around with the USB Microscope again today and check what my SRA looks like with the Miyajima Zero cartridge.

I'm in the process of manipulating the resultant pictures to gain a better understanding of the actual Stylus Rake Angle (in this case being a conical profile, splitting the diamond down the middle from it's widest at the cantilever attachment to the middle of the conical tip) but a cursory look at my pictures tells me that the angle does not change much even with radical raising of the arm tower on my VPI Classic 2.

E.g., I took a picture at my start point, then another picture at 6 complete turns of the micrometer adjust up, then another picture at 7 complete turns up, then another picture at 9 complete turns up (turns up = raising the rear of the arm).

Do SRA adjustments matter with a mono cart with conical stylus to the same degree as they may with a stereo cart?

 

[MikeCh]

Here are the adjusted and measured pictures. My tonearm is butt up a smidgen above level and things sound great, but the SRA looks jacked up to me....

Start point (what I'm calling 0-turns on the lift tower):

This is +9 full turns of the lift tower (ass end raised about 3/8" or more from 0 turns):

At this rate of back end tonearm rise, I will need to adjust up +25 full turns or more of the VPI lift tower in order to reach the "ideal" 92 degrees SRA. That would put the butt end of my tonearm close to a full inch higher (if the tonearm lift will go that high) with a tonearm slope approaching that of an intermediate-ski run steepness above level.

This can't be right.

Am I correct in that with a conical stylus profile you split the diamond as illustrated? I don't think the cantilever suspension has been compromised, but I do find it curious that up to 9 full turns of rise with the tower lift only equates to a 4 degree gain in SRA.

 

[MikeCh]

Might any of our resident cartridge setup experts know the answer to the alignment question above?....re: SRA for a mono cartridge with conical stylus profile?

Mr. Jennings? Mr. Trayle?


Thanks.

 

[rockitman]

The stylus rake angle is the angle the stylus’s “contact patch” makes to the record surface. If you have a relatively inexpensive cartridge with a spherical stylus you don’t have to worry about SRA because the contact area remains the same regardless of arm height.On the other hand, elliptical styli along with the more severe “line contact,” Shibata, Geiger, Ortofon and other long, narrow contact patch “cutting edge” (poor metaphor!) stylus profiles require careful SRA setting to perform as designed.

I would keep it close to level. Raising the arm a whole inch makes no sense.

How to Use a USB Digital Microscope to set 92 Degree Stylus Rake Angle (SRA) | Analog Planet

 

[MikeCh]

I would keep it close to level. Raising the arm a whole inch makes no sense.

How to Use a USB Digital Microscope to set 92 Degree Stylus Rake Angle (SRA) | Analog Planet

Thanks Christian! Though I've read the same note from Fremer several times, I'm not sure how I missed the opening few sentences this go around!!

Something I found out last night while doing some listening to both the Miyajima Zero and my Cadenza Bronze is that I can leave the arm tower height adjustment alone now.

Previously, I would run the Cadenza at a certain height on the tower with one arm wand, then when changing to the arm wand with the Zero I would lower the arm by two turns in order to get the arm tube horizontal with the platter.

After confirming the Cadenza SRA at 92.1-ish with it's tower height and loving the sound, I swapped in the Zero on it's dedicated arm and listened for a couple hours leaving the arm tower in the same place. It sounds great like this which has the butt end up just a bit over level.

Going forward it will be nice to know I don't have to adjust the arm tower and keep track if I'm +2 turns or -2 turns at any given point. Rather, I will now adjust a little here or there per LP if needed when playing an extra thick or extra thin disc.

Thanks again.

 

[rockitman]

I posted that assuming conical and spherical stylus profiles mean the same thing.

 

[MikeCh]

I posted that assuming conical and spherical stylus profiles mean the same thing.

Understood and I agree.