Origin Live Aurora MKI - Manual (Page 16)

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Viewed from head on, the stylus must be perpendicular in the groove so as not to favour one groove wall,
and therefore one channel, over the other wall/channel; this is Azimuth.
Vertical tracking angle (VTA)
Viewed from the side, the stylus must sit correctly in the groove, at the same angle as the original cutter;
this is Vertical Tracking/Stylus Rake Angle. VTA, however, varies from record to record. Therefore, this
alignment must be set by ear, even more than is the case with the other adjustments).
Hi-Fi cartridge aligning tools
Tools required are an alignment gauge, a tracking force gauge, a FLAT record, a screwdriver or Allen keys of
the right size (usually 2mm), a good light may also be helpful. Small needle-nose pliers and a magnifying glass
all help. It also helps to have the hi-fi news test record. Treat the arm with care, as some parts are fragile. To
this end ensure that tightening of any bolts is carried out gently and without causing undue strain.
Check hi-fi cartridge clip connections and mounting
Tonearm wiring uses a standard colour code for left channel (L) and right channel (R) and polarity. Coding is
as follows: White = L Hot, Blue = L Ground, Red = R Hot, and Green = R Ground. If the cartridge pins aren't
colour-coded the same way, they will have letter identifications next to them. Make sure that the arm’s wires,
wire clips, and solder joints are in very good condition. At minimum, clean the contact between cartridge pins
and wire clips by removing and replacing each clip. Holding the clips with needle-nose pliers can make this
easier, but be careful that you don’t strain the wires where they join the clip. Check the clips for a proper fit on
the cartridge pins, and adjust them if necessary. "Proper" means snug but not tight. To check clip size, hold the
cartridge tail-up close to the head wires, grasp a clip firmly right behind its tubular part with the tweezers, line
it up with the cartridge pin, and press. If it does not slide on with moderate force, the clip needs opening-up. If
it slides on easily but flops around when attached, it needs tightening. Sizing is the operation most likely to
detach a clip. The trick is to avoid bending the wire at its attachment point or putting too much tension on it. To
avoid either, always hold the clip with its wire slightly slack-looped behind it while adjusting. For opening a
clip, hold it firmly with the tweezers or needle-noses, right behind its tubular section, and press the tip of the
jeweller’s screwdriver into the open end of its longitudinal slot until you see this widen very slightly. (Here's
where you'll probably need the headband magnifier or reading glasses.) You're dealing with thousandths of an
inch here, so a barely visible spreading may be all that's needed. Try it for fit, and repeat until it does. For
tightening a clip, press a toothpick inside it as far as it will go, then use the needle-nose pliers to gently squeeze
together the sides of the clip near its free end, while watching the slot for any change. (Attempting to squeeze a
clip without the toothpick inside it will flatten its sides.) Try it for size, and squeeze again if necessary until the
fit is correct. When it is, close up the middle section of the tube to match the end
Cartridge mounting screws (usually 2.5mm Allen bolts) should be tight. Steel Allen bolts are the best for
mounting hi-fi cartridges - aluminium or brass are OK but difficult to tighten up hard (as they should be).
S E T T I N G U P H I - F I C A R T R I D G E S
Mounting
Mount the hi-fi cartridge in the headshell if this is not done already. This is best done with the hi-fi cartridge
stylus guard in place but it may be necessary to remove it during at least one phase of the installation. If you do,
replace it as soon as possible. Be especially careful when the stylus guard is off, as many MC cartridges have a
strong magnetic field at the base of the cantilever. If this attracts the tip of a steel-bladed screwdriver, it can
destroy the stylus - there is no hope of resisting it. The best precaution is to keep the screwdriver well away
from the cantilever, use a nonferrous screwdriver, or keep the stylus guard on when you're using the
screwdriver near it. The other main hazard is children so don’t forget to warn prying fingers.
The headshell screws should be finger-tightened just enough that the cart ridge cannot fall off but still loose
enough that the cartridge is easily moved around. Work whenever possible with the stylus’s safety cap in place.
Set tracking force at nominal, then does the tangency alignment procedures, then the azimuth. Do not deviate
from this sequence as each step affects the subsequent one — change the order and the set-up will be wrong.