2m black-you little bugger, you!!

As some of you know, I recently got my first vinyl setup which includes a 2m black. I’ve had it about 4 months or so. In that time, I’ve been learning about vinyl and really trying to digest all the good and bad that comes with it.

I had thought that I had my 2m black aligned properly, about as good as I possibly could. I tried to boil it down to different algnment techniques etc. I had a sibilance “issue” that I resigned to the 2m black. I basically decided to just deal with it, because I am otherwise very satisfied with the fidelity.

I don’t know why I decided to mess with it again tonight, but I went and fine tuned the alignment, now mind you I thought I already thought I had done the best I could do. I made an adjustment that barely made a noticeable visible difference in the headshell, but the cantilever was every so slightly more aligned to the marked line in the protractor. I’m talking a minuscule change here.

First needle drop- I was stunned. The explosion of soundstage, the micro detail, transparency and just better overall imaging was a huge improvement. The sibilance also was MUCH reduced. That alone was worth messing with it. It’s like there’s in infusion of air and finesse and resolution that I had no idea I was missing before....and I was HAPPY with it before!!! This cart demands everything just right or it won’t give you the goods.

It was against my better judgement to do this tonight because I figured with my luck, I would break something trying to fix what wasn’t broken. But I lucked out and I’m so glad I did.

It is 100 percent true it seems, that the 2m black is very finicky and reacts to minuscule adjustments and needs to have a lot of care to get it to sing. I don’t have any other cart to compare it to as I’m a newbie, but holy crap does this sound good!

 

Good for you TNT!

Ted

 

Have a beer & enjoy. Nothing beats a tweak with improved results you can actually hear.

 

Found the same thing with Quintet Black, which is the same stylus cut, especially with azimuth and VTA. Small adjustments are very noticeable.

 

When people tell you that line contact styli are very particular, they aren't kidding. I'm glad the OP discovered the truth. I honestly wouldn't recommend one to anyone who isn't willing to go that extra mile to get things as close to perfect as possible. I know when I set up my Glider, I thought I did everything perfectly. I wouldn't even enter the groove. I recheck everything and I found that I had changed the overhang during the alignment by a millimeter. I corrected the mistake and it work perfectly.

 

Is there any consensus on whether it’s easier or more difficult (or doesn’t make a difference?) to properly align a cartridge, such as the 2M Black, with or without a removable headshell?

 

I have a removable headshell on my Thorens. Can imagine the first part of setting it up is nicer with a removable headshell. Can't wait to get a Black, having a Bronze right now and hard to imagine it can even get better than this.

 

My 2M Bronze is on a removable Ortofon headshell, and I think it's easier to adjust that way.

 

Far easier to work with removable headshells. That said, I also much prefer the OM series to the 2M series, far more versatile.

 

a little easier in my experience. if the turntable comes with a gauge you can get it close, then see where it lines up to your protractor on the tonearm at the platter. i then take the headshell off, make the small adjustment and reinstall / recheck. loosening, moving and tightening the cartridge on the tonearm is a little more touchy.

 

well done!
How did you arrive at your VTA? If your alignment radially or overhang distance is that sensitive, your VTA may be off.