On-the-fly Adjustment of Woody Tonearms:
Woody tonearms are unique in providing on-the-fly adjustments of VTA, azimuth, and anti skate, allowing easy adjustment for optimal playback.
Woody VTA Adjustment; the VTAF:
All Woody tonearms incorporate The VTAF system (VTA on the Fly). The VTAF system allows the user to quickly and easily change VTA with the record in play by rotating a simple high resolution adjuster wheel. Each turn of the adjuster wheel changes the height of the tonearm bearing assembly by .025 inches (.64 mm). With line contact cartridges, the ultimate VTA sweet spot lies in an area somewhere within 1/3 of a turn of the adjuster wheel.
Woody Anti-Skate On the Fly, AZOF:
All Woody Tonearms incorporate an Anti-Skate On the Fly (AZOF) system. Torsion of the Woody frictionless string bearing changes the amount of anti-skate. An anti-skate knob on the upper platform of the Woody Tonearm can be rotated to adjusts anti-skate behaviour. A locking screw prevents rotation of the knob. Release the locking screw. Place the stylus on a spinning blank vinyl record (or an unused compact disk). Rotate the anti-skate knob until the arms swings slowly inward near the leadout groove. Snug down the locking screw. Play records.
Woody Azimuth Adjustment:
Unipivot tonearms come in unconstrained and constrained versions. VPI arms, for instance, are unconstrained unipivot tonearms. Nottingham, Durand, and Woody arms are constrained unipivot tonearms.
Unconstrained unipivot arms can do quite a bit of lateral dancing during cueing, and just after stylus touchdown. This is not bad, but can be disconcerting to the user.
Constrained unipivot arms have a snubber system which limits how far the arm can rock about its axis. Constrained unipivot arms handle much like a gimbal bearing arm.
Nottingham constrained unipivot arms use some kind of clever nylon monofilament tether to achieve the snubbing function. I have not attempted to figure out the details.
Durand constrained unipivot arms use a horizontal lateral beam projecting at right angles from the arm wand. This beam bears lightly on a horizontal rail to achieve the snubbing function.
The Woody uses an inverted u channel secured under the armwand below the armwand pivot. The u channel axis parallels the armwand axis. The inverted u loosely engages a vertical axis pin machined integrally within a small damping fluid cup. The cup/pin part is fastened to a lever which can move the cup/pin part from side to side. When the pin is moved from side to side with a simple lever, the u channel follows, rocking the armwand as needed to change azimuth. This allows azimuth adjustment on the fly (with the record in play). With damping oil in the cup, the inverted u engages the oil, providing damping. Also, in cases of imperfect lateral balance the oil would lubricate the interaction between the inverted u and the pin.
So the Woody is a constrained unipivot arm using a snubber system which 1) limits the amount of rotation of the arm wand about its axis, 2) is used to adjust azimuth, and 3) is used as a damper. This is three birds with one stone.
In the image below the azimuth adjustment lever can be seen on the lower platform. One side of the damping oil cup can be seen above the azimuth adjusting lever. The balance beam has been eliminated from current versions of the Woody Tonearms.
Woody tonearms are unique in providing on-the-fly adjustments of VTA, azimuth, and anti skate, allowing easy adjustment for optimal playback.
Woody VTA Adjustment; the VTAF:
All Woody tonearms incorporate The VTAF system (VTA on the Fly). The VTAF system allows the user to quickly and easily change VTA with the record in play by rotating a simple high resolution adjuster wheel. Each turn of the adjuster wheel changes the height of the tonearm bearing assembly by .025 inches (.64 mm). With line contact cartridges, the ultimate VTA sweet spot lies in an area somewhere within 1/3 of a turn of the adjuster wheel.
Woody Anti-Skate On the Fly, AZOF:
All Woody Tonearms incorporate an Anti-Skate On the Fly (AZOF) system. Torsion of the Woody frictionless string bearing changes the amount of anti-skate. An anti-skate knob on the upper platform of the Woody Tonearm can be rotated to adjusts anti-skate behaviour. A locking screw prevents rotation of the knob. Release the locking screw. Place the stylus on a spinning blank vinyl record (or an unused compact disk). Rotate the anti-skate knob until the arms swings slowly inward near the leadout groove. Snug down the locking screw. Play records.
Woody Azimuth Adjustment:
Unipivot tonearms come in unconstrained and constrained versions. VPI arms, for instance, are unconstrained unipivot tonearms. Nottingham, Durand, and Woody arms are constrained unipivot tonearms.
Unconstrained unipivot arms can do quite a bit of lateral dancing during cueing, and just after stylus touchdown. This is not bad, but can be disconcerting to the user.
Constrained unipivot arms have a snubber system which limits how far the arm can rock about its axis. Constrained unipivot arms handle much like a gimbal bearing arm.
Nottingham constrained unipivot arms use some kind of clever nylon monofilament tether to achieve the snubbing function. I have not attempted to figure out the details.
Durand constrained unipivot arms use a horizontal lateral beam projecting at right angles from the arm wand. This beam bears lightly on a horizontal rail to achieve the snubbing function.
The Woody uses an inverted u channel secured under the armwand below the armwand pivot. The u channel axis parallels the armwand axis. The inverted u loosely engages a vertical axis pin machined integrally within a small damping fluid cup. The cup/pin part is fastened to a lever which can move the cup/pin part from side to side. When the pin is moved from side to side with a simple lever, the u channel follows, rocking the armwand as needed to change azimuth. This allows azimuth adjustment on the fly (with the record in play). With damping oil in the cup, the inverted u engages the oil, providing damping. Also, in cases of imperfect lateral balance the oil would lubricate the interaction between the inverted u and the pin.
So the Woody is a constrained unipivot arm using a snubber system which 1) limits the amount of rotation of the arm wand about its axis, 2) is used to adjust azimuth, and 3) is used as a damper. This is three birds with one stone.
In the image below the azimuth adjustment lever can be seen on the lower platform. One side of the damping oil cup can be seen above the azimuth adjusting lever. The balance beam has been eliminated from current versions of the Woody Tonearms.
Initial azimuth adjustment is made by adjusting the azimuth lever to get the cartridge body vertical. One places a flat mirror on the turntable platter and adjusts to that the image of the cartridge body in the mirror aligns with the cartridge body. Then the counterweight can be rotated so that the snubber is not engaged. Subsequent small azimuth corrections can be made with the azimuth lever without adjusting lateral balance. Although perfect lateral balance is the ideal, and not difficult to achieve, the user gets glorious sound without being excessively preoccupied with perfect lateral balance after small azimuth changes.
Pete Riggle Audio
2112 S. Olympia Street, Kennewick WA 99337, USA
shop phone: 509 582 4548 email: peteriggle@msn.com
VTAF™ Trademarked. U.S.Patent No. 7630288.
Website content Copyright © 2021 Pete Riggle Audio, All Rights Reserved.
2112 S. Olympia Street, Kennewick WA 99337, USA
shop phone: 509 582 4548 email: peteriggle@msn.com
VTAF™ Trademarked. U.S.Patent No. 7630288.
Website content Copyright © 2021 Pete Riggle Audio, All Rights Reserved.