What Do You Hear When You Adjust VTA?

This is an interesting but very controversial subject as it relies a lot on what people hear and how they describe what they hear. I am not saying VTA makes no difference but your great question will be answered correctly by a lot of people who sound like they are disagreeing. I know it makes a difference to get it right and once you hear that sweet spot, you will understand. In my experience it is like the music becomes distinct notes with beginnings and endings. The sound stage or spatial impression of the different instruments becomes more apparent. There is a smooth transition from treble to bass without ringing(tinny sound) or slurring particularly in the bass. What is hard about this is that some cartridges seem to have a very small "sweet spot" versus others. The other thing that one must tweak when you move VTA is the VTF as they play off each other to some extent. (IMO only). My experience with the ZYX Universe is that a VTF on the lighter side of the acceptable range with a slight tail down is close to the sweet spot, then slowly move up a small amount, then move down over a listening session. One small tweak is to wait until the second or third record to do serious adjustments. I do believe it takes a couple of records to get the suspension loose. Also on cold days, it may take a little longer if you let it get too cool.

I agree, again.
One thing that has helped me a lot is to play many records within a boxed set. Then you can be pretty sure the pressings are more or less uniform in vinyl thickness and the cutting angle. One set I have has aprox 100 records in it of all different periods in classical music. You get harpsichord - very difficult if the VTA is too high - strings, organ music -plodding, poor muffled bass if VTA to low, voice (opera) which sounds a mess if VTA either way is incorrect.
Pretty quickly you can dial it in.

There is no general rule for the VTA (and the results), probably some explanation will be useful:
1. All up and down (VTA) is depending of the angle the grooves were cut into the record.... different years, different angles, different labels, no Standard...
2. The diamonds from the cartridges have also some influence (Shibata, Paroc....), but even more important the polishing of the diamond (contact area). When the angle is "right" into the groove, you simply habe an optimized contact area and you will hear more details, specially in the higher frequencies.

No matter what Arm or cartridge you use, it depends on your own findings.
Let#s talk about an original from the 60's, done with a few microphones...normally the Arm has to be a bit lower in the rear, when you do that, the sonic result is like "zooming into the Soundstage", it gets wider and you are more "in it". When done wrong it is like listening to a "point source" between your speakers.

For stylus that elliptical or non-fine lined, the VTA is less critical. Generally the description of tighter non-muddy bass and clean highs makes sense.

But for a fin-line or Shibata stylus I think you need to listen a bit differently. The groove wall modulations for bass are large, and any semi-aligned crtridge will play them. But high frequencies are very small, to the point where the angle of the cutting head plays a major role. Since a fine line stylus shape is also narrow it becomes apparent that the high frequency grooves must align with the narrow stylus edges.

Therefore you need to listen to leading edge transients on cymbals and bells and such. If you get that right then all else should fall into place.

Do a search for SRA. The Stylus Rake Angle (SRA) is not exactly the same as the Verticle Tracking Angle (VTA)and much has been discussed on this subject. In the SRA search under the analog section there is a discussion about using a USB microscope for setting the SRA. About half way down Doug Deacon has an entry that I found enlightening and specifically discusses the audible changs to listen for as you adjust the SRA up or down. Doug adusts his by ear on each album and has keen insight to what you can listen for. Very interesting read that helped me find the proper SRA for my table/arm/cartridge by listenind also. I would place a link to it, but I do not know the proper procedure.