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Tracking error distortion audibility

I recently unpacked my turntable from a couple of years of storage. It still sounds very good. Several times during playback of the first few albums I literally jumped from my chair to see which track was playing as it sounded so great. After a while I realized the "great" sound was always at one of the "null" points. They seem to occur at the approximately the proper place (about 125mm from spindle) and near the lead out groove. Questions:
Is this common? I have improved the resolution of my system since the table's been in storage but I don't remember hearing this before.
All others geometric sources of alignment error not defined by the null points (VTA, azimuth etc.) are essentially constant through out the arc correct? If so they should cancel out. I assume the remedy is a linear tracking arm but I am surprised at how obviously better the sound is at these two points.
Table - AR ES-1, Arm - Sumiko MMT, Cart. - Benz Glider, Pre - Audible Illusions, Speakers - Innersound electrostatic hybrid
Do linear arms really sound as good across the whole record as I hear at only the nulls with my set-up?
feathed
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Axelwahl, dear Feathed, you should check and read (for inspiration...) the thread about "oldskool tonearms...." from last month. During this thread the problem of tonearm geometry was discussed in length. Inner groove distortion is either a problem of:

a) miss-alignment/-adjustment of tonearm (any of its parameters)
b) miss-alignment/-adjustment of cartridge (any of its parameters)
c) worn or damaged stylus
d)...there is no d)

If you hear clear and precisely that the sound is significantly better at the 2 zero-error points, than your set-up is NOT optimal (in fact - far from it).

Please do re-check your whole tonearm-cartridge set-up (for the sake of your record collection....) with a good (Denessen or similar) tonearm alignment tool.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Axelwahl, BTW - I know Dirk Sommer - and honestly, he is NOT into tonearm geometry at all (noone of the staff at Image-HiFi is really into tonearm geometry - they are all happy if they do NOT have to mess around with that ...). The tonearm/cartridge combination you are using can be - assumed that nothing is defect - adjusted to excellent and homogenous sonic results and no distortion at all.
Its a matter of skill, care and precision.
jloveys
226 posts
 
May I jump in here to give an honour mention to the excellent and easy to use Graham cartridge alignment device that always is spot on with any cartridge I mounted, doubled checked carefuly with two points protractors. This clever device is a pleasure to use because you know alignment is correct BEFORE the armwand is mounted on the arm. I wish that all tonearm designer include this kind of device with their tonearm. It is safer for our valuable cartridges.
jloveys
226 posts
 
I read the thread about Mint protractor and noticed that some Graham alignment gauge users find differences in alignment. In my experience there are differences from one to another, some have some "play" in the foldable plastic device , other not. I had to return 3 to have a good one with no "play", and here I have no error anymore. I don't say it is the ideal and absolutely perfect way to cartridge alignment but a smart and SAFE way and certainly an idea to perfect for the future tonearm designers.
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Jloveys, agreed. Bob Graham is one of the - very few... - who has done literally all his homework. His tonearms are - in the very sense of the word - "complete". With his clever pre-set-up alignment he provides a tool which will enable even the most inexperienced audiophile to get at least 90% of the posible optimum from his tonearm/cartridge-combination. All you need it that and the 100% precise spindle-bearing-mounting distance (he supplys a very nive tool for that too....) - then follow the manufacturers recommendations in terms of VTF of the given cartridge (during break-in close to the maximum recommended VTF...) and that will ensure that inner goove distortion and big sonic advantage at zero-error points won't haunt you at all.

High-end can be easy......... clever applied and precisely followed physics do help a lot.
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