Tracking error distortion audibility

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.

Dear Axel: Yesterday an audio friend call me to meet one of his friends ( new person for me ) at this friend place.

Well, he has a SME-30 wth the V and Windfeld cartridge with around 250 hours and he loaded at 180 Ohms ( no SUT ). We were hearing dfferent recordings and can't hear any inner groove distortion.
He was running the V in its original dinamically way and I ask to run in static way and the performance improve a little, he was satisfied.

Then, we take that Windfeld and come to my place where we try it ( loaded at 100 Ohms with no SUT ) in four different tonearms ( IV, Lustre, AT 1503 and our own design . ) where in no one show the inner distortion.

Btw, the Windfeld performs better in any of the other tonearms ( like was my experiences with LOMC Ortofon cartridges. ), in the V/IV its performance is good but not at the same level than in the other tonearms ( We try with a Nagaoka magnesium headshell and with an aluminum one, the cartridge " prefers " the aluminum one. ).

This Ortofon cartridge is very good and in some ways similar to other Ortofon MC cartridges specially the MC 7500, I like it.

Regrds and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hey, one more thing
re: Dertonarm
--"100% precise spindle-bearing-mounting distance"--
Just PLEASE bear in mind that this is hard FIXED with ALL SME arms. Overhang is adjusted by moving the bearing-post back and forth, yes?

Phew,
thanks for all the various inputs. Never expected THAT much feedback..
To clear up some items and also add some more thoughts.
1) I use a 30dB SUT (XF-1 type M, 1:31.6 xfactor) which is pretty much on the high side for a 0.3 mV cart as is the PW.

2) So far PRIMARY loading gave the best result, it is VERY much different to SECONDARY loading, which I have also tried.
I don't want to go into the detail now, but believe it or not 13 ohms! seems just about a perfect impedance match.

3) With no SUT the loading is anywhere from 500ohm to 47kohm and VERY phono-pre dependent

4) Back to inner groove distortion:

a) The PW allows azimuth alignment 1-3 degree, due to 3 point support. This I long checked with a mirror (as mentioned) it looks fine.

b) the SME's (all of them) come with a SME type overhang adjustment tool --- it appears VERY sensitive and (at least to SME) as accurate, or more, then most any other method.

c) the head-shell is fixed and has a 22 deg. off-set angle (no slotted screw holes) so all seems fine, or?

d) I wish I could have had some better experience with Ortofon. The PW came about due to a Jubilee exchange, a side-wall of the Jubilee splitting open AND a badly misaligned cantilever. The PW seems to be OK regards the housing (new design) BUT has an issue by VERY 'low riding' AND the new 3 point housing needing exceptionaly much higher arm adjustment (the two rear point are to high for the one in front). This makes for a VERY limited VTA adjustment range, with the rear body (tail-end) easily touching the vinyl, when it has a lip (start grooves) or with slightly warped vinyl.

e) Now, using a different cart, Lyra Dorian on 9c Project arm with RPM9 AND LP12 alignment, Baerwald paper alignment tools, etc. ALSO gave me inner groove distortion! --- also with a different phono-pre (PS Audio GCPH).

f) this may help to explain my mentioning Herr Albert Einstein's bit on doing the same thing over and over -- expecting different results :-)

g) As the cart goes it appears to be just riding too low -- when my 3 times repared Jubilee came back from Ortofon, it also sported a higher ride-hight than originaly supplied. Maybe my PW could do with some of that too? But I am sick an tired of Ortofon to be honest.

h) having also tried a Dynavector DV 20X-L, higher compliance than PW and less heavy, I could still make out some but less distortion. Did not fiddle too much with it as it only was a quick test, and this cart is no where near as good/neutral/resolved/etc. etc. as the PW

Maybe it's just all my vinyl...? New Alison Krauss & Union Station "so long so wrong" has ALSO distortion e.g. side two last band --- much too sibilant.
So there you go...

Thank you for careing and greetings
Axel

Two more items:
I did not respond correctly to the spindle / pivot item. The SME has a hard fixed cart-mounting-holes to arm-pivot distance.
Of course the SPINDLE (main baering) to arm-pivot distance is the VERY thing that IS variable with the SMEs,-- contrary to most other arms, that have a fixed pivot spindle distance once the whole for the arm-post is drilled.

One more interesting and MOST readable post to the subject happens to be found under: Analog / Mounting of a tonearm.
It, as it happens, echos some of my 'intuitions' for lack of a better word.