Anti skate. I think something's wrong

Dear Stringreen: "  The object of all of this is to get sound that is closest to a live performance.... "

well my target is to stay closer to the recording.

Anyway, what need we to stay closer to the recording?: a nearest " perfect " cartridge ridding/tracking to the LP recorded grooves. At least is the primary characteristic to achieve that goal.

The cartridge stylus/cantilever/suspension has a very hard days trying to track the LP grooves because the existence of so many forces that has influence during the tracking job all over the LP recorded surface.
The ridding of the cartridge stylus goes from one side to the other and running at the same time up and down even if the LP is flat. Additional to that the excentricity of the LPs introduce additional movements/forces to the free cartridge tracking as the LP waves too. Before the skating force the cartridge is against many other micro vibrations generated by the action between the cartridge/tonearm and from the TT too and all the feedback of those generated diferent kind of vibrations with diferent kind of amplitude.

Now, on all those overall " forces/vibrations  sea " lives the skating force with an additional influence that we can't just disappeared in some ways, perhaps we can set up at minimum for almost no influence but we can't be sure we can do it and with so many variables surrounded the skating force is really dificult to aisle its critical influence in the performance quality sound level.

Yes, you said: I like it  what I listen more with out a/s and I'm with you on this subject or at least I was w test with the Telarc 1812 recording where I found out that some cartridges tracked in better way with a/s that with out it.
Because I want to be nearer to the recording I prefer to use a " minute " kind of a/s till I found out a way that improve the cartridge tracking with out the a/s.

That more open sound with out a/s that you mentioned was my experience too  and now I think that that " better " sound quality could be a form of some added distortion.

My test was performed using the vintage Lustre GST 801 tonearm that has a magnetic ( not mechanical. ) a/s mechanism and I think the EPA 100 too. In a few days to come I will try to do it again with other today tonearms and se what happen.

The analog experience is a nightmare. Everytime we change the VTF in theory we have to change the a/s too and other related parameters.

Regrads and enjoy the music,
R.

No anti skate, and no arm to junction box cable twist, on my VPI arm.

I do use a VTF about 0.1 gm above recommended optimum.

Remember anti skate is never completely correct across the LP. Also the stylus vibrates in three dimensions during play, making tracking error less important than many claim.

I hear no inner groove distortion on any of my 2000 Lp’s.

rauliruegas

"... The analog experience is a nightmare. "

I think that's a myth. Yes, proper setup can be a tedious process. You need the right tools, and everything has to be precise. Yes, it's typically expensive to do it well. But it's a mature technology, so pretty much everything that's a factor in LP playback - I assume that's what you mean when you refer to "analog" - is a known entity. Excellent playback gear, from cartridge to phono preamp to cables, is readily obtainable ... for a price. That it is complex and easy to get wrong shouldn't make it a nightmare for anyone with experience.

There are those that want to make LP playback a mystical, ethereal pursuit. But it's really fairly basic physics and geometry.
 

I would highly suggest you either call the arm manufacturer or take the table to a reliable repair center to be checked.  That's the best recommendation anyone can give you.

Audiolad, that's good advice.