"Straight" talk

Dear @stringreen : """  The point is that even a "bit" off is off. It sounds good, but not when care of adjustment is carefully fineallized. """

You are rigth and agree with and with the critical importance that AZ has in the quality level during playback. 

" Perfect " AZ set up means that the cartridge will pick-up truer grooves information  and  with stylus tip as the Replicant 100 in your cartridge the set up is a must to care about.

As I said the role of any single cartridge set up parameter is critical but it's almost imposible to have all of them exactly at the rigth set up due to its inherent dependent relationship  and the LP surface imperfections.

As @lewm pointed out any one of us can be as anal we want on several audio subjects, like me that I am almost obssesed to mantain distortions at minimum and of course that a precise AZ set up is important for my targets but in audio and especially in analog audio we have to choose for the best trade-offs that can fulfill each one target.

I'm with you.

@testpilot , thanks to put the ligth on tha issue, I always say that each day is a learning day for each one of us. Not all of us have exactly the same knowledge levels.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

 

 Re

You might consider getting a Black Swan to try.  The cartridge loading in real time from the front panel will give you new tools to tweak' the stylus/record grove relationship and thus reproduction timbre and space.

How does cartridge loading ( a electronic circuit) change the needle in the groove position  (A mechanical adjustment)???

Now maybe a CNC tonearm if they could get the vibration under control.  Then you could program all the variables to change for each record and change even when playing.  Now that would be anal !!!

you have to be nuts to readjust your arm for every or even for different records.  This started out to be a caution for all to properly adjust azimuth, and how important this adjustment is on sound.  I've said what I wanted  - this line of posts is finished for me.

I adjust all my carts flat for the thickest records, and as most of my vinyls are thinner I´m running most of my carts a bit high (e.g. a greater VTA). All sound well balanced and I just forget different vinyls. Nowadays I don´t mess with VTF either, I just adjust it a bit higher than recommended average.
And then I just enjoy the music because my carts sound right then. And as vinyl play is already a VERY complicated thing why on Earth should I make it more difficult, I simply have no time to waste on inessential subjects.
As for atzimuth, I adjust it correct regarding the exact balance between the speakers (test record). Job´s done.