Antiskating .... The last analog secret

Stringreen i am glad you are getting positive results with your VPI arm. Enjoying our favorite lps distortion free is the goal for us. Using 10.5 i had several lps that i know are difficult to track from years of hearing that i could not get to play with out distortion and break up. As i stated i use a Wally Universal for setup so i know i was very close if not right on. My daily job is hands on so i know tedious work. Believe me no one wants there setup correct more than me and i work very hard at it. This is one of the many things i love about our hobby so much.

Doug yes give tying up your lever a try. You know that jingle "whats the worst that can happen" In my case this little move has brought even better sound to my ears.
BTW i gave your music choice a try, was able to get a very nice copy of Haydn Music for England double lp set. You know im a classic rocker but i am truly enjoying the sound and music on these lps.
I already had my Wally on order when Mint became known here on the Gon. Wally is a very nice audiophile and i can understand him getting along with Yip. Its better for us as they may come up with better equipment for TT adjustments.

Everyone is talking about minimizing distortion during playback. Fact of life: some LP's already sound distorted and there is no way of getting rid of this even if you let the Zen master of the 10th+ level do the necessary adjustments.

Chris

Dazzdax poor recordings are poor recordings in every medium, but good set ups, set up correctly with good recordings, are what it is all about.

If an LP sounds distorted the primary causes are vinyl damage and misalignment. Others are excessive gain, etc.

You're right when you say "there is no getting rid of this" if the record is damaged. That is irreversible.

However, given an undamaged record, a properly aligned cartridge, and a well matched tonearm, distortion can be minimized to an imperceptible level. A zen master is not necessary; only patience and a little know how.

There is a good summary post out on AudioAsylum by Rob Doorack on October 26, 2007:

Jonathan Carr, the auteur behind the Lyra line, once wrote that he tried to design an arm that varied AS compensation as the arm arced across the record; he abandoned the effort when the design got too complicated to be practical.

For me, it's get-it-close-and-call-it-good-enough.