Curved and Straight Tonearms

Dear @bimasta: The whole inner grooves " problem " ( if any ) depends on many parameters where perhaps the more critical to avoid the problem or to live with are: " zero tolerance " through the TT/tonearm/cartridge alignment set up, self cartridge tracking abilities, " perfect " match between cartridge/tonearm, tonearm damping levels and tonearm bearing design.

If any one of us takes enough care on those parameters you can be sure that that problem will stay at minimum and you will not aware of its existence.

Now, there are several classical compositions/recordings withpassages recorded at very high velocities in the middle of the LPs or before it where we can listen the same inner groove problem because those paremeters I metioned are not up to the task.

Stevenson A gives not real advantage over the other alignment types ( including the Stevenson B. ) and goes against the MUSIC experience but it's up to you if you can live with 20 minutes of higher distortions levels in favor of the last 1-2 minutes, fine. As I said is up to you.

Obviously that's not my target but stay as nearest I can fulfilling all those parameters I mentioned.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R. 

bimasta: I forgot other parameters that has influence on those inner groove " problems: one is how good is cleaned the LP, other the stylus tip condition/wear leavels and clean level ( this clean level of stylus tip is important because after the first 20 minutes on playing a LP side the tip has not the same clean level that when started that LP side and when arrives to the inner grooves there is a true problem of the accumulated dust at the tip in the inner grooves. ) and other is the room temperature/humidity levels.

Some f all those parameters we can think are not important but all of them has influence about and makes a difference.
Example: stylus tip dust has its own distortion levels per sé, it does not matters if the cartridge is playing at the middle or inner grooves LP side but after 20 minutes of accumalation of dust at that stylus tip the problem is not only the self distortion levels but that that accumulation of dust at the tip makes that the cartridge tracking abilities goes really lower than what we could think and this facts produce higher distortion levels and mistracking.

R.

One internet guru who refrains from posting here these days gave a qualified recommendation for Stevenson alignment, as follows: If your LPs are "vintage", meaning original pressings from the golden era of the late 50s and 60s, he saw a merit in using Stevenson based on the idea that those LPs have grooves nearly all the way to the label. Whereas he thought Stevenson might be avoided, if you are primarily listening to later production LPs, where there is on average a wider empty space between the innermost groove and the label. I don’t even know for sure that his assumption is correct, but there you are. For myself, I tend to use whatever alignment was in the mind of the person who designed that particular tonearm. So, for vintage Japanese tonearms that I own, I use Stevenson. Otherwise, not.

The obsession with tracking angle error causing inner groove distortion is interesting to me. Many of those who have listened to the few tonearms in production that are to be mounted such that the stylus underhangs the spindle and which have zero headshell offset angle are struck by the lack of such "distortion" (read reviews of the Viv Float or the RS Labs RS-A1), despite the fact that such tonearms generate very large tracking angle errors, especially out at the outer grooves and at the innermost grooves. Makes you think maybe tracking angle error is not the cause of the perceived (and/or measured) distortion.

Dear @lewm : "   I tend to use whatever alignment was in the mind of the person who designed that particular tonearm.. "

Lewm, sorry for my ignorance and if you can please explain me the direct relationship between tonearm design and choosed alignment. How that choosed alignment can helps to stay with overall lower tracking distortions against other alignment type?

Knowing you it has to exist something extremely critical that you are aware of and that I'm taking in count and always is a learning day and as always I'm willing to improve my ignorance level.

Thank's in advance.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@bimasta: Btw, LT tonearms are not free ( in more or less way/levels. ) of the influence of those parameters I mentioned.

R.