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Does removing anti-skating really improve sound?

I know this topic has been discussed here before, but wanted to see if others have the same experience as me. After removing the fishing line dangling weight from my tonearm I’m convinced my bass and soundstage has opened up. I doing very careful listening with headphones and don’t hear any distortion or treble harshness. So why use anti-skating at all? Even during deep bass/ loud passages no skipping of tracks. Any thoughts from all the analog gurus out there?
tubelvr1
tubelvr1 OP
13 posts
 
Thank you millercarbon for the detailed explanation. Does anti skating affect loudness of a channel also? I believe after removing the weight my right channel sounds equal to the left whereas before it was slightly louder.
oldschool1948's avatar
oldschool1948
501 posts
 
I have a Technics SL-1200G with Ortofon Quintet Black cartridge. I calibrated the arm using a Feickert protractor.  At this point, I can't say that not using anti-skating improves SQ, but I can unequivocally say it stops tonearm skating at cartridge set down.
pops
2,273 posts
 
I have always kept anti skating on my Vector 4 on the light side, just below mid level.  I think it best for several cartridges I have owned.  I think Millercarbon’s advice is sound.
tastyfreeze's avatar
tastyfreeze
135 posts
 
Better setup is better than better tweeking.  
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
it depends on the stylus tip profile, it's better to use antiskating if you don't want to destroy one side of the vinyl groove wall 
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