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
When I used to be in closer proximity to buddies systems, we used to frequent each other. All of the systems , including mine with various pivot tonearms, (still own a Dyna) allowed you to hear, if you listened closely, to the two spots on the record where the stylus was lined up best with the groove, depending on the geometry you are using. Where the stars align for the pivot arm . 

For those few seconds over each spot the focus is definitely - clearer.

IMO - If your anti skate is set up - ok - you should be able to make out these two spots...I mean should you decide to listen in this technical way.

Now an interesting thing... 
 
One turntable where this was definitely not the case, was with a Technics sl1200, with grado black, that I used to loan out.
  
But still .....it sounded good;  which leads me to come to the conclusion that even if off a little, vinyl distortions with a pivot setup are "pleasing in nature" for the lack of a better word,  the technics sl1200 pivot arm still sounded decent.

It's not until you hear better, that you realize the setup is off, from the better pivot tonearm setup.

Lewm only in a straight line. If you rub your finger against smooth glass at a specific speed and pressure you will encounter a certain amount of friction. If you rub your finger across 100 grit sandpaper at the same force and speed you will encounter more friction aside from taking your skin off. The groove is not that rough relative to the size of your finger but Newton's third law applies. In order to move the stylus relative to the cartridge and tonearm you have to apply a force which is what the groove does. The equal and opposite reaction is friction and heat. Unfortunately, the situation is so plastic given the variation in frequencies in combination I do not think there is any math to describe this. You are right about the effect of straight line speed on friction but a groove is anything but a straight line. The coefficient is probably not constant given the changing frequencies but I do not know this for a fact and I will try to fine academic support for that theory. I also think I can arrange an experiment. I can set the anti skate via a test record then play a smooth side at the same distance from the spindle as the test track and see which direction the tonearm slides. I'll get back with the results.
Oh Lewm, The speed of the stylus through the groove depends on the groove velocity not the speed of the record. The higher the modulation and frequency the faster the velocity. The stylus is traveling a longer distance in a given period of time
Duh! That's what I mean about changes in velocity, which are "accelerations" that generate a force in the horizontal plane. As the stylus bangs into the vinyl while traversing the modulations, the force due to acceleration ADDs to the "normal force" (Fn in the equation), pushing the stylus against the vinyl, thus momentarily increasing friction and therefore the skating force.  Like I said, we are not really in disagreement; I am trying to use the correct language to describe what I think is happening.  But it's got nothing to do with steady state velocity.  Playing a 33 rpm LP generates no less of a steady state skating force than does playing a 45 rpm LP, even though the steady state velocity is greater in the latter case (groove modulation notwithstanding).