Inner tracks vs outer tracks

@thuchan  :  Can you discern between 0.5804% and 0.5697% of tracking distortion levels?

Because that's the difference in between two consecutive grooves at near the LP center surface.
This tracking distortion level is changing at each single groove during playing and our brain perhaps can be aware of stand alone 0.5% but a little on the middle of the LP surface the tracking distortion level goes down to 0.106% and 0.105% that not even as a stand alone groove you or any one can detect it.
Our brain goes accustommed to those very low distortions even that can't detect it so where are the advantages between those differents alignments?

The main issue on cartridge/tonearm/TT overall alignment subject has a name and is: accuracy, that the alignment be accurated.

R:

Thanks for the answers. In my opinion, irrespective of the tracking error, which can be minimized with a linear arm, the difference in diameter should have an effect on the sound. We have the same amount of information stored in a shorter span. In my case, my analog system was improving in quality over the years and from a point onwards I began to hear differences as it entered the last two tracks of the album. May be due to better system resolution. Which bothers me a little. I am thinking of buying a linear tracking arm in the future to see if the differences can be minimized.

There is indeed a velocity change with the outer grooves moving faster than innner. This does matter and is why for example 45 sounds better than 33. Its why 30ips tape is better than 15. Its why half-speed mastering works.

It also changes very gradually from the first groove to the last. Should be needless to say, tangential tracking does absolutely nothing to change any of this.

People are notoriously bad and detecting changes that are continuous and gradual and slow. AC power is like this. A lot not only don’t notice power gradually getting cleaner making everything sound better late in the evening, they don’t even believe its possible! This tracking error thing I at least know is happening. Not happy with it. Just silly to try and deny reality. It happens. I don’t hear it. So I don’t care.

Some like millercarbon do not see this as a problem, they are happy with this situation. Others like me have solved the issue by using the UNI-DIN curve which provides a better sound also for the outside tracks - and by using a good system you will hear it!

UNI-DIN is nothing more than another cartridge geometry. The only difference is UNI-DIN is weighted more to having less error at the very end. For records that even go that far. The other alignments are more evenly weighted. If you are sensitive to this- if you can even hear it at all- AND if the last seconds of each side matter so much more than the first 15 minutes, then UNI-DIN might be worth the money.

Oh yeah. Money. Did anyone mention that unlike the other alignments people can download and try for free UNI-DIN is proprietary and requires buying a protractor? No? In other words, this is all marketing malarkey.

This tracking distortion level is changing at each single groove during playing and our brain perhaps can be aware of stand alone 0.5% but a little on the middle of the LP surface the tracking distortion level goes down to 0.106% and 0.105% that not even as a stand alone groove you or any one can detect it.
Our brain goes accustommed to those very low distortions even that can’t detect it so where are the advantages between those differents alignments?

Exactly.

Dear @thuchan  : Sorry for my ignorance but I need your help. You posted:

""   stick to Mono related curves..""

and posted too that you use a stereo related curve. What happens when you want to listen a mono recording, that according you is different curve,: do you have to change the alignment or your " curve " knows ( somehow? ? ) if is mono and not stereo. How swtich it in between?

Can you explain it?, appreciated.

R.

I don't know what MINT protractor uses, but I sure can hear the difference between the beginning and end of records....especially going from the end the record to the beginning of the same one.

Hi. Thanks for all the responses. What I was looking when I started this thread was to better understand the difference in sound, if any, between a smaller diameter groove and a larger diameter groove. Not the effect of tracking error or cartridge alingment. Assuming zero tracking error across the record, will there be differences in sound between the inner and outher tracks?