Top linear trackers

Dear @earthtones : " Yes, it's got the extra length for lower tracking error, but I still hear inner groove compromises so that's why I'm looking seriously at linear trackers. "

Unfortunatelly and especially with the whole analog rig always exist trade-offs.
If it's real that a longer tonearm has lower tracking error it's true too that the cartridge/tonearm alignment must be super accurated because a minimum inaccuracy rpovoque even higher errors that in a shorter tonearm. In the other side in a longer tonearm the developed resonances/distortions are higher than in a shorter one.

With linear trackers exist trade-offs too like the opnes you named and others and one of those " others " is in the bas range ( specialy inl low bass. ) where almost any pivoted tonearm but unipivots are second to none and superior to the LT.

Now, those inner grooves compromises with a good analog rig and a high resolution system as your can be put at minimum where you can't detect it for this you need a good damped tonearm and a a cartridge with good tracking habilites. I don't know if the 312S comes with a trough for silicon oil damping as the SME V, this helps to better tracking and lower resonances.

Now and even that your cartridge/tonearm frequency resonance  has no problem your cartridge is a low compliance one and bad tracker that shows normally at inner grooves.

The tracking error in the SME and other tonearms is really small for been or develops that problem. I that been the problem then the 98% of audiophiles that use pivoted tonearms always have your problem and in my case in the last 10-15 years I left to have that kind of peroblem. LT can't fix it because the trouble is in the cartridge maybe only the one you own not all SS Susorro samples.

I have several cartridges that runs in pristine way the Telarc 1812 LP that is the most extreme challenge at inner grooves.

So, I think that your problem is not exactly at the 312S but somewhere down there.

If you want to go a head with a LT then could be " healthy " to test it before buy it at your place with your cartridge.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.  

or could be that your tonearm sample is out of specs.

@erthtones you can try to contact directly Peter looking for adcvise about and in the other side with SME too.

Do you already tested other cartridges in the 312S?, I think that you could do it and see what happens.

Btw, what happens  when at the inner grooves of an LP ( Classical. ) there is no those normal climaxes? any trouble down there too?

R.

@rauliruegas I’m quite sure the tonearm is fine and I’ve run three different cartridges in it - a Benz Ruby 3, a Kiseki Purpleheart, and now the Soundsmith Sussoro, which by far tracks and reveals the best I’ve heard. It was a bit of a challenge aligning the cartridge since the SME paper alignment template is a joke, so I did quite well with my SMARTractor and adjusting the sliding base in an iterative process to get a Baerwald alignment spot on. (I’m not interested in Stevenson). Then I ran the Analog Magic software to help get the other parameters precisely dialed in. **There is no gross tracking distortion generally with my good records. Instead the soundstage gets slightly pinched or constricted**. To give one example of a great recording of mine that is however, compromised, on my well recorded copy of Paul Paray Conducts Ravel/Debussy, Mercury Living Presence reissue, one side has music well towards the center. It is there, for example, that the soundstage collapses and distortion rises moderately. This record plays tremendously until the last few millimeters! I know the grooves themselves may be limited and perhaps the engineer squeezed too much on one side. It is my hope that with a good linear tracker the range of excellent sound will be vastly increased. 

@earthtones : by coincidence I own that LP too and several others that are well towards the center.

I don't listened to that LP from years now I will try today and if I I have any trouble down there I will post it and if not I keep " quiet ".

With out listened yet and knowing my system I could think will be no trouble but.......we will see.

R.

Please no flamewars, just another datapoint. 

Versa 1.2 and VPI TNT 1 with 9" JMW arm with Benz LP sound the same. I was surprised expecting the Versa would outshine the VPI, but that was not the case. The Benz sounded wonderful in both VPI and Versa: very rich tonally which is my preference. LP is very detailed also but not as much as Goldfinger. Better than either is the Benz Gullwing which combines the lucidity of the Goldfinger with the calories of the LP letting you have your cake and eat it too. The cherry on top is that the Gullwing costs less than either LP or Goldfinger. There is no body like no body. Want to hear the new Ortofon Verismo which also has no body but the demand for that cartridge is high and I cannot get ahold of one. Always wanted an Ortofon. It is wonderful how these old companies continue to flourish: Benz, Clearaudio, Ortofon, Koetsu, Lyra, Kiseki. Of course nuttin' wrong with new companies. People can be so touchy.

(Comparing TNT with 9" JMW against recent Avenger with 12" printed arm again the same. No progress in twenty years, but both are great turntable/arms. In case you were wondering if the Versa/TNT comparison holds up after both types out of production since the last century.)