Lewm, are you responding to me? If so, I mentioned "scientific data" meaning something quantitative with a verifiable, repeatable explanation as to the methodology used. Peter Ledermann's observations and descriptions are useful but do not qualify as scientific data. "Testified"? "Evidence"? "Expert witness"? This is not a civil or criminal lawsuit or legal matter. I sure hope not.
I don't mind saying that I have grown a bit jaded about the pursuit of "the best" when it comes to vinyl. I chased that rainbow. It is a good microcosm of pursuing the best in general home audio reproduction. No matter how much money you throw at uber-expensive cartridges and all associated gear, no matter how much you pursue every last detail of set-up, no matter your record cleaning regimen and devices, you are still facing substantially more significant compromises that can not be overcome. Everything needs be looked upon in perspective. I am not making any judgments here-and am instead only voicing my own perspective based upon my own experience. I am very happy with the sound I get from my present vinyl set-ups. I am not sure I would do anything differently. I simply have my own ideas as to where diminishing returns begin to make a sharp downward curve. Obsessing over optimum AS is one of them.
On a related note, of all the things the very finest tonearms have in the way of refined, intelligently engineered adjustment features, look how crude the AS mechanism inevitably is-either magnetic or a piece of monofilament with a weight and lever with detents. It doesn't matter if the tonearm is the Project Perspective Carbon mentioned above (not to demean it, it is very nice) or a $28,000 SAT, AS is accomplished using crude string and weight method is utilized. Mr. Gomez conceals his with internal pulleys but is still based upon a weight and a string. It is part and parcel of the fact that setting AS is a compromise that the solutions come up by mankind so far to combat AS remains relatively crude.
Like the Project Carbon owner above, I can not stomach the sight of a wobbly weight at the end of a string hung over a glorified paper clip and attached at the other end to a lever. I prefer the clean look and fine adjustment offered by the magnets on my two Reed 3P's. But that is purely aesthetic. I don't claim the methodology to be any more sophisticated.