Are you using anti-skating or not

One good reason is that some people think AS necessary because their gear won't track those stupid test records without it.

In actuality amplitudes found on test records are seldom, if ever, found on every day vinyl. In this regard, test records are useless. However, many of the other tracks can be helpful.

Alignment is really the key. With today's sophisticated stylus shapes and excellent tonearms, anti-skating is an afterthought IMO.

Are here also proponents who are fine tuning AS by means of hearing? --> Does this "setting AS by listening" work? Or is it only a joke?

No joke. I've posted a simple and effective set-by-ear method several times:
1. Start with no AS and dial VTF in carefully (by listening!).
2. Play real music and enjoy.
3. If you hear R-channel mistracking on difficult passages, add just enough AS to control it.

SUMMARY: leave AS at zero unless you hear the specific problem it's designed to address. Then use just as much as you need to control the problem, no more.

If that isn't a joke then the people who don't use AS at all are doing it wrong.

Not true. The method above starts with no AS. If the rig plays your toughest LP's cleanly then you stay at no AS. That's where my rig is. I've actually removed my AS mechanism altogether because I don't need it with my current cartridge and the arm's noise floor is lower without it, but YMMV depending on your rig and the LP's you play.

Bill, essentially you are saying: AS is not important. Or am I wrong?

Chris

I'm saying that based on my equipment, which is reasonably high quality and precisely aligned, I find AS contributes nothing positive to vinyl playback.

A blanket statement such as "AS is never needed" would be foolish. Given the permutation of tonearm/cartridge combinations, I'd bet you'll find some that benefit from AS.

YMMV

I not using AS (I have also removed the mechanism), I'm also finding that I can run much less VTF. So far, almost a gram less. I say so far because I haven't yet found the low point where mis-tracking occurs.