INNER GROOVE DISTORTION

Oh wait, what’s this?

I don’t use anti-skating, just twisting the cable going to the junction box.

Actually knew that was there but only just now decided to use it. Classic example of why however good VPI are I’d never recommend one for the arm. Twisted wires. Sheesh!

So what happens is as the arm swings closer to the center the torque on the wire increases and this means a VPI arm will always have more anti-skate at the inside than at the outside. Its never right and anti-skate usually isn’t all that particular anyway (watch Lederman, explains beautifully why it is at best an average or trade-off) but still, twisted wires, I mean come on!

So odds are your twisted wires are twisted okay for the outside but too much for the inside. If this is the case then it will be the inside or Left channel that’s distorting the most.

Leavenworth Bulls Tooth. The porter, I mean.

Forty years ago at WSU my stereo skills were known so far and wide I had strangers calling me up for advice. Usually a few questions and boom problem solved. One time though I was thirsty, I can fix it, for a beer. When I already knew the fix. And so, walk in, where's my beer? Thanks! Quaff. Flick. Wow sounds great you're amazing here's another beer! (The half-life of a beer at WSU back then was in the milliseconds.)

So of course these things can be diagnosed and fixed at a distance. Its the beer delivery where things get a bit tricky.

But as for the "problem" the L channel information is on the left, R is right. I'm talking the groove as seen facing the turntable. So if the L is breaking up its bouncing off the inner side from too much anti-skating, so dial it back. If the R is breaking up its the other way around. And if BOTH are distorting then its nothing to do with skating, anti or otherwise, its the cartridge body is rotated too much one way or the other on the vertical axis, otherwise known as zenith. In that case go back to your Baerwald and fix the alignment problem.

Now, please PM me for delivery instructions. And make it a porter.