Sibilance -- that last little bit...

Focusedfx,

It's possible that alignment, VTF or SRA are contributing to your problem. But if you've adjusted them without reducing end-of-side mistracing then you may simply have reached the performance limits of your equipment. Since the WT is a very well-damped arm and table, suspicion begins to fall on the cartridge.

Some cartridges are worse than others at tracing those challenging inner grooves. No amount of adjusting will overcome that. Inquiring minds want an answer to Marakanetz' very pertinent question. Of course if Viridian's guess was correct, 'nuff said! I could guess some others too.

Seantaylor99's supposition that the LP's may be to blame seems unlikely since you're hearing the problem on multiple LP's. I have LP's that give many cartridges fits, but the LP's aren't faulty - just difficult. My two most recent rigs play them all with great clarity. This clarity only arrived when I changed cartridges.

A superior way to set azimuth by measurement is to play a groove with info on one channel only, and compare the voltage output on each channel. Then play a groove with info on the other channel only and again compare voltage output on each channel. Adjust azimuth until the measured crosstalk voltage is the same on both channels. This compensates for uneven output levels in the cartridge (very likely, as Viridian states) or anywhere else in the system.

Wally's Analog Shop works in this fashion. Of course if the cartridge is truly wonky then forget measuring. Set azimuth by eye to keep the stylus vertical and buy a new cartridge.

The Cardas record has L-only and R-only test tones suitable for this method.

I took these same LP's to a friends with an HRX, JMW12.5 and Benz LP, Asthetix pre.....same noise. Yep the records sound great until INNER GROOVE DISTORTION hits!
Remedy....compact disc!

Begging to differ. The remedy is a better groove tracer than a Benz LP.

Focusedfx,
I'm unfamiliar with the 10x4 so can't say whether it can trace really tough inner grooves cleanly or not. I know a ZYX Airy 2 and above can, and that Benz's, Denons, Grados and Shelters cannot. They don't have the stylus profile for it.

I'm also unfamiliar with the WT protractor but I own the HFN record and its paper protractor. It's pretty poor stuff. If your arm is compatible with Baerwald alignment you should consider springing for a Wally Tractor or trying the poor man's version, the TurntableBasics. Either one should be superior to any paper protractor. The mirrored surface makes sighting and squaring the cantilever and squaring the azimuth of the stylus easier and more accurate.

True enough, though IME inner groove mistracing and physical groove damage sound very different.