An "audiophile" friend was amazed at my inability to hear the results of minor VTA adjustments. He attended my house to demonstrate, fiddled with the adjustment ring, and then proclaimed himself satisfied that he had found the optimum VTA. We listened for a while and then I noticed that I hadn't locked the adjustment ring in place. "You may have moved it a little when you were changing records", said my friend. "I'll have to go through the adjustment procedure again."
This time I stood at the turntable doing the adjusting while he listened at the other end of the room. But I never moved the ring - only made a pretence of doing so. Nevertheless he "heard" changes, rebuked me for my deafness, and was sure that his preferred position was identical to the one he had determined before.
I don't feel so bad about my inability to set VTA by ear any more.
This time I stood at the turntable doing the adjusting while he listened at the other end of the room. But I never moved the ring - only made a pretence of doing so. Nevertheless he "heard" changes, rebuked me for my deafness, and was sure that his preferred position was identical to the one he had determined before.
I don't feel so bad about my inability to set VTA by ear any more.