Well Tempered Reference Arm and Koetsu Rosewood Signature Combination

Speaking to azimuth and the original Well Tempered turntables Player, Classic, and Reference models. The platers have a slightly concave record surface. Along with a an assortment of threaded record clamps the combination is intended to address warped LPs to some degree by preloading the disc from the outer edge downward at the spindle.

The Classic and Reference forked arms are equipped with anti-skate and azimuth on the fly adjustability. Using the Fosgate Fozgometer and the Clearaudio azimuth test record its simple to get a reasonably accurate azimuth setting.

In my experience the fly in the ointment is the irregularity in the thickness of the vinyl in the label area and weather or not the clamp is all the way down. This can affect the Fozgometer reading slightly. Audibly, I'm unable to hear the difference.


Another observation. I've found changing the tonearm cup fluid with 100,000 cst polydimethylsiloxane fluid from Turntable Basics at least yearly has had a noticeably audible affect. Two 10ml syringes should be enough for the job if the paddle is properly located.  

I have no experience with the Koetsu. I've had Benz Micro Wood Lo and the 10.7 gram Ruby Z, compliance 15, tracking at 1.9 grams.


IMO the biggest improvement in LP playback is ultrasonic record cleaning.  

 

Lewm, regarding the Well Tempered forked tonearm I, for one, understand and agree with your point regarding the semantics around the word bearing.

My concern is the issue that would have allowed you to visually notice a change in azimuth as well as the over damping. A few things that come to mind:
 
If the plane of the paddle was too far out of relationship with the cartridge mounting surface this might have created an azimuth issue. I've seen arm wands that have spun within the paddles T support which cause this. If the paddle had contacted any part of the cup during its arc across the LP it would have caused similar problems. 

A difference in vinyl thickness and or a variability in how the record was clamped down to the platters concave could have been viewed as a misadjusted azimuth. This is one of my personal dissatisfactions with the early Well Tempered system.

Over time the viscosity of  the tonearm damping fluid increases which is just as unnoticeable as the wear of a vacuum tube. The difference isn't noticed until its been replaced. Some have used the much more viscous platter cup fluid in the tonearm cup. Some have even admitted to using automotive additives for these fluids. 

In any case there may have been an issue with the setup of your Well Tempered tonearm. All the best with your current collection of spinners, very nice.

To the elderly but well tempered. Wishing you all a fine Holiday. Whether you end up in that semi-comatose state of being that we've been practicing our entire lives to do elegantly. Or you fall back on the, 'I'm old WTF do you expect,' All the best!

statman71, "2-3mm rubber disk"? Thanks for the tip, I'm down like four flat tires to try this. I'm not familiar with Do It Best hardware, I'll try the internet-but do you recall what department you found this material in?