Kinsekd- A number of table manufacturers (some expensive ones!)purposely make their platters slightly concave in order to minimize record warps. The amount of this "dish" is somwhat more than the amount of "dish" that would be created by the additional thickness of a groove guard on a full 12" platter. I am not an engineer and don't pretend to know (or thought) much about it, but it would seem unlikely that these manufacturers would go to the expense of making a concave surface only to degrade the sound. Therefore, I would have to assume that a very slightly concave surface has nearly zero negative effect on playing a record. Perhaps a carefully set anti-skate would offset the stylus wanting to go "downhill"?
I always felt that the groove guard helped to guide the stylus onto the first track or at least keep the stylus from skating off the album when it (the stylus) was placed near the outer edge...
Regards
Jim
I always felt that the groove guard helped to guide the stylus onto the first track or at least keep the stylus from skating off the album when it (the stylus) was placed near the outer edge...
Regards
Jim