Tri-Planar with no anti-skate?

(1) All I'm saying is skating force is proportional to VTF. The word "proportional" in a mathematical term only means that they increase or decrease in relation to one another, which relationship may not be perfectly linear.
(2) Just about any tonearm instructions I have ever seen from any manufacturer will advise setting AS at some value below that of VTF, so no one would argue with that, least of all me.
(3) Glai, I think it is more correct to say that MORE tracking error reduces skating force, not less. The whole reason we contend with skating force is because the headshell is offset at an angle to the arm tube to minimize tracking error. This is what generates the skating force. If the headshell is not offset at an angle to the arm tube, then there is no skating force but lots of tracking error. In a 12-inch tonearm, this effect is somewhat ameliorated compared to a 9-inch one. That was the rationale for the Nottingham 12-inch tonearm with no headshell offset.

I agree with you guys; I do use the very most minimal amount of AS necessary to overcome that R channel distortion and to give even channel balance. I am not sure what Glai was trying to convey in his discussion of imaging, but I think we agree; I hear the musicians kind of get squooshed together on the R side. My observation was made with my Triplanar, but I also observed similar phenomena with a Dynavector DV505. With the TP, I need to try the tiny O-ring idea.

I think the way in which the cartridge is a determinant of the need for AS is only due to differences in stylus tip shape and mass. Those factors affect groove friction. Groove friction and VTF are all that should matter, for a given offset angle of the headshell.

Thanks, Glai. I misread the USB oscilloscope. However, I am not sure I agree with everything you've stated because what we hear without the AS mechanism is an increase in detail, not less as would be the case if there was indeed some distortion taking place. The imaging and placement of artists in the soundstage tell me things are working very well. But I am not arguing that every Triplanar owner should do this. Some may like it, some may not.

I do agree with you that all of these adjustments are in relation to each other. I do not disengage AS to set the other parameters as has been recommended for many years. The more I listened and tweaked and learned I found I was getting just as good if not better results by taking them all into consideration at once.

Dan-ed: As long as a good effort has been made on re- adjusting VTF, SRA, azimuth to go along with the new increased antiskate setting, you heard what you like. One should always setup according to one's preference. Who can argue with that? I measures stuff to no end and I understand the importance of critical listening.

Lewm:

(1) To some people, proportional connotes linearity, two values can increase and decrease geometrically or exponentially and I personally would not call them proportional( not important if we disagree). I have spent them at Whiting school of engineering and if I remeber, you are also in the Baltimore/DC area with interests in virology. We did share some common ground. :^)
(2) I don't think I said anything about setting antiskate higher than VTF.
(3) "If the headshell is not offset at an angle to the arm tube, then there is no skating force but lots of tracking error."

Consider a linear tracking arm which the headshell is not at an offset. For your statement to be true, there would mean no skating force and maximum tracking error. How could that be?

When I was refering to tracking error increase skating, I was referring to the inner grooves.

This is my understanding. To be more specific with Lofgren and Baerwald, tracking error at the outer track reduces skating force. Tracking error at the inner tracks increases the skating force. Stevenson shoot for 0 tracking error at innermost groove to minimize skating at the inner most track.

I measure a lot also, but more from my crossovers and horns. I've about finished on that end so maybe I'll join you at some point measuring the source end. :-)

Glai, I guess I failed to express myself properly. When VTF goes up, skating force goes up (not down, which in my parlance would be an "inverse" relationship). Likewise, when VTF is decreased, skating force will decrease. This is on average, across the entire surface of the LP. The defense rests.

My point was that Palasr's report that he increases VTF to mitigate issues that arise when he decreases AS are contrary to the physics. But other things could be going on that contribute to what he is hearing.