Ancient AR Turntable with NO anti skate

@asvjerry "I'd go to an air-bearing arm in a heartbeat, but I don't have the disposable $ to go there."

Well, I just may have the bridge for you. Kidding. I use a Trans-Fi air bearing tonearm, cost about $1000. Actually, I use two: one for my Nottingham Mentor, upgraded to highest 2015 standard, and heavily modded; and one for my DIY air bearing TT. They bear a Mayajima Zero and Koetsu RSP respectively.

What I like best about the Trans-Fi is that it seems to be made for tweaking. Everything is exposed and accessible. You can add brass weights to make it heavier, you can experiment with damping, you can play with the air pressure, etc. Settings are dead simple and very stable. It uses clever engineering in place of costly machining. You buy it from the factory, not a distributor. And, when I bought mine, the owner himself went on a mission to make my installation a success.

You MAY be able to do better for 5 or 10 times the money, but, I suspect, only in terms of convenience. Opinion only - haven't tried the major alternatives in my system - but I don't see the flexibility in the other designs that I see in this one. See 'tweaking', above. 

Downside: the major downside is the name: Terminator. Other than that, azimuth is dead stable, absolutely repeatable, and intuitive, but it cannot be done on the fly, and is fiddly to adjust. Tracking weight is a little fiddly too - but rock stable and intuitive. That's all.

All in all, highly recommended, period. For the money, unapproachable.

Regarding Stringreen’s advocacy for no anti-skating:

As I mentioned earlier, my experience is comprised of cartridges having relatively high compliance. In recent times a Grace F9E, F9E Ruby, a Soundsmith-retipped F9E Ruby, a Grado Reference Sonata, and currently an Audio Technica AT-ART9. And way back when a Shure and some other AT, with a different turntable and arm. In every one of those cases an anti-skating setting of zero, or anything even close to it, would result in such extreme cantilever deflection toward the outer edge of the record that it would seem preposterous to even try it.

Stringreen mentioned in another thread some time ago that he sees no such deflection. Perhaps that is due to his use of cartridges having lower compliance, or perhaps his arm is applying some amount of anti-skating force even when none is intentionally introduced, or perhaps it is due to some other factor. In any event, while I don’t question or doubt his findings, methinks he is extrapolating too broadly from them.

Regards,
-- Al

@normansizemore "puny little motor"

Not to take anything away from masterpieces like EMT, but I differ. Maybe it’s my lack of masculinity, but I like puny little motors that I can boss around. I use motors that can’t even bring my platters up to speed, at all.

So I demand, and get, minimal vibration and minimal radiated EM field. And precision manufacturing is pretty cheap and easy with these puny little things.

Just how I like it. My opinion - that’s engineering. YMMV

No Way.....   There is no unintended compensation introduced in my arm.... I am using an Ortofon Winfield - normal compliance.I have validation with my finding from golden ear pro reviewers who also say the a/s is unneeded... blurs things....anti music reproduction.   Use it if you want, but make sure your arm/cartridge is set up properly for your evaluation.....and enjoy

Terry, thanks for the 'bridge' *G*.  It's still 'a bridge too far' for the present...pardoning my 'punishing' you. ;)

But I'll go give it a stare.  Sounds like my sort of device, devious though it may be on some levels.  I'm not opposed to giving it a DIY approach either, since I build speakers (drivers, too) for my amusement....as for that....

If you Google 'DIY Walsh speakers', I'm on pg. 1 in both the links and the pics link.  So far, cheaper than bars or chasing the females...both of which might trigger demise for the typical reasons. *L*  A tonearm is one of the things on my 'bucket list' anyway...