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Is tonearm bias a compromise, maybe a myth?

I recently decided to check my tonearm/cartridge setup: alignment protractor, tracking force gauge, checked VTA, bias weight, etc. as over my many years with turntables and tonearms I have been surprised to discover that "shift happens". I have a very low mass arm with a very high compliance MM tracking at 1.25 gms. There was just a minor shift this time in tracking force. But afterwards I was really surprised at how much more depth there was to the soundstage and greater subtle details. I was then gobsmacked by the discovery that I had forgotten to re-attach the bias weight thread! Applying Lateral Bias seems to compromise performance elsewhere, true?
elunkenheimer

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davide256
395 posts
 
the anti skate required is a function of the tone arm and cartridge combination. It cannot be correctly set by matching the tracking weight. A test record with oscilloscope is the best method to set tracking pressure and antiskate. the sine wave will show deformity until both are correctly adjusted. If you do not have an oscilloscope, listening to the test tones for uneven distortion can approximate the correct antiskating.

Incorrectly set antiskating will cause 1 side of the stylus to wear out sooner than necessarry.
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