Origin Live Tonearms

@pindac All-right, I misunderstood. So you're involved in research and development. I'm assuming you get paid for this? I had a friend, now passed, who I had encouraged to develop a tonearm due to his level of skill, experience and knowledge but he had no ambition and stated that there was no money in it. These bespoke tonearms are certainly nice (and usually expensive) but I have to wonder how they can compete with big companies like Kuzma or SME. There's the, 'I can build a beautiful and refined sounding tonearm of the highest quality' side and there's the business 'I need to make as much money as possible ' side and I'm not so certain that very many folk can do both.

@goofyfoot , beats the thunder out of me. Look at the arms from well established companies such as SME, Kuzma, Schroder, Reed, Origin Live, Basis, SAT and so forth. You see any of them without anti skating on any of their offset, pivoted arms?

Here is a rule of thumb, any offset pivoted arm without antiskating is junk. The maker has no concept of the physical forces involved trying to get a cartridge to track a groove accurately.  

If you do not like anti skating you do have choices. The Reed 5A and 5T, the Schroder LT, The Clearaudio linear tracking arms, the Kuzma Air Line and other air bearing arms all lack anti skate mechanisms. The one thing they all have in common is they all have straight arm wands, no offset. 

It may be a generational thing but I've heard older friends of mine say that they believe tonearms sound better with the anti-skate off. Also, I've read where certain tonearm makers have claimed that a 12 inch tonearm is long enough not to need anti skate. Of course, I've always used anti skate and understand the principles and what it accomplishes. There seems to be a lot of differing opinions on this topic alone.

@goofyfoot you inquired " I'm assuming you get paid for this? "

I have never been remunerated for time or expenditure, the reward is plentiful enough, being involved with the skilled and creative types learning from them and witnessing their conceptions become realised. 

I have for numerous years (30ish), built a social networking with likeminded individuals around my interest in HiFi equipment used to enable a Recorded Music Replay.

I chose not to be lone listener in a room many years past.

I am totally satisfied with the miles travelled and experiences encountered and the influences that have had a substantial impact on how I have built a system.

Some experiences have been so fulfilling, my system has as a result, Commission Designed /Built devices, that are proving extremely good choices.

Not much in use is Branded Goods or remains true to a Brands Model that was once offered as part of a Catalogue Item..

My observations on 12" vs 9" and anti-skating.

A well-fettled slate 401 with 9 and 12" Jelco TK850 tonearms.

The 9" has a slightly more incisive bass and tempo. Almost a CD quality to its delivery across all frequencies. Best for rock and electronic. The 12" goes a little deeper, has better dimensionality, naturalness, sweetness, air and space, with finer highs. Best for jazz and voice.

I do not use anti-skate on the 12" except when there’s a warp or dimple. It simply sounds better with it off. Note that I use London-Decca cartridges with no cantilever which likely impacts how AS impacts playback.