I used to be in the minimal antiskate camp. I setup everything else first and then dial in anti-skate by ear and test record. By using torture tracks on the test record, it resulted in a much higher antiskate setting than I would use by ear. I felt that my ears should be the ultimate judge and determined that is the best setting. Torture tracks were unneccessary torture for me and the stylus.
Recently, I visited a knowledgeable friend. He managed so much information from the groove that I have never heard. He suggested setting antiskate using the test record and than redo VTF, VTA and azimuth to suite to the new antiskate setting.
In doing this exercise, I have resulted in much better sound: much more detail, cleaner bass, a soundstage that extends as far to the right and to the left with no hole or gap in the middle.
At the increased antiskate setting, the azimuth is changed by a small amount. Under dynamic condition, the skating force applies an inward force on the tip of the stylus. THe antiskate applies an outward force at the headshell. The net result is a tiny amount of torque along the axis of the cartridge body and changes the azimuth.
After the new antiskate and azimuth is set. I proceeded to define a new VTF and VTA setting. I find that I can extract much more info by tracking at a lower tracking force. By properly using antiskate to compensate for skating, I can focus on adjusting VTF to properly align the coil within the magnet housing and minimize THD. Inadequate antiskate will encourage increasing VTF. If skating force and VTF are looked upon as a vector, increasing VTF will point the vector more vertically. This would minimize the nastiness generated by the skating force but would not change the net horizontal force acting on the cart. SImply, using the same force (skating) but tugging on a heavier load will result in less motion. It does not change the net horizontal force needed to completely counterract the opposing force.
Another friend of mine used an USB oscilloscope to look at THD with varying antiskate and azimuth. While proper azimuth is needed to point the stylus vertical to the record, proper antiskate is needed to keep the stylus tip at the very bottom of the groove. Inadequate antiskate will let the stylus track more along the inner groove away from the outer groove. This causes THD to rise in the right channel and obscure fine details.
The minimal (or no) antiskate setting along with increase VTF produce a warmer sound due to THD. THD is generated from the suboptimally tracted outer groove and the THD improperly raised VTF.
I was very grateful that my friends shared the info with me. My wife is forcing me off audiogon now. I will expand on the subjective difference betw the settings.
