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The playback
of a record should imitate the cutting of the lacquer as closely as
possible. During the cutting process the cutter diamond makes an angle
of 90 degrees at all instances from the beginning of the groove to its
end.
Obviously, the best way to read a record groove is by using an arm which
follows the groove in a similar fashion as in the cutting process.
A parallel tracking tonearm has the least distortion because the
tracking error is minimized to practically zero. The cartridge
stylus reads the two groove walls at the same time without any delay.
Furthermore, a parallel tracking tonearm does not need bias compensation
(anti-skate settings), as there is no centripetal force, unlike in
pivoted arms.
Pivoted arms,
on the other hand, are the most commonly used tonearms. These can
be further subdivided into unipivots and non-unipivots, as well as
pseudo-unipivots.
With common pivoted arms (also called radial arms), there is zero
tracking error only in two instances. At other points, there is
tracking error.
This is
minimized by giving the pivoted arm the familiar offset angle. The
skating force is not eliminated, however, but instead increases.
This can be corrected, of course. |
Unfortunately, the skating force depends on the friction between the
record groove and the stylus tip, as well as the cut of the stylus. It
also depends on what is recorded on the record, even the quality of the
vinyl.
As one can
see, correcting anti-skate is always not perfect, technically. All
this cease to be an issue with a tangenital tonearm, as there is no
skating force.
Basically,
setting up pivoted arms properly with the various tools around is
essential to minimize these tracking errors, as well as controlling the
skating force.
Designing and
manufacturing a parallel tracking tonearm is not as simple as it may
seem and only thorough engineering can result in a good functioning
device. Precise and accurate geometrical proportions are essential to
get it right.
As a result,
prices of the high-end parallel tracking arms are in most cases far
beyond the budget of most audiophiles and music lovers.
And this is
where The Conductor comes in. Simplified, but without
sacrificing the benefits of tangenital tonearms, sonically high-end, and
most importantly offered at a saner price than the other high-end
competition.
Emphasis is
on high-end.
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