Tonearms: S-shaped or Straight?
The straight underhung tonearm featured on the many turntables gain stability at the expense of how accurately it traces the record and hence the distortion that occurs. It does this by removing one of the main problems with S-shaped tonearms - the constant inward turning force created by the offset arm design. Whether you feel this trade-off is acceptable or noticeable in either direction is a personal choice. The extra stability gained can provide a safety net during an important routine, although correct cartridge setup can go a long way in removing skips in traditional S-shaped tonearms. This is also why angling the cartridge outwards by 23� on an S-shaped tonearm increases stability. By lining the stylus up with the pivot you are performing a very crude straight arm emulation. Be aware that by removing the offset angle in this way you will add large tracking error angles which will cause excessive damage to your vinyl!
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