How many of you vinyl spinners adjust your VTA when changing from a "standard" 100gm (or so) record to a 180gm record? Since I'm asking, do you plan on re buying the 200gm Classic reissues that you already own in the 180gm incarnation?
Right or wrong, I do not change the VTA when playing the 100, 180 or 200 gram albums that I have. I have the VPI HW 19 mk III w/ Audioquest PT6 tonearm. Although it can be changed, it requires a tool and is not easy to do on the fly. I have no complaints but maybe I'm missing something, who knows.
I have a Rega Planar 3/RB300, which doesn't allow easy VTA adjustments. However, I have two felt mats: The standard one that came with the Rega, which I use for "standard" records, and a thinner one I made myself, which I use for 180gm records. I definitely don't plan on re-buying any Classic titles I already own just because they're on 200gm vinyl. I don't like to re-buy anything I already own, for whatever reason (unless it's a 50-cent thrift-shop special or something and I'm looking for a better copy ...).
Nor do I. I find it makes little or no difference. And you can make the stylus deflect to the correct "angle" by raising or lowering the tracking force slightly within the optimum tracking range.
Beagle Don't you worry about the effects of lowering the tracking force to rake back the VTA. You could be damaging your records. Not to mention that those kinds of changes in tracking force have their own effects on the sound.
Scott: Sorry, I realize my post was a bit general and vague. I have two tonearms, a Rega RB300 and a Mission 774. The RB300 does not allow for VTA adjustment, the Mission does. I have experimented with the VTA and do not notice much difference in VTA changes, except if the arm is way too high or low. I notice more difference in, for example, tracking at the midpoint of the specified tracking range of a particular cartridge as opposed to the maximum. To me, this change in stylus rake angle makes a bigger difference than VTA changes do. What I meant when I spoke of changing the VTF was the usable area between midpoint and max (i.e if the range was .75 to 1.5 grams, I could play between 1 and 1.5). If you are using a high compliance cartridge like a Shure V15, the cantilever angle changes quite a bit between 1 and 1.5 grams. So if need be, I could compensate for a 180 gm LP thickness. If you think about it, you'd really have to raise or lower the back of the arm a signifcant amount to make a big change in the position of the stylus in the groove. Add to that the fact that the angle is changing continuously (most LP's are not flat) and I don't see the benefits of making minute changes for different thickness of vinyl. But yes, I do hear a harsh brightness when the back of the arm is too high and a murkiness when it is too low. But it has to be way too high or low. Again, I hear significant differences in VTF and different table mats, moreso than VTA changes. But this is just me, you probably hear these differences more than I do, especially since you have a much better analog front end than I have. I could be lazy and deaf too!
Beagle I don't think it is just you. It seems that stylus style (no pun intended) affects how much VTA affects sound quality. The stylus on my Koetsu seems to make small changes quite noticable
