I'm working with a very small sample size here, but the VCRs that I own that have a adjustable sharpness knob/dial look much worse at 0 setting than the VCR I have with no adjustable sharpness.
Case in point: I have a 1990 Sony SLV-575UC which is supposedly a higher end consumer unit for dubbing and editing. It has a adjustable sharpness knob which when kept at the middle (default) position, produces the image below.
I also have a standard hi-fi 2001 Panasonic PV-V4611 which has no adjustable sharpness dial, which produces the image below.
As you can see, the Sony has a softer skewed visual that bleeds to the right (and does more so the as you turn the sharpness down below 0). Can this be fixed with calibration? As I was considering downsizing my gear, I was planning on keeping the seemingly better sony and parting with the Panasonic but now I'm not so sure anymore.
1990 Sony:
tape150segments(20220120-2249).avi_snapshot_00.08.775.jpg
2001 Panasonic:
2001pana.jpg