A pitch too High!

@dalims4 Yes I read this post a while back. I have even ordered a Clearaudio Smart Scale which I think is made of cardboard. I also understand that he wants me to add 1.2g to the 1.5g stated by Grado for Blue before I adjust the anti-skate. However, what is confusing the ’F’ out of me is how to operate the anti-skate button. I cannot figure out what ’Zero’ AS is on the contraption under the turntable. Since I don’t know the start point, everything else is difficult, hence, I am not messing with it.

@noromance It is certainly one of the issues and correcting the RPM seems to have corrected that issue. However, I spent around 3 hours last night listening to records. On one song towards the end of the record, in a Norah Jones album, I felt I heard sibilance. On other records, it seemed fine. Don’t know if I can even identify sibilance correctly.

@chakster The complication does not end with the fact that the AS is under the turntable and there are no correct markings, to begin with. Apparently, the AS instructions in the manual are correct if you look at it as if you are looking through a transparent platter, which basically means whatever the instruction manual suggests, counter and clockwise are exactly the opposite in practice. This is according to Musical Surrounding, Clearaudio distributor in USA. Difficult to know how many turns of the screw takes you where.

@sandstone I am not sure if there is a black Verify arm and I think I remember checking with the distributor about the arm, and they told me it’s a black Satisfy, which is out of production now. But not sure. If you look at the Verify manual, the AS contraption is not exactly the same.

And yes you are right, there is more than enough good guidance for me to rectify things. I have done so in some places too, however, my issue is not with the theory of it all, I get it now; thanks to all of you. It is the specific AS on this damn turntable. I don’t know the start point on it. If I go by the Verify manual, the black mark is AS for 2.4g VTF. This means, my AS is off currently. If you look at the mark on the screw, it is not aligned to the black mark on the circular post.

https://www.imagebam.com/view/ME4SPVK

@rauliruegas I understood mate I do not have load impedance issues because I have a great phono stage but I have to beg your pardon as I don’t understand much of what you write. As is my English is not very fluent, being an Indian, yours does not help either. But I know you have noble intent.

If sometime soon I do not understand how to operate the AS on this turntable, I am going to junk it and go for an SME 6 Classic or 12A. It is a company owned by Indians, so I can expect easy service as I’ll buy straight from the company.

I just came across this:

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/needle-sliding-across-my-records.414567/

In the relevant post, this is what the OP says about Clearaudio AS:

Thanks to all for your input to this problem. Turns out my VTF was way on the light side.

Here is how it happened. While waiting for this TT on backorder I read a lot of reviews. One reviewer noted that the tracking force seemed a bit on the heavy side once he started to serious listen after the break in period. Sure enough he was right and he made an adjustment. Musical Surroundings also suggests that VTF be checked due to shipping in a youtube video on how to set up this table.

As it turns out, my factory settings were probably absolutely accurate. Even though the reading I was getting was 3 grams instead of 2. But here is the problem and where I knew just enough to be dangerous. The tonearm has a magnetic bearing and therefore the measurement needs to be taken on the side of the platter rather than on the platter. There is not much room there and it can be tricky. You have to put a record on the platter and then build up some material on the side so that when you put the scale on the material it will be even with the record and then weigh the tracking force. Turns out 2 grams where this tonearm needs to be measured is basically a reading of 3 grams on the platter. So I was running this thing about a gram light.

Unbelievable. So right now it is tracking better, no more skating off the record when cueing a record, detail is enhanced and bass is more pronounced. I am now in a much better mood. Oh, and surface noise on older records is much less noticeable.

And here is the reason it was happening with some records and not with others, of course I am referring to the tonearm falling off the record. Lighter records is where it was occurring more. My heavier 180 gram records were much less effected.

If I go by this, then what I have measured to be 2, would actually be lesser than 1.5 or 1.5. Keeps getting crazier!!!

@terrible,
Hang in there you will learn in time. 

The first thing to make sure to do before any other setup advice is to level the turntable at the platter.

I don't mean making sure the surface it's on is level. Put a spirit level on the turntable platter and turn the platter to see that's its level font to back and right to level.

Turntable and rack can be level and the platter might be a little off.

Since platter level can affect anti-skating, it's important to do this first (Also buy a blank record to verify anti-skate response. I found that my Technics 1200G anti-skate dial is close to being accurate but very slightly over compensates).

Not saying this is your current problem but it's a necessary step.

Also, in the future, might be good to get a turntable with better anti-skate adjustments.

Since platter level can affect anti-skating, it's important to do this first (Also buy a blank record to verify anti-skate response. I found that my Technics 1200G anti-skate dial is close to being accurate but very slightly over compensates).

Anti-skating adjust with his Hi-Fi News Test Record 

This is the response I got from Stefan of Clearaudio:

Here is how I recommend to proceed to completely re-set the anti-skating position of the magnetic bearing tonearm (“0”):

-             Demount the cartridge

-             Adjust the counterweight so, that the tonearm “floats” while not in rest position

-             Now twist the anti-skating-screw to get the position of the headshell of the tonearm

                right above the edge of the platter (where the lead-in groove would be)

-             You now can mark the position of the anti-skating-screw by drawing a line with a pen

                from screw head towards tonearm foot

-              Now then there’s a simple rule, that unfortunately is valid for Clearaudio Concept MM/MC

                cartridges only: twist the anti-skating screw 3 times anticlockwise if you want to mount the

                clearaudio Concept MM/any other MM V2 cartridge and 4 times if you want to mount the Clearaudio Concept

                MC cartridge

-             finally mount your cartridge again and check the tracking force

 

Please note this is a quick guide for the standard clearaudio cartridges.

 

If you want to be more precise just use the “traditional way”: get a testrecord (like clearaudio trackability test record) and set anti-skating force by checking the tracking with oscilloscope (or listen to the test signals via headphone/the speakers, which is less precise).  There is no rule of thumb for 3rd party cartridges, please understand.