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VPI Scoutmaster - Anti-skate again..

Hi,
I'm sure this has been covered, but I couldn't find it...

As we all know, the coiled wire of the JMW-9 tonearm provides anti-skate force naturally, and is seen by VPI as preferable to any mechanical implementation.

VPI now provides a mechanical anti-skate with the Scoutmaster turntable. It is supplied but not installed. VPI still stands by their original position on anti-skate.

Now, for my experience.

I started without the use of the mechanical anti-skate. Listening, backed up by the Hi-fi+ test LP, convinced me that more anti-skating force was needed. I twisted the lemo connector counter-clockwise to apply more force, but I didn't notice any difference.

I then implemented the mechanical anti-skate. I found by visual inspection and confirmed with the test LP that, even at the lowest setting, far too much anti-skating force was now being applied.

Listening tests with the mechanical anti-skate engaged were a mixed bag. I found the image to be more centered, rather than leaning to the right, but I also noticed a loss of fine detail. For instance, when a fast sequence of plucked guitar notes were played, each note stood out more independently WITHOUT the mechanical anti-skate. With the anti-skate engaged the notes smear together slightly.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I am hoping to find a solution that will enable me to focus the image better and not lose any detail. It seems to me that I need a way to provide a little more anti-skate, but not a lot more. (and I am slightly baffled as to why the lemo twist method seemed to have no effect whatsoever.)

Cheers.

Tom
tfkaudio
dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum
1,404 posts
 
After further inspection I believe you guys are right. I now see the set screws for adjusting the height of the entire assembly (so that you can make the fishing line parallel to the plinth) and the weight (so you can slide it along the shaft to adjust anti-skate force). I'm going to go yank my table out of the cabinet and play with these adjustments and see what happens.

Funny thing is the instructions that came with my anti-skate rig say nothing about adjusting these parameters--I just figured you adjusted the string height as a result.

Thanks everyone. I'll report back after I've made some changes and run the test disc again.
tfkaudio OP
591 posts
 
A follow-up on this old thread of mine... I recently got a chance to see Michael Fremer's turntable setup video, and he came to the same conclusion as I did - that the mechanical anti-skating mechanism from VPI provides far too much force even at it's minimum setting. Clever Mikey thought of something that never occurred to me, however. Install the A/S device and remove the counterweight from it! Apparently that will put you right in the ballpark of where you want to be. I'm gonna have to try that!
david_berry
211 posts
 
Hopefully not hijacking this thread, but what did you guys notice if you had the set screw on the counterweight at dead center, thus the azimuth not "perfectly" set? I currently have a Scout with the JMW 9 arm and a dyna 20X-L cart tracking at 2.3 grams. Thank you.
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sullygr
6 posts
 
Buy or borrow a voltmeter, the Cardas record and the Fremer DVD. All your azimuth questions will be answered in the video for setting up a Scoutmaster. Fremer demonstrates how to set azimuth and it is so slick and simple. I decreased the crosstalk of my Denon 103 from 3dB to 0.5dB and the imaging and soundstage change is amazing.

The set screw of my counterweight is clockwise of center from the front.

Sullygr
david_berry
211 posts
 
Thank you. For about $30, I will pick up that DVD.
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