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Anti skate. I think something's wrong

I have an Acoustic Signiture TT with a Graham 2.2 tonearm and Ortofon Cadenza Bronze cartridge. My anti skate is set close to tracking weight and it would always dig to in inside when I would start a record. I read this is wrong so I got my Cardas test record out and placed it in smooth section and it imediately gravitated to inside. I adjusted anti skate to where cartridge slighty pulls to inside . Here is the problem. To get this I'm having to adjust anti skate to the max. I rechecked TT and it is right on level wise. I have less sibilence now and swear the two channels are more even. The right channel has always been just slightly lower than left in volume. The only qualm I have is the max antiskate I have to use. Is bearing bad? I have the blue fluid. Or I shouldn't worry and enjoy the music. Mike
128x128blueranger
moonglum
619 posts
 

BlueRanger,

We appear to have hijacked your thread with theorisations about antiskate (myself also guilty as charged). Getting back on topic I think you may be on the right track by checking levels.

Suggest checking :

  1. The platter using 2 small opposing spirit levels in 2 axes.

  2. The armboard (over its whole surface and in more than one axis). If the armboard is cantilevered/assembled there may be interference between armboard and chassis or the armboard itself may be distorted depending on what material has been used.

  3. If possible, the headshell or tonearm level.

The idea is that 1-3 should be always be “square” with each other in all axes.

If you can check the chassis itself that might be useful in case the main bearing/chassis itself was distorted or misaligned.

I’ve heard of turntables being shipped with heavy platter semi-assembled but decoupled suffering a warped main bearing in transit. Choice of materials could even lead to the chassis itself being warped. Either way a chassis error would undoubtedly reveal itself eventually.

 For the purpose I can recommend these :

 http://www.russandrews.com/bubble-level-twin-pack-50219990000/

 Let us know how you get on.

All the best,

stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,492 posts
 
I think all this discussion of anti-skate is interesting.   My object for deciding to us a/s or not is that when listening to a record, there is an ease in the sound that changes to something else when I apply a/s.  The object of all of this is to get sound that is closest to a live performance (I know that I can get it close but somehow..) Anyway...s/f is applied to counteract the inward moving force of the arm.  What we forget is that the arm is succumbing to that force by moving in that direction anyway.  I am a musician, not a physicist, but the thing simply sounds better on MY system with any cartridge I have installed with no a/s.  If that damages my stylus so be it....I don't have a balloon raise my car off the ground to safeguard my tires...just the cost of doing business.
fleib
1,124 posts
 

Stringreen, you make a valid point. The reason some prefer an underhung straight tracker is because of reduction of torsional forces on the cantilever. This is despite a large increase in alignment error.

A case could be made for either approach.

Regards,

lewm
13,359 posts
 
I am curious about a long length, underhung tonearm.  None seem to exist, yet it would appear to be an interesting option, curing one of the problems with the available underhung tonearms (they tend to be short in length which increases the tracking angle error on both sides of the single null point) and at the same time avoiding the necessity for headshell offset.  Something like 12 inches with no headshell offset angle.  Seems to me that Nottingham made a 12-inch tonearm with no headshell offset, but it was not "meant" for under hanging.  One could try that though.  Probably there is nothing like that on the market, because of the fact that it would require quite a lot of real estate back at the pivot point. It might require a custom-made plinth/arm board.
lewm
13,359 posts
 
mmakshak, In your post of 4-15, I am not sure what you are referring to.  I took no issue with anything PL said about stylus wear.  I only noted that his brief reference to headshell offset angle as being THE cause of skating force is not quite accurate.  Otherwise, I would never dare to doubt anything he says about cartridges, especially one he personally has examined with his own eyes.  

By the way, it's Lew M (or Lewm), not Lew N.  You're not the only one who misreads the "M".  Thanks.
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