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Fidelity Research FR-54 Tonearm. ANTI-SKATE???

FR-54 Tonearm came on dual arm tt I bought. I moved it to the rear board, to use with Grado Mono ME+ cartridge, 1.5g tracking weight recommended.

All is well, but, I do not see any way to adjust the FR-54 amount of anti-skate.

One dangling weight, thru one groove in a wire, that's it. Bottom of weight has threaded hole. Presumably weight can be added, but, how lessened?

On scale, the weight is 2.5g. To a bimp on the bottom of the arm, just in front of the pivot. Does that mean it is transferring it's full weight, 2.5g of anti-skate?

I want cartridge to track at 1.5g, thus want 1.5g anti-skate.

I could grind the weight down to 1.5g I suppose.
..................

Ideas?

elliottbnewcombjr
elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,521 posts
 
Anti-Skate varies by Stylus Shape!

I went back on the FR arm, Grace ME+ 1.5g down, and with the polished acrylic disc, no grooves, while spinning: the anti-skate 1.36g was pulling out too much.

I made a new weight, and for the GRADO’s Elliptical Stylus, 1.5g, a 0.9g weight was perfect.

Previous test was with Shure with Shibata tip, also 1.5g down, anti-skate 1.36 was correct.

I was scrolling thru Turntables just for fun, and came across a Garrard. The anti-skate dial had two sides, top and bottom. The bottom was labeled ’Elliptical’, the top was labeled CO 4 or CD 4, photo was a bit fuzzy).

How much stylus contact surface, how deep in the groove, it just shows, these dials cannot be relied upon, the disc with no grooves is a great help, especially for Mono where you cannot use your ears.

Learn something every day. Happily.
lewm
13,157 posts
 
Yes the skating force is due to friction between stylus and vinyl groove.It therefore stands to reason that the size of the contact patch afforded by different stylus shapes would affect friction and therefore affect the skating force and therefore affect the amount of anti-skate required.
elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,521 posts
 
yeah, the whole 'use my stereo cartride, listening, then good for mono' didn't prove correct, glad I figured it out.

gotta wonder why more turntables don't have different scales like that single Garrard did.

Glad I tried the grooveless smooth disc method, that is so easy.
elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,521 posts
 
I'm getting rid of the Fidelity Research arm, I just don't like it.
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