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A new way of adjusting anti skate!

I was looking at the Wallyskater, a $250 or so contraption used to set anti skate. https://www.wallyanalog.com/wallyskater  It is reputedly the most accurate way to set anti skate. Talking about fiddly. 

The appropriate figure is 9 to 11 percent of VTF. So if you are tracking at 2 grams you want 0.2 grams of anti skate.
My Charisma tracks at 2.4 grams so I should set the anti skate for 0.24 grams..................................Bright light!.
I readjusted the Syrinx PU3 to zero so that it was floating horizontally. I set up a digital VTF gauge on it's side at the edge of the platter so that the finger lift would be in the cross hairs, activated the anti skate and was easily able to adjust it to 0.24 grams. I started at 0.18 grams and just added a little more. Whatever you measure the anti skate from it has to be at the same radius as the stylus. If you do not have a finger lift at the right location you can tack a toothpick to the head shell and measure from that. As long as you have the whole affair balanced at zero you will be fine. Added cost $0.00 as long as you have a digital VTF gauge. 

I would not buy stock in Wallyskater.
128x128mijostyn
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mijostyn OP
8,570 posts
 
Blank vinyl records are a bad way to do this. The tip of the stylus digs into the vinyl creating it's own groove. Try it and then look at the record under the light and you will see the groove! It will over estimate the amount of anti skating required.
I discovered that digital stylus gauges will not reliable measure weight horizontally even with the tare adjusted. But I have created a solution to that problem. Stay tuned. I intend on beating Wally Skater at it's own game!!
petg60
1,486 posts
 
Always apply less than VTF, how much less depends from groove modulation, stylus shape, suspension, arm.
I never use a blank record or a test one-not real situations.
With Zyx 4DU on SME V i found with 2gr. VTF, 1gr. max. antiskate will do the job with no issues. I can easily re-adjust during play if wished to. Would a tool like wallyskater provide an optimal situation?  I believe it would be close in minimizing the AS compromise but would not eliminate it. Though it should be one of those tools that will impress a lot some people when aligning a cartridge.
G
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn OP
8,570 posts
 
The Wallyskater will scare the heck out of most people, kill em dead when they see the price for a few pieces of plastic and some string. It does work but there are easier ways to estimate the antiskating force which should be between 9 to 11% of the VTF. If you are tracking at 2 grams the anti skating force should be around .2 grams at the stylus. The Wally Skater figures this out with a little clever trigonometry. I measure it with my digital stylus force gauge and a little trickery. 
hshifi
572 posts
 

Hello,

If the idea works with the digital VTF scale on its side to tell you the accurate amount of pressure then I say it is an interesting idea to see if your anti-skate system is accurate with its numbers. I’ve done some testing on Rega TT and the anti-skate was better closer to 1 than 1.7 using their magnetic Anti-Skate system. I now have the threaded line on the Acoustic Signature arm. I think in the past Fremmer has said you want a little less than more. The one thing is this would have to be tested while the tt is playing just like you test adjust speed while playing. A lot of people thinks their tt plays fast. If you test the speed without dropping the arm and playing a record you do not see what affect drag has on the speed. The same thing can be said for Anti-Skate. I say go for 9%. I think it’s funny how many people worry about getting anti-skate perfect and their tt isn’t even level. Forget about your super levels. Get yourself a good ball bearing. Gravity does not lie. Also, if you live in climates where it freezes be like Santa and check it twice a year that is. Frost heave can make your tt not level. I’m now using a Shibata stylus so it all matters. Please check your tt for level. I bought a small pack of ball bearings and gave the extras to some friends who have tt. All of their tt were not level including mine. Good luck everyone and Merry Christmas. Yes, I said Merry Christmas!

lewm
13,039 posts
 

Where does the 10% rule come from? I’ve heard it too, but I don’t know where or when. Let’s keep in mind also that there is no one value of AS that is correct at all times for all recordings. Ergo the analogy to aligning the suspension of an automobile is not compelling. Close is good enough and is likely to be exactly correct at certain moments.

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