antiskate disc

@jw944ts 

l can’t answer the debate on blank test records, but what you observe with scratching the surface when using one is quite normal.

Even if you are tracking at 1 - 2 grams will leave traces from the stylus on the virgin flat vinyl. Don’t listen to any nonsense about your tracking weight being wrong. @cleeds “That sounds unlikely” “What the heck are you using for VTF?” is misinforming you. A stylus never tracks the absolute bottom of the groove. It rides on the modulations on each side of the groove. The tracking force is spread over a wider area of the stylus profile, and not to the tip of the stylus when playing a record.

The reason you have noticed (and quite correctly) the scarring on the test record is because the full tracking force is applied to the tip of the stylus. No force is imparted to the sides of a groove as there is non present. Anyone who has ever had a test record with a test band for bias (anti-skate) adjustment can tell you marks are left after playing.

l would suggest using the test band to get a rough average setting. Then use the advice given by @lewm to fine tune your arm and cartridge. Different stylus profiles can change the results you will get with your test record, so use your ears for the minute tweaks.

mylogic

@cleeds “That sounds unlikely” “What the heck are you using for VTF?” is misinforming you.

Where exactly is the misinformation there?

Anyone who has ever had a test record with a test band for bias (anti-skate) adjustment can tell you marks are left after playing.

What was the sample size of your study that led to that pronouncement? Hint: It wasn't big enough.

Yogi, there are many factual errors in that video. Some are as follows:

He says that early tonearms did not need AS because VTF was very high for early ceramic cartridges. Wrong. The friction force is directly proportional to VTF. So high VTF means high force means there is a stronger skating force that needs to be corrected by AS, so far as that is possible.

He advises setting AS to a level on the AS adjuster equal to VTF. That’s usually way too much AS.

He uses a CD to demonstrate skating and the effect of AS to counteract skating. That’s ok for a demo, but one would never use a CD to set AS for playing vinyl LPs.

There’s more, but why bother? I advise anyone who needs advice on AS to ignore that video.

I agree with @lewm 

This is what I use https://www.wallyanalog.com/wallyskater

@cleeds 

A stylus imitates a cutting head. Why would it not try to cut a groove on a blank test disc?  Please read again carefully my reply to @jw944ts about how a stylus tracks a groove. Don’t suggest he is carving up his records…. “If true, it would render most LPs unplayable” Your words

“What is the size of your test study?” Your words to me. Please don’t make me laugh, admit you got a bit hot. Ask anyone with a Shure trackability obstacle course LP to have a look at their blank “anti-skate” test bands and come back to me.

Any neutrals out there wish to give cleeds a “pronouncement” with their findings to save him the bother?  It would greatly help increase “the sample size” of the “study”