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Warning: Linn tonearm anti-skate not accurate

Hi,

After repeatedly having problem, including ruining a perfectly aged Koetsu Urushi, I found with the aid of HFNRR that the Linn Ekos antiskating is not accurate.

With 3 different cartridges tracking between 1.7 - 2.0g, the optimal anti-skatings were found to be between setting the tonearm anti-skating dial to "2.4-2.6 g". I checked with the anti-skating setting tracks on HFNRR test record (most MC can cover the first 2 tracks, but Shure V15 can go through 3 tracks).

After using my cartridge on the Ekos for about one year, playing about 100 hours, at 1.9g VTF, anti-skating dialed to '1.9g', my cantilever was slanted about 5 degree to the left (view towards the rear of tonearm), indicating undercompensation.

Another fellow Linn users told me he found same thing with Akito tonearm and also had a slanted cantilever.

So please check your setting before ruining another cartridge.

www.extremephono.com
extremephono
sean
6,231 posts
 
I remember reading SOMEWHERE ( who knows where ??? ) about 15 - 20 years ago that MOST anti-skating controls were typically about .25 to .5 grams shy of being correct. With that in mind, i had always set my antiskating slightly higher than the tracking force and never had any noticeable problems. Your findings verify that statement. Then again, i never had any REAL expensive cartridges on the "mid-fi" tables that i was doing that on. Sean
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lindisfarne
511 posts
 
This is interesting. There was a school of thought in the 70's when I bought my first Linn that 1 on the anti skate when tracking at 1.5-2 grams sounded better than if you set the anti-skate to the same level as the tracking. Now you're suggesting that the anti-skate should actually be set HIGHER than the tracking force! Check with your Linn dealer and see if he agrees. By the way, Rega definately does not.
piezo
304 posts
 
I have on older Linn Basik ark and it has the same problem. must be a linn thing
jayboard
301 posts
 
My working assumption for any turntable, regardless of brand, would be that the anti-skating dial reading is not adequately reliable. Tracking force dial readings probably are more reliable, but I wouldn't put too much faith in them, either.

Extreme, I also use the HFNRR record to set up my turntable. I asked a question here about the anti-skate results I was getting, which seemed counter-intuitive to me. You might find some of the discussion in the thread interesting; search for "Anti-skating question" in the forum archives.
extremephono OP
123 posts
 
I read you old post, don't see what was counterintuitive to you? Using a grooveless track is not accurate and should undercompensate due to the reduced friction (hence force).

The anti-skate is a force related to the friction, offset by the angle.

However, on Rega RB250, the antiskate adjustment is so off, that I cannot make any statement on it. I have to add a cotter pin to compensate the RB250 just to get started...
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