HFNR and antiskate on SME 3009/III


When I have my SME3009/III set at approx. 2Gm on the antiskate, and listen to the torture track on the HFNR test record, I get a buzzing in the right channel. Pulling gently on the antiskate string removes the buzz, so I equate that to increasing the antiskate.

Well, if I do that so that it doesn't buzz, the darn thing will not cue up on the outside of the record -- the tonearm flies right off the record. (!)

The antiskate pulley has been lined up (per SME instructions) so that it is perpendicular to the tonearm at the start of the record, and fairly skewed by the end. My thought (and it's dangerous when I think) is that the SME instructions are wrong, and it should be perpendicular when the tonearm is at the inside of the record, not the outside.

Anyone else have this issue?
lousytourist
I used the Wally antiskating tool to set up my TT. I confirmed the results with the HFNR test tracks. Just out of curiosity I tried Nsgarch's test. This method works as well for me. I even set the antiskate to the opposite setting and saw exactly what Nsgarch was referring to. I can't imagine this not working for any cartridge.
Read the Thornes white paper on setting anti skating. The correct value is 14-16 percent of your adjusted tracking force. Therefore if the tracking force is 2 grams you should sets you antiskate to 0.28-0.32 grams.

Make sure your table is absolutely level in both horizonial and vertical directions
Etbaby, would you mind telling us where we can find the Thornes white paper? Thanks.