Setting anti-skate

Here are some other ideas I have heard about. For arms that have replaceable headshells, you could devote one to an Orsonic Skating Force Guage, if you could still find one. Another idea is to use a record that has no grooves at all on one side, such as the 3-sided Keith Jarrett album, and check skating at various points across the record, choosing the best compromise. But I think that the easiest method is just look at the stylus at the moment it touches the record, and adjust anti-skating for minimum stylus deflection.

I'm more than quite sure that using a record without grooves is not the correct way to set antiskate and don't care what company or test record that suggests this. Why? because it is against the law of physics. A stylus travels in a groove and not on a flat surface. The stylus is traveling in between a groove touching the inner and outer walls of that groove. One side of the groove is rt channel and the other is the left channel. Setting on a record without grooves wiil not give a true and accurate measure of antiskate. "Think about it". I tend more to agree that our ears is the best way to set antiskate. Regards.

Thank you for the replies.

I agree that using a record without grooves is not the way to set anti-skate.

I did look at the stylus as it came down on the record. I cannot see it being deflected. I do have the anti-skate force set to miniumum on my arm. Basis Vector MK3. I do remember being able to see it being deflected to the right relative to the cartridge with my VPI JMW.

I have the HiFi News record. With minimum anti-skate, the cartridge, Helikon, goes through the frst 3 tracks with no buzzing. It does buzz in the right channel slightly during the last track with the highest modulation.

On some old records, I do hear some breakup in the left channel. This is an old Riverside with sax. As the sound swells, you can hear the distortion. I increased anti-skate, and the distortion in the left channel seemed to stay the same, but the center image became a little cloudy. Setting anti-skate back to minimum restored the focus. I think the distortion is due to the the record being damaged or still dirty after cleaning. I bought the record used.

Other then a distinct distortion in just one channel, is there anything else to listen for?

Anyone use the Wally Skater device?

Rich

Rich, the visual method is easiest with hi compliance (very wiggly suspensions) like vdH, but it's not impossible even with moderately low compliance carts like the Helikon. The trick is 1.) to use a strong light pointed at the front of the arm/cart, and 2.) sharpen your obsetvational skill by carefully watching what the cantilever does with no AS, and max. AS, just to get a feel for the range of movement. You will not get it "on the nose" with a Helikon because its too hard to see the tiny deflections, unlike a vdH for instance. But you can get pretty close and do the rest by ear.

The inward twisting torque (skating force) on the arm is created by the stylus' drag (friction) in the groove times the (geometric) lever arm distance created by the headshell offset angle. So using a blank record is a waste of time. (Perfectly straight arms with no headshell offset do not develop skating force, and don't need AS)

I have the HiFi News record. With minimum anti-skate, the cartridge, Helikon, goes through the frst 3 tracks with no buzzing. It does buzz in the right channel slightly during the last track with the highest modulation.

Tracks 6-9 on side one of the HFN record are virtually useless for setting antiskate, unless of course you're going to play alot of test records with unrealistic amplitudes on inner grooves. The best use for those tracks is to ignore them.

If you want to use the HFN record to rough in your AS setting, try the three widely spaced "tracking test" bands on side two. If your cartridge buzzes on them (the Helikon may not) get the buzzing roughly equal on all three bands. (You may get opposite channel buzzing on the inner and outer tracks, just equalize that). Fine tune by ear with music from there.

On some old records, I do hear some breakup in the left channel. This is an old Riverside with sax. As the sound swells, you can hear the distortion. I increased anti-skate, and the distortion in the left channel seemed to stay the same, but the center image became a little cloudy. Setting anti-skate back to minimum restored the focus. I think the distortion is due to the the record being damaged or still dirty after cleaning. I bought the record used.

If that L channel breakup were caused by an incorrect antiskate setting, the remedy would be to decrease AS, not increase it. Try reducing AS and/or increasing VTF slightly. If that doesn't eliminate the distortion it's either dirt, damage or an amplitude and frequency that exceed the tracking limits of the cartridge.

Other then a distinct distortion in just one channel, is there anything else to listen for?

Excess AS has exactly the effect you heard, clouded imaging. On a fine cartridge like the Helikon you'll also hear muffled HF's and/or reduced microdynamics. The fact that you heard these things indicates that your original AS setting was closer to being correct.

This is the "fine tuning by ear with music" method. Use only enough AS to prevent R (not L) channel distortion on tough passages. If imaging goes cloudy or highs get muffled, back it off a bit.