Checking Anti-Skate?

The skating setting is always a compromise between the lead and final grooves. I set mine by hovering the tonearm over the middle of the LP, raising and lowering the arm to see what direction it wants to go, then setting the skating where it tends to remain stationary. The stylus never even touches the record. Not precise, but hey, it's vinyl!

In the old days a table manual always said to adjust the VTF to the mfg specs than use the same setting for anti-skate. Problem being that neither of the dials were very accurate.

I use a test record but you can also come close by looking at the stylus/cantilever head on through a magnifying glass while playing a record. Check to see if it is perpedicular to the record or if it is leaning one way or the other. You can use the edge of the cartridge as a guide if you KNOW that the edges are perpendicular to the headshell and the azimuth is dead on. Otherwise, try to see if it is straight up and down to the record and then dial it in by ear.

Can't answer what I don't know. Thanks for the laser info. I think I'll give it a try.

Buscis,
Setting anti-skating force is not an exact science. WallySkater is probably the most well known device. I have not used it because it is pricy. The next best solution is to use a test record like the one from HiFi News and Review (HFNR). But again, it is not an exact science but you should be able to achieve better results than using a blank record.

You might want to do a search on the HFNR test record. It has been discussed before.

1. See the thornes white paper on antiskating. The correct value is 14% of the tracking force.

or

2. Use the Wally tractor method. This equates to approximately 12% of tracking force.

Hope this helps, both methods are valid and work.