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Thread: Approaches to Anti-Skate

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2021

    Location: Devon

    Posts: 25
    I'm Pau.

    Default Approaches to Anti-Skate

    I've usually set anti-skate the way the manufacturer of the TT tells me to in the manual: Set your VTF, then set the anti-skate to the same value.

    Today I came across this:

    https://www.sound-smith.com/faq/how-...g-my-cartridge

    I've now set my anti-skate as described in the above link. It seems to sound great, but it now set very low (roughly 0.4g anti-skate to 1.4g VTF).

    But it sounds good?

    Any thoughts? Anything I should be concerned about?
    Last edited by sessylU; 25-01-2021 at 13:13.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 2,814
    I'm Hugo.

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    It's not a simple matter, since the required anti-skate force does depend on a whole load of variables, and the 'best' setting is always going to represent the 'best compromise' and not an absolute target. Calibrated anti-skating dials on tonearms are not necessarily consistent either. My experience, largely confirmed by using the Analog Magik computerised tonearm/cartridge setup system, is that you do usually end up with a lower anti-skate setting than you might have expected, so your results look pretty much OK. With an offset arm you do always need 'a touch' of anti-skate force and it's better to start low and then raise it than the other way round.

    Too much anti-skate force is, in my opinion, more of a problem than too little, because the force that pulls the cartridge towards the LP centre exists only at the tip, and anti-skate compensation applies an unnatural sideways force on the whole cartridge cantilever and suspension, and that can result in permanent cantilever displacement and asymmetric tip wear (been there, done that). Personally, when trying out Peter Ledermann's method, I've always ended up with too much anti-skate.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,857
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Agree with Hugo.

    With spherical tipped stylii I have found that one needs more anti-skate bias than with elliptical or fine-line stylii. For the latter I set the bias by ear, listening to all portions of a mono LP. And for the more exotic stylus profiles the anti-skate (as expressed in terms of VTA) is usually about half the VTA value; and thus does not correspond to the setting on calibrated arms. The use of lower anti-skate force as a fraction of VTA is supported by A. J. Van den Hul; who, one would assume, knows a thing or two about stylii.

    But as Hugo has said, the whole business is not that straightforward, and research that has been undertaken is often ambiguous or contradictory. For example, is the friction between the stylus and the groove wall dependent on the groove velocity or not? If it is then the bias force ought to decrease as the arm moves across the record. This arrangement is achieved by arms using a weight on a thread (such as the older SME designs, amongst others), whereas arms that use a spring will create an anti-skate force independent of arm position.
    Barry

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Carlisle - UK

    Posts: 1,956
    I'm Ken.

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    I think you are right Barry, from purely a speed point of view, the lateral force reduces as the stylus moves towards the centre.
    The stylus pressure used also plays its part in how large a force overall.
    But the overriding geometry, that causes the lateral movement in the first place, the overhang ratio to diameter, is by far the greater force and this increases toward the centre.
    If you ever watch a cartridge/arm slide across a plain disc you can see it speed up considerably as it travels inward.

    Its a variable force at best and like null points, there are probably only a couple of places across a record where the anti skate force is absolutely spot on.

    It always amazes me how we get such great sound quality out of a stylus/record, with so many things working against it.

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