Next thing we should discuss is the best way of lowering the arm on the record. So much talk for nothing. |
Thanks, Fleib. Your post reminds me that I should have mentioned that the procedure I described should be performed during low volume musical passages, having minimal groove excursions.
Regards,
-- Al
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Skating force varies with groove velocity and offset angle and while there might be no perfect setting, it is possible to find an appropriate setting for your situation, and fine tune by ear. The Almarg method of obversation is appropriate IMO. Just remember AS force is applied to the arm and you generally want the cantilever to be deflected equally toward the outside or inside. All of the settings effect all the others. Alignment, VTF, SRA/VTA, azimuth, are are all interrelated. fleib |
A simple method for setting anti-skating that I’ve found to work well, at least with cartridges having medium to high compliance (I have no experience with cartridges having low compliance), and which I’ve found to generally require little if any subsequent fine tuning by ear, is as follows:
1)Observe the cartridge from the front while it is in the groove of a rotating record, and positioned somewhere in the middle of the record.
2)Adjust anti-skating until deflection of the cantilever to one side (left or right) becomes barely perceptible, relative to its position when the stylus is lifted off of the record. Note the setting.
3)Adjust anti-skating until deflection of the cantilever to the other side (left or right) becomes barely perceptible, relative to its position when the stylus is lifted off of the record. Note the setting.
4)Set anti-skating to the mid-point between those settings.
5)Verify that no perceptible left or right deflection of the cantilever occurs near the beginning and near the end of the record.
Regards,
-- Al
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I think it depends on the rig that you are using. A very tolerant cartridge (one renowned for excellent tracking) will make it harder for us to judge an optimal A/S setting (apart from clear visual indications that we’ve gone way over the top with A/S). Personally I would never use a cart without A/S because it will cause asymmetric wear on the stylus which, eventually, will become a far bigger problem for your records (and listening pleasure) than any cartridge mechanical issue. If you are comfortable with these caveats then it becomes a matter of individual choice. Regarding Balance there are many possibilities. For example - - The cartridge can be naturally unbalanced. (Not severely, one would hope) - The electronics can be unbalanced. - The room can be unbalanced. - Your ears can be unbalanced. Always check the last one first ;^) All the best, |
I thought that anti-skate is always set by ear, you don't need no bloody test records, just listen. I am not familiar with the OP's set-up but with my Nottingham Spacedeck/Spacearm you can clearly hear the difference while moving the weight back and forth. It took me fifteen minutes and a few records to find the overall best setting and forget about it.
The idea that no anti-skating always sounds better is a complete BS.
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Are you absolutely 100% sure your platter is perfectly level? How about where you mount your tonearm - is that perfectly level, too?
Check it, and recheck it. My table is on a wooden cabinet and "level" changes day-to-day (I tweak with pieces of card stock under the footers). No need to mess with AS until you confirm. |
It's been awhile since I did anti-skate, but I remember one thing. Do not use anti-skate for any other reason(like channel balance) than what is the best setting for the just the anti-skate alone. I think you get close to the correct anti-skate, and then, incrementally go forward and back(more and less anti-skate), until you hear what anti-skate does. You can go slow, and even sleep on it. If, the next day, you are less excited to want to listen to your records, put it back where you had it, etc. I vaguely remember that it might be just less(a slightly smaller amount of anti-skate) than where the balance between channels(or something like that) is best. There was a discussion on here, where I came to the same conclusion as a person who studied anti-skate a lot. Note: all of my anti-skate experiments were done with gimbaled tonearms(but I would assume you could use the same experiments. I think uni-pivots[the Graham, I assume] use less anti-skate.). To get a starting point, you might research your tonearm and cartridge(reviews, etc.). In addition, your choice should be for the best sound(again don't listen for specific things) for the whole record, while you can keep in mind that anti-skate should be more needed towards the end of the record(I think there might be a few more compromises towards the end-even if you get the correct setting.). |
I have a Graham 2.2T. I agree with the posts by Almarg on how to adjust AS. It may help to first verify with no AS and no tracking force applied that the arm is not being forced to the outside by anything such as a twisted tone arm wire or connection.
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Dear blueranger: Nice system you own.
You said that have an unbalnce in the volume/SPL, that the right channel sounds louder. This is not an AS problem but as other gentleman here suggested the Azymuth set up but if the cartridge/tonearm overall set up is " right " about VTA/SRA/AZ and tonearm damping fluid and the problem stay then problem could be in the electronics in one of the system components, it's not probable a speaker unbalance per se.
Forgeret about the AS and clean up any single male and female connector in the whole audio system looking too that no one connection/cable/wire is loose, including the ones in the cartridge/tonearm wires and speakers and the electrical cables too. If all these don't fix that problem then the unbalance is on the electronics.
Out of the subject of your thread but looking your system and only as an idea ( don't to fix your today problem. ) and do that your system seat is so close to the back " wall " a damping pannel here can improve your quality listen sound.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R. |
There is no way to measure/adjust anti-skate properly...it is a constantly changing force, and is so small that it is unnecessary. It only distorts the tracking of the arm...provides unnecessary damping .....not for me.
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My right channel is always the one that clips first. Bryston was fried during lightening storm and was sent back to factory where they replaced all caps plus other things. Seller told me this when I bought it. he also told me it was a 14bst and not a
14bsst. Factory were out of 14bst switches for front and they used 14bsst . At this time I was researching and by my serial number Bryston had incorporated most of the sst changes. David Tanner said in the late serial numbers the sonic differences by ear were not detectable. If it hadn't been a happy time in my life I probably would have voided sale. Sorry to get off topic. Mike |
You say there's always been difference in output between the channels? This would indicate that the azimuth is incorrect for starters...(I haven't read all in detail so may be already mentioned - just wanted to mention this important step). Also, be sure to use a correctly calibrated electronic scale for VTF (down force). |
P.S to my previous post: To be precise, the last sentence of my previous post should read as follows:
If deflection to the right is evident it would confirm that for whatever reason your anti-skating force is still too low, or for whatever reason skating force is too high. IMO.
Also, I've found over the years that optimal anti-skating force usually corresponds to about 50% to 60% of the tracking force. Other opinions and experiences will differ.
Regards,
-- Al
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One some test records there is a blank piece at about 5 cm. ''Blank'' means without grooves. One can adjust anti-skate at this place on the record such that tonearm remains stationary. Aka not moving to the inside or outside. This was the old way to adjust the anti-skate. By increasing the anti-skate force one can increase the tracking ability of the used cart. But there is no sense in increasing tracking ability above, say, 60 microns. 60 microns is sufficient for the cantilever/stylus combo to trace any record. The mentioned ''blank piece'' one can use as a kind of indication for further adjustment which should consist in reduction of the anti-skate force . Either by listening or by adjusting till 60 microns value is reached. The advice is to use the minimal anti- skate force. This is not my advice but advice from Van den Hul. The advantage of such test record is that one can see how anti-skate actually works. |
Oh what's that??? What's it look like? |
Did you remove the protection cap from the bearing tip? |
I got my Cardas test record out and placed it in smooth section and it imediately gravitated to inside. I adjusted anti skate to where cartridge slighty pulls to inside . If, as I assume, when you refer to the "smooth section" of the test record you are referring to the ungrooved sections it has, keep in mind that when "playing" an ungrooved surface the skating forces that would result when the stylus is in the groove of a rotating record are not present. Therefore I suspect that the amount of anti-skating force that is being applied is still too low. Although not being familiar with the arm I have no idea why that may be, given that you have set the anti-skating to max. One thing I would do, if you haven’t already done so, is to view the cartridge head-on (from the front) while the stylus is in the groove of a rotating record, and see if the cantilever is visibly deflected (probably to the right, toward the outside of the record), relative to its position when the stylus is lifted off of the record (presumably straight ahead, or close to it). If deflection to the right is evident it would confirm that for whatever reason your anti-skating force is still too low, IMO. Good luck. Regards, -- Al |
For the best sound you shouldn't use the a/s at all. I never use it.
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Anti skate and channel balance should not be not related, if that is what you mean by stronger on one side. How many hours do you have on the cadenza? Has this combo always reacted like this while together?
It is a little odd you have to use maximum AS setting but if it works just enjoy the music. |
Is the left channel still stronger? Seems like your AS calibration is weak. You shouldn't be maxed out on the dial. If it's still not centered, you should get it fixed, IMO. |
On my SME 309 and Grado cartridge I have the anti-skate set to one gram higher than the tracking force. The anti-skate will be different depending on the stylus shape of the cartridge.
The bottom line is don’t worry about it and enjoy the music! |
