Anti-skate problem with Rega RB303 tonearm


No matter at what level I set the anti-skate adjustment, the tonearm rapidly runs away from the spindle. Is this a common problem with the Rega tonearms? Is there any way to fix it? The turntable is flat. Thanks, in advance, for comments and suggestions.

audio-satisficer

The cartridge is too light.   Try adding a minuscule amount of downward force and it won't mistrack.   I have listened both ways and like it with no adjustment for a/s.  Using a/s damps the cartridge to close in the sound slightly.   The whole thing is lots of talk with little benefit.  Im using an Ortofon cart for years, and the diamond is still in excellent shape.

I own it and have done the research to death.

Pull the slider all the way to you (front of table).

Even though this is NO anti skating the rega is STILL doing some antiskating.

@stringreen , as has been discussed hear on numerous occasions, that is a big mistake. No, it is not an exact science but it will greatly improve tracking of the outer groove wall and reduce record wear. Just one episode of mistracking which is literally the diamond bouncing along the groove wall, will damage a record permanently. Anti skating also maintains the correct orientation of the cantilever so that the magnets and or coils remain in proper alignment. Ideally anti skating should be set at 10% of the VTF. 

Here ya go! If  this doesn't work there is something wrong with the tonearm anti-skate mechanism!

 

@mijostyn that is what I’ve been doing with all my turntables, works perfectly. I disregard the recommended anti skate force and just watch how the stylus behaves in the dead wax/runout and set it accordingly.

I like no anti-skate.  It's impossible to set it correctly anyway.  If you set it at any one point on the record the entire side before and beyond is wrong.Can anyone tell the difference with and without anti-skate? For the Rega problem, I'd check if the arm wire is binding, the cueing is touching, etc.

@audio-satisficer , first make sure your table is perfectly level. Next make absolutely sure the overhang is set correctly. Then set the anti skate by the Schroder method. Use your cuing devise to set the stylus down in the run out area between grooves. The tonearm should drift very slowly towards the spindle until it catches a groove. If it drifts outwards you have too much anti skate. If it flies inward then you have too little.

don’t follow the dial numerical settings on the arm, the calibration is often very poor

get proper blank record side, adjust anti skate up very gradually so arm stays neutral

oh and make sure, very sure, your platter is exactly level

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My rega applied rather too much antiskate if set to match tracking weight, enough that it skewed the cantilever after a while. Setting it to about half was more realistic, or use a test disc.