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Anti skating SME V

I am using my SME20/2A with a Dynavector XV-1s cartridge and it sounds good.

I have a question though. The cartridge tend to skip a bit (towards the spindle) when lowered on the run-in groove.
I have tried to set the anti skating to maximum (3) and this helps, but doesn't eliminate the problem. I have to be most careful when lowering the arm to avoid skipping. I also found that playing a bit with the position of the din-connection, turning it anti clockwise seen from the top, might have helped (not sure), but did not eliminate the problem either. Is there a special position for this connection that is preferable? Will the position of the cable affect the anti skating in any way? I have tried to lower the cartridge on a blank record and the arm goes quite fast towards the spindel even with max anti skating (never experience this problem on my Dynavector arm). I know this is not the correct way to set anti skating, but it should give an indication.

Anybody?
fosse
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cleeds
5,947 posts
 

dogberry

On all four arms?

It's obvious something is wrong, isn't it?

I have only one SME V arm, and it doesn't behave as you describe.

dogberry
649 posts
 

A curious result with the Wally Skater: it replicated the grooveless record's results, but reduced them by the same percentage (~30%). So the three arms that the grooveless record required a setting at "3" are now set a smidgen over "2." The fourth that required "2.5" is now set at "1.65." (I use quotation marks as these are marks that correspond to VTF in grams, but are not actually grams. I set them so the Wally Skater thought I was applying 10% of VTF. Trying it out now and everything plays as expected.

On performing the tests of static friction and internal tonearm forces I could see no issues. Evidently the joke is on me as the anti-skate settings are almost exactly where the SME manual says they should be: very close to the value of the VTF.

If there is a lesson here, it might be that a cheap and easy-to-use grooveless record could be used, if followed by reducing the anti-skate by 30%. And this is awfully close to the Ledermann method where a "slow inward movement" for certain values of slow equates to 30% less than than the grooveless record's result.

alessandrocat's avatar
alessandrocat
3 posts
 

Dear All,

I use an SME Model 10 turntable with an SME Series IV tonearm. What you said about antiskating is not correct. During my visit to the SME factory I had the opportunity to address various issues, including antiskating. Mr. Brian Laken, technical support manager and a very kind person, explained to me that the antiskating calibration is apparently lower if checked with a smooth record, but we listen to records with modulated grooves and therefore it is correct to use values ​​​​indicated by the scale on the arm. Certainly sometimes at the beginning of the record the arm has the tendency to start inward, but just a little attention and everything will be ok. This generally happens because the SME arms are equipped with bearings with friction equal to almost zero.

Regards

Alessandro

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