antiskate disc

Antiskate force is, was, and always will be controversial.  'Twas ever thus.  For the last 2 or 3 weeks as I have been immersed in learning how to setup my turntables using AnalogMajik, and of course setting antiskate has become a part of this process.  AnalogMagik, in their tutorials, says that for 12" tonearms antiskate probably isn't necessary.  On my VPI HW 40, which has a 10" tonearm, it proved unnecessary.  On my Technics SL1200GAE, which so far has been my focus with a Ortofon 2M Black LVB, I have found that varying the antiskate setting over a fairly wide range makes only small changes in distortion.  Therefore, I decided to just settle on using the factory setting, which as I understand it is approximately 10% of VTF.  Again, though, the setting could be +/- 0.5gr of that point with only small changes in measured IM distortion.  I am certain, too, that the results would be different for a different cartridge.  In conclusion, don't assume anything as YRMV.

The AR turntable was not my favorite.  From 1970 to 1980 I worked in high end hifi stores through college and when I was not at sea (I was in the Navy) and was a TT setup specialist.  The AR turntable wore out a lot of cartridges unevenly and the records it tortured.  I cannot say it was only because the thing did not have antiskate because the arm also had a lot of friction.  I owned one that I bought in 1969 before I understood it's limitations, but traded it for a Dual 1219 a year later, which actually had an excellent arm.  Then a couple of years later I traded it for a Thorens TD-125 MKII with a Rabco SL8E arm which I fought with for about 2 years before getting smart and switching the arm for an SME.  I still like that 3009 and have one on my VPI HW-19.  Some things are just right you know.  And some things are not.