Cardas Burn-In LP

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Arch7,
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Here is a link to one of Doug's recent postings that includes a step by step cartridge/arm set up of starting with zero Anti-Skate finding the VTF and then coming back to working on the Anti skate.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1195842142&openfrom&5&4#5

Do some searches and find some of Doug's other posts on his ideas and experience with Anti-Skate settings.
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The Cardas Record Sweep is terrific. I have found nice sonic benefits by running the Sweep tracks in my system every two - three weeks (quite audible and well worth the time).
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Rgds,
Larry
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Thanks
I'll check out Doug's posts!

This should help:

http://www.cardas.com/content.php?area=music&content_id=4&pagestring=System%20Setup%20Tools&album_id=8

While we're on the topic of the Cardas LP, I was wondering if there was anywhere on the web which gave better descriptions of what each track on either side of the LP does, and what they can-should be used for?

I know there are some descriptions on the Jacket, but a better analysis would certainly help guys like me better understand.

I also have an older Cardas LP, circa 1996, which has the same stuff on both sides, and the LP came with nothing so to speak for description of tracks other than the obvious. Thanks, Mark

I have the Cardas Sweep as well and would agree that the blanks are certainly not the be-all/end-all in setting anti-skate. That being said, in my setup the arm moves very, very slowly in the "outer" blank and hardly at all in the inner blank closest to the label. If yours is literally shooting across the blanks and skipping towards the label I would think you might try increasing anti-skate, not decreasing it.

Ultimately, though, you want to set by ear. There are some great posts in the archives here from Doug Deacon with respect to setting anti skate by ear-do a search for those.

Finally, if you don't have a digital stylus force gauage or protractor, invest in a cheap one (they need not be expensive). Even though a dealer has set it up, things can get out of wack, particularly if you've transported the table home from the dealer's after setup. You have a nice table/arm/cartridge and proper alignment/VTA and antiskate are critical to realizing its potential. There is a ton of good info easily available here and at vinylasylum that you can quickly pick up on to get things in order yourself.

You will hear distortion/breakup if the anti-skate is off.

Can you elaborate?

You would hear innergroove distortion.

Thanks Narrod
You're probably right! You know how it goes when something causes some doubt to creep in.

If the anti-skate was off in that direction how would it effect the music? Would it causes an imbalance between channels? I'm apt to thrust using the Cardas LP with it's other test tones to look for channel differences.

Additional thoughts. I think those grooveless bands are about as useful as a bucket of warm spit (apologies to Alvin Barkley) and are of virtually no use in setup.

Try reducing the anti-skate. That should correct it as long as the table is level.