Help! Antiskate with only a weight...no dial, and she's skating away!

I tried the experiment suggested by Dover, here is the link to the video. Please let me know what you all think.

https://youtu.be/0TGdq787Z80

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AkXg5D6fJYs/Uz2kIZnoJtI/AAAAAAAAX3k/aLy-9DpyaOw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-04...

This is a pic of the back of the tonearm. If this link works, you will see the number "2" arrow pointing to the right. If you follow in that direction you will see a silver colored "pin" with three grooves in it sticking out from the black oval and to the right of the inverted bearing.  Those three grooves are where the string attaches and then is looped over the silver bar with only one groove at its end which is found just up and next to the counterweight.

The three grooves are specific for a range of VTF. The innermost groove is for VTF ranges 10-14mN, the second is for 15-19mN and the outer most groove is for 20mN and greater. This is where I have it attached.  As I said, there is only one weight supplied and nothing is mentioned regarding the need for or the option to add more weight. But with this correctly in place, I do not appreciate any antiskate force being applied. 

The link is to a pic... sorry if confusing. 

oldhyvmec,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have confirmed that it's hooked up correctly.

Yes, new table to me.

Received it about a month ago but only obtained the cartridge about a week or so ago and finally got around to setting everything up.

The headshell is stock and I've quadruple checked the alignment, VTF, VTA etc. There is only ONE weight that comes with this tonearm for antiskate and it's adjusted according to the groove in which the string is placed. I have confirmed this placement as well. 

As I'm kind of new to the world of complex set-up, I wouldn't know where there would be a place for dampening oil??

Not sure how to attach pictures? 

bkeske:

Thanks. I will shoot them an email as you suggest. I watched Peter's video and read the explanation and that seemed logical to me as well, but unfortunately as you point out, there is no way to fine tune that with the "fishing pole" method--that's what it looks like to me, with a big piece of bait hanging off the wire!  And my research earlier led me to conclude in agreement that antiskate should be set lower than the tracking force. Thanks again, I really appreciate any and all input. 

Thanks everyone for your replies. I address them below. Thanks!

millercarbon:
Thanks for the reply, info and encouragement. The antiskate weight is 3.485g (3.5g on their website). And yes I have noticed the kind of ski slope edge on some of the records which facilitate this accelerated slide, but it does the same if I place it in the space in between the run out grooves at the end of the record (where Peter from Soundsmith recommends assessing for antiskate). However I did as you suggested and it drops into the groove almost imperceptibly! But I want to be able to get back to my chair before the music starts!! Ha!

Before I read your post, I actually thought about the same and made a trip to Lowe's where I found some very small black washers (matched the color of the weight and very close diameter). I came home, weighed each and found them between 0.46g and 0.48g. So I added one by one and experimented on the blank side of record I have (Dave Grohl's Play has only one side) to see how much effect it had on slowing the skate across the record. I ended up adding four washers (roughly just under 2g) which only slowed the skate but not enough where the tonearm stops near the nullpoints. I listened and it still sounded good, but by this time it was late and I'll have to do more A/B later. Still makes me wonder why I have to do this anyway.

But it's interesting to know that there are manufacturer's who don't use antiskate and/or dismiss it as necessary? The physics of it seems logical to me that it need not be ignored, but what do I know?  Many searches of this topic have revealed that many people don't use it all and have stated their systems sound better sans antiskate. 

stringreen:
I wondered if the added weight didn't narrow the soundstage a bit, so I definitely will be A/B'ing as I said above.  I wonder, does your cantilever appear slanted to the left from the skating forces pulling it towards the record? If so, will that cause damage over time?

oldhyvmec:
I checked the grooves and there is nothing sticky on them and changing from one groove to another had zero effect. Watching the Masters!

petg60:
I considered loosening the screw--as it does indeed unscrew--but to make enough of an effect, it seemed that it would have to loosen too much and therefore be moveable in its slot, i.e. subject to vibration and thus adding unwanted vibration to the arm. 

bkeske:
yes I tried the other grooves to no avail. I wondered the same regarding this level of table/tonearm and the use of the string. But again, what do I know about any of this stuff... hence my questions and the need to learn. 
 

stringreen:
I'm sure it's not broken, bent etc. It's brand new and only has about 15 hours on it so far. I have inspected it under higher magnification and everything appears intact.

lewm:
but it is skating across the whole record--that is a blank record.  Which tells me (with what little knowledge I've gleaned thus far) that there is no antiskating force in play.  You said the grooveless record experiment is meaningless, and I agree it certainly isn't the same characteristic as if it were in the groove, but shouldn't there be some antiskate character being observed.  I did this with my rega rp6 with 2m black and antiskate set to about 1.2 or so and it didn't slide all the way across the blank record--which led me to conclude the antiskate was in effect? no?

How would I go about checking the internal wiring? The wiring attaching to the cartridge appears loose and without a drag effect, but of course I can't see the inside. 

Here are two videos of the issue: The first is with antiskate engaged which includes the additional weight (total of around 5.5g) added to the string.  
The second is without antiskate.

https://youtu.be/cGG9-H_ZD6w 

https://youtu.be/uRm_xAZIdUM

millercarbon.

Thanks. your post gives me a lot to consider and makes sense. Agreed that the VTA on this arm is a PITA, but at least it's available whereas Rega's are not. I'm trying not to obsess over this as each day passes, but the nag is there in the background for now.  I try to remind myself, that many of you who've been at this for a long time don't give much credence to AS and to the contrary find it sounds better w/o in some systems.  I'm still weighing the pros cons and whether this arm reveals or hides with/ without.  Either way, thanks again for all the feedback. It is much appreciated. 

Stringreen:
Seven posts prior to your post at 10:59 on 4/15/2021, Dover asked me to do this experiment to see if the arm mount may be the source of the trouble in that perhaps it was mounted unlevel. See his post above. 

Good thoughts.  The armlift is working appropriately and when lowering onto the table while playing a record, it does not slide towards the spindle. It will do that a little bit at the beginning of the record, but as Stringreen has stated, many records have a lip. Also it doesn't do this on every record I play. 

I heard from Pro-ject, but they have asked for more information which I have supplied. Hopeful feedback from them soon.  Thanks to all for the continued interest and suggestions/questions.