HELP! Technics SL1200GR/Benz Glider Anit-Skate Setting High


I just mounted a Benz Micro Glider on a LPGear Pro Headshell which looks like the standard Technics headshell but is not up to the same quality as an original and I think is lighter.

When I first mounted it, I couldn't set the VTA correctly because the cartridge height was too low.  I had a plastic "angled" shim that I had from an old Dual DD turntable I had in the late '70's.

I installed that and was able to get the vta set OK.

But, when playing, I noticed that if I set the stylus down at the end of the last song on a side it would just fly into the label area.  I usually set the anti-skate at about 10 below the tracking force.  For the Glider the tracking force was set at 1.9 so I set the A/S at 1.  I kept increasing it until the cartridge would not fly into the label.  I ended up at 3 (the max.) A/S force.

I've never had this happen before.

I tried adding weight to the headshell and resetting everything and the anti-skate setting doesn't change still high.

I've often read many times that people usually have the A/S set too high even when they have it set to the same value as the tracking force.  Mine is set at least 10 higher?

Any ideas?

Thanks, Nick
nicktheknife

Showing 4 responses by chakster

Change headshell and never use anything between the cartridge body and a headshell. You cartridge must be screwed to the FLAT surface (not angled). Set anti-skating just as much as the tracking force. You arm level is adjusted on the fly, make sure the arm is parallel to the record surface when you playin an LP. 
Without the shim or some type of shim I can’t get the arm parallel to the record surface unless I use an extra thick mat which I’m afraid will change the sound maybe for the worse.

then you need a mat like SAEC SS-300 or anything same thickness instead of something between the cartridge and headshell.

Do you have a problem with every LP with real music or just with Hi-Hi Test LP ? 
Not every cartridge can pass the suspension test on Hi-Fi Test LP, especially the last two grooves with very high modulation, only a perfect cartridge can do that, most of the cartridges will jump out of the groove. 

This is what i expected, if the problem is the last track on Hi-Fi Test LP then you don't have to worry about it, the real music does not have such high groove modulation. Maybe your previous tonearm was better match for your MC cartridge. But again if your cartridge does not skip on REAL MUSIC then everything is fine! 

You can put 10 cartridges on Hi-Fi Test LP and only few of them can pass the last track without skipping. A high compliance cartridge will do that easily, but a low compliance cartridge simply can't do that. This is the hardest groove modulation. 
My favorite high and mid compliance MM/MI cartridges are able to pass all 4 bands on Hi-Fi test LP without skipping on Technics stock tonearm. Grace, Audio-Technica, Stanton can do that with ease.