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How to properly set VTF??


Hello there.

Just wondering which is the proper "placement" of the gauge to set the VTF for a cartridge. I use a digital gauge and normally fine tune by ear.

Method #1
Place VTF gauge directly on the turntable playing surface.

OR

Method #2
Place VTF gauge "outside" of the playing surface beyond the records edge.

I set the VTF at the recommended 1.96g using method #1. I then tried the #2 placement and the measurement read 2.14g for a difference of 0.18g

The only explanation I can think of that attributed to the weight difference is the anti-skate setting. On my arm (Tri-Planar) the anti-skate kicks in when the cartridge is on a playing surface, outside the playing surface the anti-skate is very minimal.

Which method do you think is best or is it arm dependent?

Cheers!
dogpile

Showing 2 responses by dougdeacon

dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Dogpile,

I agree with Raul, agreeing with Jameswei!

When aligning a cartridge or weighing VTF, prop something beneath the TriPlanar's antiskate arm to take the side pressure off the string.

Yes, we all fine tune VTF by ear. But knowing exactly what weight sounds best can be useful on an arm like the TP, which has no fine adjustment for downforce. Resetting the c/w by ear alone could take a week!
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
BTW--If the arm sees the anti-skate as it plays the record,I can't understand why one would not want to adjust downforce with it engaged.Believe me,if I'm wrong here,I'd love a plausable explanation,that might allow me to get better sound,by readjusting armforce,with the antiskate disengaged!
Smart question.

1) If the weighing platform were "perfectly" hard and smooth, AS would literally drag the stylus off the scale. We could not obtain a VTF reading at all.

2) Of course no platform is "perfectly" hard or smooth. The AS force will be resisted by some amount of stylus/platform friction. A sensitive scale could react to this pressure. This might result in "downforce" readings varying with AS setting, even if actual downforce remains unchanged.

As you said, the goal of measuring VTF is not to "know" what the "real" downforce is. We are simply establishing a reliable baseline for repeatable setup. If you disengage AS every time, your results will be consistent, repeatable and will avoid the problems above.
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