Antiskate and Shiny Records

orthobiz · « **on:** 21 May 2005, 06:06 pm »

I have a couple of Classic Records that have music only on one side, black and shiny and totally blank on the other side.

Can I just drop the needle in the middle and use any drift to adjust my antiskate manually? I have a Rega 600 and the antiskate adjustment (a metal post in a slot with a couple of numbers matching the stylus force) just doesn't give me an accurate, warm, fuzzy feeling.

Thanks,

biz

orthobiz · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 May 2005, 12:45 pm »

Boy, this is one lonely, lonely question. Anyway, I thought maybe the diamond would dig into the clear surface and not give an accurate idea of the antiskate. I'd just rather hear some opinions before I try it.

biz

ohenry · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 May 2005, 01:02 pm »

I've never done that myself, but I read that some people buy "blank" lp-sized vinyl for that purpose. To them, that was the best way to determine the proper anti-skate setting.

I always do a reality check once I make the setting by visually confirming that the cantilever isn't being pulled to one side while playing a record.

Edit: Here's one of my favorite places for info:
http://www.vinylengine.com/

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 May 2005, 05:06 pm »

Orthobiz,

Unless you are using one of Rega's own cartridges, the anti-skate on the Rega is off about .5-.75. For example, my ortofon kontrapunkt b needs a VTF of 2.5 and anti-skating setting of the same, so I set the Rega slider at 1.75 and it tests about right.

Best,
Michael

orthobiz · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 May 2005, 06:26 pm »

Appreicate the feedback, Michael, but how do you test your antiskate?

Anybody use the Wallyskater?

biz

John Casler · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 May 2005, 06:27 pm »

Hi Ortho,

No, it will not work. The anti-skate device, is a force to balance specific groove forces, that push the arm in a particular direction.

A grooveless side will not have these same forces.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 May 2005, 06:41 pm »

Ortho,

I test via the Hi Fi News set up record. Otherwise, you can do it by ear, as if anti-skate is way off, the image will creep more to one side or the other in my experience.

Michael

orthobiz · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 May 2005, 07:43 pm »

Thanks for the advice, guys.

Michael: seems like my Rega 600 currently with Antiskate=VTF, it favors the right channel a bit. If I lowered the antiskate as you suggest, would this move the image from the right channel to the left?
i.e. does the Rega antiskate push the needle into the right groove?

biz

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 May 2005, 08:05 pm »

Ortho,

It should. When I was matching the anti-skate with VTF, my image was too far to the right as well. When I set the image by ear, I went down .75 and the image locked in better.

Michael

PS- I think with the heavier anti-skate the needle is tracking the right side of the groove more, but I'm not sure. Rega's anti-skate is apparently only dead on with Rega cartridges.

John Casler · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 May 2005, 08:19 pm »

Strangely enough I never thought of the actual "physics" involved, but I wonder how it "does" work?

For example, the outside groove wall must be the groove wall that applies pressure to the right side of the "tip" when you are facing the front of the turntable.

This would then lead you to beleive that to counter this "force inward", that the arm would need a slight force "outward".

But that would seem to increase the pressure on the outside groove wall even more!!

I have an SME 3009 Series II and it has a counter weight that pulls on the rear of the arm, and would seem to bear this out.

In any event, it is a delicate balance act between all the forces and tracking angles to get it right.