[monkeypimp]

I have a Thorens Td 166mkII and have used it for about 2 years now.  I am using a Shure M97ex cartridge on it and for the life of me cannot get it to stop skipping when it gets to the internal area of the record.  Anyone have any ideas?  The alignment seems to be dead on, new belt, anti-skating is set correct, weighting is correct.

[Wayner]

Does it skip inward or outward?

Wayner

[monkeypimp]

Does it skip inward or outward?

Wayner

Inward....it keeps repeating the same spot over and over.

[Wayner]

There is a possibility that your tonearm is hitting the cueing lever raising mechanism pad as it gets to that point. I've had this happen to tables I have gotten off ebay, or maybe the mechanism moved, but I would suggest starting there. Usually there is an adjustment for the pad height.

If that isn't it, I then would take a look at just how freely the tonearm swings back and forth (careful of your stylus), or better yet, remove it if you can. If you feel some resistance at this same point, it then could be your internal tonearm wires binding in some fashion. More investigating maybe required (like going inside).

Just a few ideas for you to start on.

Wayner 

[monkeypimp]

Anyone near Kalamazoo Michigan that would  be willing to come and troubleshoot with me?  I have no shops that I know of that I can take it to for help.

[Russell Dawkins]

How do you know that anti skating is set correctly?

A skipping tendency which is always to the outside edge of the record indicated too much anti-skating force - at least at that part of the arc described by the arm; it varies across the arc even with the best designed systems (and there are many different systems for applying anti-skate force).

By the way, if it repeats the same spot over and over I would describe that as skipping outwards - to the outside edge of the disc.

[monkeypimp]

How do you know that anti skating is set correctly?

A skipping tendency which is always to the outside edge of the record indicated too much anti-skating force - at least at that part of the arc described by the arm; it varies across the arc even with the best designed systems (and there are many different systems for applying anti-skate force).

By the way, if it repeats the same spot over and over I would describe that as skipping outwards - to the outside edge of the disc.

Yeah I guess I was thinking inwards for some reason....but your right it moves outward towards the edge of the disc.

I guess with antiskating I have it set as the manual states and I have adjusted it slightly and it doesn't change things.

[Russell Dawkins]

I would say that any player where there is a tendency to skip outwards near the center of the record, especially when this happens on different records, has way too much anti-skating dialed in.
There may be something amiss in the mechanism applying the force which is contributing either to too much anti-skating force being applied, or uneven application of the force as the arm moves across the record, both of which may be the case here. My first move would be to back off on anti-skating until the skip landed the needle back in the same groove, or skipping stopped.

You might try modding your 160:
http://www.theanalogdept.com/thorens_tweaks.htm

[Wayner]

Anti-skating under adjustment will not behave like that. It will not keep skipping over the same spot. If there is not enough antiskating, it will happily skip it's way to the end of the record. If it's over adjusted, that may happen, but the spot may change depending on LP and material content, but is a valid point. As long as we are digging a little deeper, then I have to ask is the table level?

Since the 166 is a vintage table, Russell's point and my point are both valid. I have a Rega R200 arm that has a broken anti-skate mechanism and it simply is a basket case. I still like my offering that it could be as simple as a mechanical interference with the lift mechanism, and with one peek, that would be easily answered.

Wayner 

[Russell Dawkins]

If there is too little anti skating, skips will tend to be towards the center of the record. If there is too much, skips will be towards the outer edge.

I believe on some of the old set up vinyl discs there is a blank section with no groove for setting up anti skating. The idea is you adjust for no arm movement in or out.

[monkeypimp]

The table is level. and the lift mechanism is not interfering at all.  I adjusted the antiskating down 1/2 step and it still skipped.  I moved it a second 1/2 step and still skipped but helped  moved it a third 1/2 step and it seems to no longer be skipping.  Thanks guys!

Should I be looking for any issues now that I moved the anti skating?

[Wayner]

If there is too little anti skating, skips will tend to be towards the center of the record. If there is too much, skips will be towards the outer edge.

I believe on some of the old set up vinyl discs there is a blank section with no groove for setting up anti skating. The idea is you adjust for no arm movement in or out.

I know about blank discs. I market one. Also, when I said end of record, I meant center. That is also funny that few people understand that it's the tonearm's natural tendency to go towards the end (center). It would seem natural for it to fling outward, off the record, but the offset angle acts like a rudder.

Wayner

[monkeypimp]

Well I decided to make sure it was level, aligned, etc again....it was slightly unlevel so I fixed that and it is dead level now, the alignment seems dead on....I then listen to a record and what do you know it skips again.

I am going to go crazy!  I am at a loss.