10.30 How do you set the anti-skating on a tonearm?
Description
This article is from the rec.audio.* FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Bob Neidorff others.
10.30 How do you set the anti-skating on a tonearm?
If you have a recommendation or suggestion from the
tonearm manufacturer, follow their advice first.
They will give you the best starting point.
Some tonearms come with calibrated anti-skate. The manufacturer
of these tonearms has tried to calibrate the anti-skate control
so that if you match the setting of the anti-skate to the
setting of the stylus pressure, you will have nearly perfect
anti-skate. Read the manufacturer's recommendations to see if
this applies to your tonearm.
You can see gross errors in anti-skate by looking at
the stylus. If you shine a light on the front of the
tonearm while playing a record, you will be able
to see whether the stylus is centered in the stylus
holder. If the stylus is biased to one side or another
while playing a record, then the anti-skate is way off.
More subtle adjustments can be made by listening for
mistracking. If you can, obtain a record with equal
left right modulation at high frequency with ascending
modulation magnitude (volume), such as the Shure
ERA-III, IV, or V test record. They have five bands of
"greensleeves" played on flute, and you fiddle until the
audible breakup is equal in both channels, and adjust
tracking weight until it occurs in the highest band.
This is, like other cartridge and tonearm adjustments,
easier for the experienced hand than the beginner.
Some high-end dealers have electronic instruments which
allow them to accurately adjust anti-skate and other
cartridge and tonearm parameters. If you can get this
service, consider yourself fortunate.
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