That’s how I do it. I use a blank sided LP!
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You do better use Hi-Fi Test LP with 4 bands dedicated to anti-skating set up on different tone signal amplitude. https://www.musicdirect.com/analog-accessories/hifi-news-test-lp-producers-cut |
If one performs needledrops at different settings on the same section of music you will hear subtle differences due to unequal pressures within the groove. Music will sound fractionally more natural and “unreproduced” using a more optimal setting. ”Old school” thinking among the establishment many years ago (which I do not subscribe to BTW) dictated that on a blank section of vinyl the stylus should tend outwards at a rate of 5-10mm/s. This probably corresponded to the amount required when tracking extreme high-amplitude “test bands” such as the HFN/RR. Few believe nowadays that such settings are appropriate. These days I subscribe to the Frank Schroeder(?) recommendation of adjusting so that the stylus tends fractionally inwards on blank vinyl. (I know “fractionally inwards” seems counter-intuitive but it does *sound right* in practice.) If you feel that you are losing “air” and HF delicacy in the RH channel then you should reduce A/S until both channels sound “the same” within a reasonable window of definition. This unfortunately entails ignoring A/S Test Bands altogether. Of course, there is also the redoubtable Doug Deacon’s contention that the cantilever is “stressed” when too much A/S is applied and that this can affect the cartridge’s general balance and could distort the attitude of the cantilever. He maintained that A/S applied to the “non-business end” of the tonearm whilst the groove was trying to steer the stylus like a cow with a ring through its nose created conflicting forces which were ultimately unhelpful to the mechanics of the cartridge. His description of this scenario was far more eloquent than mine it must be said. Sound logic nevertheless. |
Stringreen, it sounds mo better; in what way I can't tell you because I can't hear good enough to distinguish in what way, but it's like everything else in this hobby, if somebody tells you that it sounds "mo better", just go with the flow, and leave it at that. But seriously, I'm waiting for the answer too. |
This is what I do may not be for everyone.When music stops at end of album watch to see if needle moves fast or slow towards label. You want it to move in a slow nice pace. Once I do that then I adjust by ear, most time need to add antiskate to fill in sound stage on right channel. You can also match VTF of cartridge and add or subtract antiskate by ear. Check out soundsmith video on anti skate. |
I had my first 17D2 too long, I was also setting antiskate on my RB300 arm to the same value as the tracking weight. Result after a few years was a misaligned cantilever and a stylus that had worn more on one side. Then I learnt about using a blank section of vinyl to set it, on the rega scale it was nearer to 1 than 2 once set like that and no more uneven wear. My next arm, Aro, had 5 notches for a thread and one of them sounded best, easy. My current arm (Schroder Reference) I set roughly with a blank disc and then by ear but my system’s come on a bit since the Rega days, I could never hear much difference back then. |