Setting anti skate on a VPI for Soundsmith cart


Ok I went to the Soundsmith site and read up on AS for VPI tables. 

I have the Soundsmith Carmen MKii (brand new) and I'm have a slight case of silibance. I'm trying to adjust my AS (using the VPI rig) and the Soundsmith directions but I'm a bit confused. As I understand it your supposed to set it such that the needle tracks slowly to the center when sitting on the blank space not in the groove at the end of a record - while he doesn't specifically say I'm assuming this test is done with the TT on.  The the problem is that no matter how few rubber o rings I use the arm moves to the outside not slowly to the inside. In fact, I can remove all the rubber rings and it will still move to the outside.  In any case the silibance still remains so I'm not sure where to go from  here.  Is it better to up or lower the TF? My headshell is level, my azimuth is level. 
last_lemming
it is nearly impossible to set azimuth by eyeballing the horizontal rod...buy or borrow the Fozgometer and its accompanying test disc. Use Soundmith’s recommendation for vtf...don’t be concerned with snti-skate. I don’t use it at all...there are many who think the sound is better without. Check that the turntable itself is level.  Once you have all the parameters in place do it again next month....it will have had a chance to break in.
So I broke out my Foz and set the azimuth more accurately. Honesty it wasn't but a smidge off. I also have a test record - The ultimate analog test LP - and I checked the antiskate with no antiskate set on the TT, and the darn thing passed with flying colors. The tone was equal in the L and R channel with no breakup right to the end. 
You may drive yourself crazy determining if AS is correct on your VPI.

On my Classic,1 or 4 orings doesn't seem to affect the speed of arm moving toward the center of a record.

HW says don't bother. I never "heard" a difference either way.

Unless you have the patience moving the counterintuitive left or right, a pro setup or fozgometer is the solution. A slight tilt either way may smooth out those S words or tizzy high hats.
 
Sibilance also seems to also be recording dependent. An example is Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man"

On a greatest hits album,its rampant throughout the song. 
With the HG album, barely noticeable and naturally, overall presentation nicer. This is just my experience, I read others report 
zero sibilance with any record they play.

YMMV, it's just audio madness.



The Soundsmith is not broken in yet. Phono carts break in a lot. Don't judge it until you have at least 100 hours in it.
@ last_lemming
Sometimes lowering the VTA will help with sibilance problems.  Give that a try!
Thanks guys. For now I'm going with no AS and keeping the cart level. Once fully broken in I'll mess with VTA and such. 

Would it it be correct to assume that the upper limit of VTF would also help aliviate silibance?
Once I heard the difference that no a/s offered it clearly meant me taking off the a/s gizmo from my 3D arm.   What I hear is center soloists are much more clearly delineated....  no bleed left or right...the soloist is clearly right there.  Once I could hear that, i noticed that all the other instruments had their place in the sound space....much more air around the instruments, etc.  I recommend everyone interested to just try no a/s and listen critically, and make your own assessments.  

VTA adjustment is (to me) very tricky.  ...but be sure to readjust your vtf at each adjustment.  This took me about a month of listening, adjust, etc.  Its well worth the time it takes. When you are through adjusting, then check to see if the stylus is in the proper position on the measuring device (Mint, metal VPI guage, etc.)...chances are it has changed.

My experience with vtf....there is one absolutely correct vtf that was engineered into the cartridge.  At this optimum, the magnets, coils of wire, etc. are in their proper position to extract what the designer had intended. After all this adjusting, you just may be battle worn and allow it to be "close"...
What I don't understand is how can not having an AS setting work at the inner grooves?   The tonearm just wants to swing inward pretty significantly there. 
Update:

found out my my sibilance was coming from the pivot needle mount on the TT coming loose. Tightened that up now everything is sounding wonderful!!!