My method consists of minimum anti-skate. First I set up the cartridge, for SRA, Azimuth and VTF, with no anti-skate. I also take a Digital Multi-Meter reading of the cross talk as a reference after setting azimuth. No twisted wire, fish wire disconnected. So now everything is set, VTF, SRA, Azimuth, and I have a reading of my cross talk with Azimuth set.
I have the VPI Classic 3, Dyna XX-2 MK II, VTF 1.988 grams. Crosstalk is -26.620db on the Left channel and -26.021 on the right. Azimuth is 0.19 degrees tilted to the right channel. SRA is 92 degrees (measure with a digital microscope).
With the SRA set (using the VTA tower), I make sure the fish wire is horizontal to the mechanical anti-skate.
Now I hook up the fist wire, ensuring the attachment point on the tonearm and to the top of the mechanical anti-skate is horizontal. I line it up, so I have one donut on the bottom, so I can put the fish line on the 4th indent from the top (first indent from the bottom). So one donut under the 4th indent from the top, the fish line on the 4th indent from the top.
Then I pull out the Hi-Fi news test record. I use the easiest bias setting test, Side one band 6, 300hz tone L+R, +12 db. When I play that with no anti-skate, left channel is perfect, the right channel will distort occasionally. I hook up the anti-skate and put one donut on the horizontal bar. I slide the donut out, until I don't get any distortion in the right channel on the +12db track. The one donut ends up close to the end of the rod. I don't even play the +14db, +16db and +18 db tracks. Those will lead you to nowhere.
So now the anti-skate is set, minimun with the +12db track. I then just double check crosstalk to ensure it is the same. I just want to be sure I am not twisting the tonearm in some way. This is probably an unnecessary step, since I have never noticed a difference in crosstalk, probably because I am careful about the horizontal setup of the fish wire.
I have the VPI Classic 3, Dyna XX-2 MK II, VTF 1.988 grams. Crosstalk is -26.620db on the Left channel and -26.021 on the right. Azimuth is 0.19 degrees tilted to the right channel. SRA is 92 degrees (measure with a digital microscope).
With the SRA set (using the VTA tower), I make sure the fish wire is horizontal to the mechanical anti-skate.
Now I hook up the fist wire, ensuring the attachment point on the tonearm and to the top of the mechanical anti-skate is horizontal. I line it up, so I have one donut on the bottom, so I can put the fish line on the 4th indent from the top (first indent from the bottom). So one donut under the 4th indent from the top, the fish line on the 4th indent from the top.
Then I pull out the Hi-Fi news test record. I use the easiest bias setting test, Side one band 6, 300hz tone L+R, +12 db. When I play that with no anti-skate, left channel is perfect, the right channel will distort occasionally. I hook up the anti-skate and put one donut on the horizontal bar. I slide the donut out, until I don't get any distortion in the right channel on the +12db track. The one donut ends up close to the end of the rod. I don't even play the +14db, +16db and +18 db tracks. Those will lead you to nowhere.
So now the anti-skate is set, minimun with the +12db track. I then just double check crosstalk to ensure it is the same. I just want to be sure I am not twisting the tonearm in some way. This is probably an unnecessary step, since I have never noticed a difference in crosstalk, probably because I am careful about the horizontal setup of the fish wire.