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Anti skate. I think something's wrong

I have an Acoustic Signiture TT with a Graham 2.2 tonearm and Ortofon Cadenza Bronze cartridge. My anti skate is set close to tracking weight and it would always dig to in inside when I would start a record. I read this is wrong so I got my Cardas test record out and placed it in smooth section and it imediately gravitated to inside. I adjusted anti skate to where cartridge slighty pulls to inside . Here is the problem. To get this I'm having to adjust anti skate to the max. I rechecked TT and it is right on level wise. I have less sibilence now and swear the two channels are more even. The right channel has always been just slightly lower than left in volume. The only qualm I have is the max antiskate I have to use. Is bearing bad? I have the blue fluid. Or I shouldn't worry and enjoy the music. Mike
128x128blueranger
inna
7,132 posts
 
Next thing we should discuss is the best way of lowering the arm on the record. So much talk for nothing.
lewm
12,460 posts
 
I guess we shouldn't post any longer to this thread, because Inna is bored, but I was rather surprised to read that go4vinyl and Raul suggest the problem of unequal gain in one channel vs the other could be due to azimuth maladjustment.  In fact (this has been said many times too, Inna, so you can stop reading here), azimuth has very little effect on channel balance and adjusting azimuth is not a good way to address channel imbalance.

As to why the OP perceives that AS is affecting channel balance, it could be because badly out of whack AS is inducing distortions that are perceived as more or less output on the affected channel.  Just a guess. Cleaning all mechanical contact areas, as Raul did mention, is a good idea.

I agree with a few others who stated that AS should be adjusted while playing music with the stylus in the groove, not on the run-out or grooveless surface of an LP.  Since skating force is due to stylus friction in the groove, a smooth patch of vinyl does not generate a force that is representative of the problem.  Almarg's method for adjusting AS seems fine; I just don't have the patience or the visual acuity for that.  I am not quite in Stringreen's camp, either. I just set AS to the most minimal value possible, and then I forget about it.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,368 posts
 
Inna....if you can't hear that no a/s is better, then your hearing is impaired,  your system is not good enough or set up carefully enough.  Harry of VPI doesn't use a/s either.   I have had cartridges for years with no ill effects of not using a/s. These pages exist for those who seek points of view that may require a more open mind with removal from the rear end.
moonglum
619 posts
 

Stringreen said :-

"These pages exist for those who seek points of view that may require a more open mind with removal from the rear end. "


This is a tough case to answer, SG.

I’m sure that some on the Forum would benefit from “removal from the rear end” but it’s not going to happen anytime soon for purely practical reasons.

I’m assuming of course that you refer to the complete removal of the unfortunately named A/S mechanism from the rear end of the tone arm to eliminate another external influence on the tonearm & cartridge?

It should be noted many people do the opposite and deliberately attach materials & objects to their tonearms to “reduce” the resonant behaviour of the arm i.e. dampers.

In some tonearms, the A/S mechanism is secure and does not “rattle” in the way that pulleys and threaded weights might so any benefit that might be obtained from disassembling the A/S itself would be of limited value. I speak as someone who, in a previous life, was quite anal about removing energy drains and sources of extraneous resonance.

HW is also an advocate of twisting tonearm wires to effect A/S. These will also exert an influence from the pivot rather than locally at the cartridge(?) thus giving you back, to some degree at least, the very same problem that Doug Deacon has crusaded against.

Have you checked that you’ve truly “zeroed-out” the effect of the tonearm cable on your rig?


A final point about "no wear being exhibited after years of use". As you know this subject has been formally studied and many cartridges tested to destruction. The one thing they were absolutely certain of is that asymmetric wear on the diamond is a guaranteed direct consequence of either too much or too little anti-skate.

You cannot change the Laws of Physics but you can have a good time trying ;^)

fleib
1,124 posts
 

Stringreen,

You're rather insulting to those of us with a different point of view.  Not only that, you don't know what you're talking about.  If you can't hear channel imbalance w/o anti-skate, then you have a linear arm or a hearing problem.

Regards,

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