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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
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,368 posts
 
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.
last_lemming OP
630 posts
 
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. 
tablejockey
3,772 posts
 
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.



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