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Warning: Linn tonearm anti-skate not accurate

Hi,

After repeatedly having problem, including ruining a perfectly aged Koetsu Urushi, I found with the aid of HFNRR that the Linn Ekos antiskating is not accurate.

With 3 different cartridges tracking between 1.7 - 2.0g, the optimal anti-skatings were found to be between setting the tonearm anti-skating dial to "2.4-2.6 g". I checked with the anti-skating setting tracks on HFNRR test record (most MC can cover the first 2 tracks, but Shure V15 can go through 3 tracks).

After using my cartridge on the Ekos for about one year, playing about 100 hours, at 1.9g VTF, anti-skating dialed to '1.9g', my cantilever was slanted about 5 degree to the left (view towards the rear of tonearm), indicating undercompensation.

Another fellow Linn users told me he found same thing with Akito tonearm and also had a slanted cantilever.

So please check your setting before ruining another cartridge.

www.extremephono.com
extremephono
jayboard
301 posts
 
My working assumption for any turntable, regardless of brand, would be that the anti-skating dial reading is not adequately reliable. Tracking force dial readings probably are more reliable, but I wouldn't put too much faith in them, either.

Extreme, I also use the HFNRR record to set up my turntable. I asked a question here about the anti-skate results I was getting, which seemed counter-intuitive to me. You might find some of the discussion in the thread interesting; search for "Anti-skating question" in the forum archives.
extremephono OP
123 posts
 
I read you old post, don't see what was counterintuitive to you? Using a grooveless track is not accurate and should undercompensate due to the reduced friction (hence force).

The anti-skate is a force related to the friction, offset by the angle.

However, on Rega RB250, the antiskate adjustment is so off, that I cannot make any statement on it. I have to add a cotter pin to compensate the RB250 just to get started...
jayboard
301 posts
 
Extreme, you missed the gist of my post in that thread --not that it matters ;-). You posit that using a grooveless track should undercompensate for skating force, and that is a widely held view. I found that using the grooveless track method _over_compensated for skating force, and that thread provided some corroboration for my finding.

My conclusion: The heck with generalizations about this matter.

Certainly, the heck with those numbers on those dials. You mention the RB250 -- I don't even know if the anti-skate dial on my RB250 has numbers on it, 'cause if it does I never paid them any attention.
extremephono OP
123 posts
 
Jayboard, your post referred to RB250. I think I can explain the counterintuitive observation was caused by RB250 having too much positive anti-skating (outward), even when set to nothing on the dial, it exhibits outward push.

Therefore, settings are likely opposite because you were probably trying to 'reduce' rather than 'increase' the anti-skating force to balance the grooveless track.
bkearns
10 posts
 
Extremephono,

You should read the thread "Anti-skating question" again, because you seem to have missed the point.

The point was (and is) that setting antiskating using blank bands often leads to too much compensation.

The fact that Rega arms overcompensate, while true, is not related.
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