Antiskating .... The last analog secret

Bob, I know it can be hard to use the visual method with low compliance cartridges. The Dynavector 20X-H (like most MC cartridges) has a dynamic compliance of: 12 x 10-6cm/Dyne. Anything below 15x more or less, is considered low compliance (meaning stiff suspension) and so it's going to be hard to see the cantilever deflect. Strong light and practice can help, as can a cartridge with a body that makes it easy to see and reference the cantilever's position. What's even more exasperating with low compliance cartridges, is trying to tell when the cantilever doesn't move!

Most (I'd guess as high as 90%!) of MC cartridges (both high and low output) have the following three specifications in common:

VTF = 2.0 gms +/- 10%
Dynamic compliance 15 (+/-) X 10 (to the minus 6) cm/dyne
Micro-ridge or line-contact stylus

This means that their AS settings will all fall into a rather narrow range -- which I've found to be around 0.8 gm to 1.2 gm. When you think about those (small) numbers, it's not hard to understand why many folks hear no difference with/without AS! I have to admit, I don't, at least not MOST of the time! But once in awhile, I'll hear fuzziness in a not-necessarily-loud passage (remember, actual track-skipping is not an antiskating problem ;-) When this fuzziness occurs, I'm always curious whether it means I need more VTF?, more AS?, more of both?, or possibly "Sit down you fool, someone overdrove the cutting head!";-) The last option is usually the case; and it happens, I've found, on a rather high percentage of Direct to Disc recordings!

For what it's worth, I follow these two rules (and I've never been disappointed): First, I always run micro-ridge-stylus-equipped cartidges at their maximum recommended VTF. This will not hurt either the cartridge or the record. And it will NOT (interestingly) increase the necessary AS force because it won't increase groove friction appreciably! Second, I set the AS at 1gm. That might be 0.05 gm too high or too low, but so what!? As many have already said here, it's close to impossible to hear any difference between AS = 1 gm and AS = 0 gm either! So I set it and forget about it! My rationale for using a LITTLE BIT of AS rather than none at all, is simply that (as someone already pointed out) the laws of Physics demand it!
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Nope, no AS and no AS mechanism still works best for me. Chimes, bells, woodblocks, cymbals, etc. sound clear and even have better timbre. However, as I was clearing the driveway today it suddenly occurred to me that it is well below freezing and the relative humidity is very low. I see about 20%. Indoors. I think I'll be revisiting this in the spring. ;-)

Dan so sorry to hear about the cold in your part of the woods. Smoking our New Years turkey today the temp was mid 40s early but made it up to the mid 60s by noon.

On the subject of AS as i have stated above going slow and moving small there is a difference and its quite audible. The brass washer i was using weighs in at 37 grams. I took that off and had just the lever only on TP. Then i went to rubber rings three of them at this point for a grand total of 25 grams. Listening to a very dynamic LP last night Captain Beyonds first the size of my stage has increased along with much better balance and depth. My wife calls it surround sound and if you did not know better you would think i had 5.1 playing. Ive been having a lot of fun making these adjustments and so far its paying off very well for better sound in my system.

Happy New Year to all of you analog lovers.
Mike

Hi Mike,

I haven't smoked a turkey myself in about 25 years. Enjoy! What I'd really enjoy is a properly fried turkey, but that is way too much hassle.

I hope you left out a decimal point. ;-) My stock Triplnar AS weight only weighs 3.9 grams. When I used my little plug of hardwood and 3 o-rings the combined weight was still just less than a gram.

My reference to the local weather was meant as a possible explanation as to why you and I would find such a difference in AS 'cus I don't doubt that you know what you are hearing. I have no idea what Doug has settled on, but if he, Paul and I are still on a like track the difference in weather between New England and New Orleans may help explain things. Also for Nsgarch as I seem to remember he lives in Arizona (?), but he also uses a different arm as well as a different cartridge.

Happy New Year to you as well!

We're on the same track as you Dan, I've removed the entire AS mechanism from the arm, back to the bearing frame, and noted a small improvement.

Also agree with your observations about the weather and its effects. VTF requirements correlate with changes in temperature and humidity. So do AS requirements.

This is predictable from the natural behavior of elastomeric polymers (and thanks to Paul, who did predict it) and was the reason I began experimenting with extremely low AS in the first place. Our results might resemble Stltrain's if we lolled about in warmer climes like his!