Are you a vinyl enthusiast looking to get the most out of your turntable setup?
One important feature to understand and adjust is the anti-skate function. This small but crucial feature helps maintain audio balance, minimize distortion, and reduce wear and tear on your records and stylus.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of adjusting anti-skate on your turntable, step by step. Whether you’re a seasoned audiophile or just starting out, this guide will help you get the most out of your vinyl listening experience.
So grab your favorite record and let’s get started!
How To Adjust Anti Skate On A Turntable
Before we dive into the process of adjusting anti-skate on your turntable, it’s important to understand what this feature does and why it’s necessary.
The anti-skate feature applies a small outward force to the tonearm, counteracting the tendency of the arm to move inward (skate) toward the center of the record, as the tonearm approaches the end of the record. This helps maintain good channel balance, minimize distortion, and reduce wear and tear on your records and stylus.
Now, let’s get started with adjusting anti-skate on your turntable:
Step 1: Set Tracking Force and Anti-Skate to Zero
Before you begin adjusting anti-skate, make sure your tracking force and anti-skate are both set to zero. This will ensure that you start with a clean slate and can accurately adjust the anti-skate.
Step 2: Float the Tonearm
Remove the platter from your turntable and move the tonearm out to a position above where the platter was. The goal is to have the tonearm “float” in a balanced position without being supported. Adjust the counterweight at the back end of the tonearm until it negates the weight of the cartridge exactly, allowing it to rest at a parallel position without being supported.
Step 3: Adjust Anti-Skate
Once you have floated the tonearm, it’s time to adjust the anti-skate. Begin by adjusting it to the same value as your vertical tracking force (VTF). This will get you in the ballpark.
Listen carefully to the last few minutes of a record to determine if more or less anti-skate is needed. Listen for distortion, particularly in sibilance (that annoying hissing sound produced when pronouncing certain letters or combinations of letters such as “s” and “sh”), and determine if it appears to be louder on one channel, left or right. Adjust the anti-skate value until distortion is minimized.
Step 4: Check for Differences in Tone
Listen carefully at two or three different points across the record. If you used an alignment protractor to align your cartridge, listen at those points. Listen for any differences in tone, dynamics, and soundstage at these points. If there are differences, some tweaking of the anti-skate adjustment may be needed.
Step 5: Contact Audio Solutions Department for Further Advice
If adjusting anti-skate does not clear up a particular problem, there may be another reason for it. Contact your turntable manufacturer’s Audio Solutions Department for further advice.
What Is Anti-Skate And Why Is It Important?
Anti-skate is a feature found on many turntables that prevents the tonearm from skating across the record and causing unpleasant sound quality during playback. When the tonearm approaches the end of the record, there is a force that pulls it towards the center of the platter, which can cause skipping or scratching of your records. Anti-skate applies a countering force to the tonearm, preventing it from being pulled out of the groove and towards the center of the record during playback.
Anti-skate is important because it helps maintain good channel balance, minimize distortion, and reduce wear and tear on your records and stylus. By keeping the stylus centered in the record groove as the tonearm travels across the record, anti-skate ensures that you obtain equal volume from both left and right channels. It also helps minimize distortion and stylus and record wear.
Adjusting anti-skate on your turntable is an essential step in ensuring optimal sound quality during playback. By following the steps outlined above, you can adjust anti-skate to achieve optimal sound quality and prolong the life of your records and stylus.
Understanding The Mechanics Of Anti-Skate
To fully understand the mechanics of anti-skate, it’s important to know that the force exerted on the stylus is not linear. Therefore, the amount of anti-skate force required will be different depending on the relative location of the cartridge towards the record spindle. The curve is somewhat of a parabolic shape, with the skating force higher at the outer groove than at the inner groove, and lowest in the middle.
Some tonearm designs have a mechanism that will increase anti-skating force gradually to counteract the non-linear nature of the centripetal force. Optimizing anti-skating adjustment at the outer grooves where the skating force is the strongest will cause over-compensation across the inner grooves. This is why the anti-skating track is placed near the inner grooves.
It’s also important to note that anti-skating affects crosstalk measurements. When anti-skating is set incorrectly, the imbalance will sometimes (but not always) cause crosstalk readings to be skewed so that an optimal number can never be achieved. Therefore, it’s essential to go back and forth between anti-skating and azimuth, as well as VTF and VTA, to achieve an optimal set of numbers.
No setup parameter can be optimized in isolation. One must try to achieve optimal settings in as many setup parameters as possible. For example, when meaningful numbers cannot be achieved under the Anti-Skating test, it could be caused by an incorrect VTF, azimuth, or even alignment. You may have to go back and forth between different parameters to achieve meaningful results and optimal settings.
Tools You’ll Need To Adjust Anti-Skate
In order to adjust anti-skate on your turntable, you will need a few tools:
1. Tracking Force Gauge: This tool is essential for setting the correct tracking force for your cartridge. Without it, you won’t be able to accurately adjust the anti-skate.
2. Alignment Protractor: This tool helps you align your cartridge correctly. It ensures that the stylus is perpendicular to the record grooves, which is important for minimizing distortion and wear and tear on your records.
3. Anti-Skate Test Record: This is a special record that is designed specifically for testing anti-skate. It has a track that is designed to reveal any imbalances in your system.
4. Clean Cloth: You’ll want to have a clean cloth on hand to wipe down your turntable and any tools you use during the adjustment process.
5. Patience: Adjusting anti-skate can be a time-consuming process, especially if you’re new to it. Be patient and take your time to ensure that you get the best possible results.
Step-by-Step Guide To Adjusting Anti-Skate
Adjusting anti-skate on your turntable can seem daunting, but it’s actually a straightforward process. Follow these steps for a step-by-step guide to adjusting anti-skate:
Step 1: Set Tracking Force and Anti-Skate to Zero
Before you begin adjusting anti-skate, make sure your tracking force and anti-skate are both set to zero. This will ensure that you start with a clean slate and can accurately adjust the anti-skate.
Step 2: Float the Tonearm
Remove the platter from your turntable and move the tonearm out to a position above where the platter was. The goal is to have the tonearm “float” in a balanced position without being supported. Adjust the counterweight at the back end of the tonearm until it negates the weight of the cartridge exactly, allowing it to rest at a parallel position without being supported.
Step 3: Adjust Anti-Skate
Once you have floated the tonearm, it’s time to adjust the anti-skate. Begin by adjusting it to the same value as your vertical tracking force (VTF). This will get you in the ballpark.
Listen carefully to the last few minutes of a record to determine if more or less anti-skate is needed. Listen for distortion, particularly in sibilance (that annoying hissing sound produced when pronouncing certain letters or combinations of letters such as “s” and “sh”), and determine if it appears to be louder on one channel, left or right. Adjust the anti-skate value until distortion is minimized.
Step 4: Check for Differences in Tone
Listen carefully at two or three different points across the record. If you used an alignment protractor to align your cartridge, listen at those points. Listen for any differences in tone, dynamics, and soundstage at these points. If there are differences, some tweaking of the anti-skate adjustment may be needed.
Step 5: Contact Audio Solutions Department for Further Advice
If adjusting anti-skate does not clear up a particular problem, there may be another reason for it. Contact your turntable manufacturer’s Audio Solutions Department for further advice.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your turntable’s anti-skate is properly adjusted and your records sound their best. Remember that every turntable is different, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help if needed.
Testing Your Anti-Skate Settings
Once you have adjusted the anti-skate on your turntable, it’s important to test your settings to ensure they are optimized. Here’s how:
1. Play a Record
Start by playing a record that you are familiar with and that has a variety of music genres on it. This will allow you to test your anti-skate settings across different types of music.
2. Listen for Distortion
Listen carefully for any distortion or sibilance, particularly in the last few minutes of the record. If you hear any distortion, adjust the anti-skate value until it is minimized.
3. Check for Channel Balance
Next, check for channel balance by listening to the same track on both the left and right channels. They should sound equally balanced with no noticeable differences in volume or clarity.
4. Listen at Different Points on the Record
Listen carefully at two or three different points across the record, paying attention to any differences in tone, dynamics, and soundstage at these points. If there are differences, some tweaking of the anti-skate adjustment may be needed.
5. Repeat as Necessary
If you notice any issues with your anti-skate settings during testing, repeat the adjustment process until you achieve optimal results.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your anti-skate settings are properly adjusted and optimized for the best possible sound quality from your turntable.
Troubleshooting Common Anti-Skate Issues
While adjusting anti-skate on your turntable, you may encounter a few common issues that can affect the sound quality of your records. Here are some tips to troubleshoot these issues:
1. Skating at the Beginning of a Record
If your turntable is skating at the beginning of a record, even after adjusting the anti-skate to the correct value, there may be an issue with the turntable’s setup or alignment. Check the alignment of your cartridge and ensure that it is properly mounted and aligned with the protractor.
2. Excessive Distortion
If you are experiencing excessive distortion, particularly in sibilance, even after adjusting the anti-skate, there may be an issue with your stylus or cartridge. Check for wear and tear on your stylus and replace it if necessary. Additionally, check that your cartridge is properly aligned and mounted.
3. Uneven Channel Balance
If you notice that one channel is louder than the other, even after adjusting the anti-skate, there may be an issue with the turntable’s setup or alignment. Check that your cartridge is properly mounted and aligned with the protractor. Additionally, check that your tonearm is properly balanced and not tilted to one side.
By troubleshooting these common anti-skate issues, you can ensure that your turntable is properly set up and optimized for the best sound quality possible.
