If you’re a vinyl enthusiast, you know that the quality of your turntable can make or break your listening experience.
One important feature that often goes overlooked is anti-skate. But what exactly is anti-skate, and why is it important?
In this article, we’ll dive into the world of turntable mechanics and explore the purpose of anti-skate, how it works, and how to adjust it for optimal sound quality.
Whether you’re a seasoned audiophile or just starting out with vinyl, understanding anti-skate is crucial for getting the most out of your turntable.
So let’s get started!
What Does Anti-Skate Do On A Turntable
Anti-skate is a feature found on many turntables that helps to prevent the tonearm from “skating” across your vinyl records during playback. Skating occurs when the force of the rotating record pulls the tonearm towards the center of the platter, causing distortion and uneven wear on the stylus and record groove.
The anti-skate feature applies a small outward force to the tonearm, counteracting the inward force of skating. This helps to maintain good channel balance, minimize distortion, and reduce stylus and record wear.
Some turntables have an adjustable anti-skate control, usually in the form of a pre-calibrated knob. It’s important to note that not all turntables have this manual adjustment, as some may have it preset at a fixed value by the manufacturer.
To set the anti-skate on a turntable with an adjustable control, start by adjusting it to the same value as the vertical tracking force (VTF) used. This will get you in the ballpark, but you may need to make further adjustments based on your listening experience.
Listen carefully to the last few minutes of a record to determine if more or less anti-skate is needed. Look for distortion, particularly in the form of 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, the left or the right. Adjust the anti-skate value until the distortion is minimized.
It’s also important to listen at two or three different points across the record, particularly if you used an alignment protractor to align your cartridge. 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.
The Basics Of Turntable Mechanics
To understand how anti-skate works, it’s important to have a basic understanding of turntable mechanics. A turntable consists of a platter that rotates at a constant speed and a tonearm that holds the cartridge and stylus. The stylus is the needle that sits in the record groove and picks up the vibrations that are turned into sound.
The tonearm is designed to move across the record in an arc, with the stylus sitting at an angle to the groove. This is because the groove is cut with a V-shaped profile, and the stylus needs to sit at an angle to be able to follow the contours of the groove accurately.
However, this design also creates a problem known as skating. As the record rotates, it creates a force that pulls the tonearm towards the center of the platter. This causes uneven wear on the stylus and record groove and can lead to distortion in the sound.
Anti-skate is designed to counteract this force by applying a small outward force to the tonearm. This keeps the stylus centered in the groove and ensures that there is equal pressure on both sides of the groove wall.
Some turntables have an adjustable anti-skate control, which allows you to fine-tune the amount of outward force applied to the tonearm. This is important because different cartridges and stylus shapes may require different levels of anti-skate.
What Is Anti-Skate And Why Is It Important?
Anti-skate is a crucial feature for any turntable user, as it helps to maintain the quality of your vinyl records and stylus. When playing a record, the force that pulls the tonearm towards the center of the platter can cause skipping, scratching, and distortion in the audio. Anti-skate works by applying a small outward force to the tonearm, counteracting the inward force of skating and helping to keep the stylus centered in the record groove.
Without anti-skate, you may experience channel balance issues, increased distortion, and uneven wear on your stylus and records. This can significantly impact the overall quality of your listening experience. It’s important to note that not all turntables have an adjustable anti-skate control, but this does not mean the feature is absent. Some turntables may have it preset at a fixed value by the manufacturer.
When setting your anti-skate, it’s important to listen carefully to the audio and make adjustments based on your experience. Look for distortion, particularly in the form of sibilance, and adjust the anti-skate value until it is minimized. It’s also important to listen at different points across the record to ensure that there are no differences in tone, dynamics, or soundstage.
How Anti-Skate Works
Anti-skate works by applying a small outward force to the tonearm, counteracting the inward force of skating. This force helps to keep the stylus centered in the record groove as the tonearm travels across the record. The stylus needs to remain centered in the groove to maintain good channel balance, minimize distortion, and reduce stylus and record wear.
The natural inclination of the stylus is to be drawn towards the center spindle, putting excessive force on the inside groove wall. This is because of the design of most tonearms, which arc inwards across a record during play. Additionally, almost all tonearms have a slightly tilted headshell, which sets up opposing forces in relation to the arm pivot, as well as friction imposed on the groove.
If left unchecked, the stylus could leap from the groove and ‘skate’ towards the center. Anti-skate control counteracts this by pulling it out a tad. The anti-skate control helps to maintain equal force on both sides of the stylus to keep it balanced within a typical groove. This balance is not natural and has to be created by the anti-skate control.
If you apply too much anti-skate force, it puts excess pressure on your record and may damage it. It also prevents the record from moving properly, which causes distortions in the sound. On the other hand, if you apply too little anti-skate force, the stylus may jump and cause distortions or skipping when you play the record.
Therefore, it’s essential to calibrate your anti-skate feature correctly to ensure that your stylus rests perfectly in the groove of your records. This will help you achieve dynamic sound without distortions, skips or oddities during playback.
Adjusting Anti-Skate For Optimal Sound Quality
Adjusting the anti-skate on your turntable can have a significant impact on the sound quality of your records. When done correctly, it can balance your tracking force and prevent your record from skating over the surface, putting excess pressure on your records or otherwise changing the quality of your sound.
To adjust the anti-skate for optimal sound quality, you need to start by setting it to the appropriate figure, which is usually around 9 to 11 percent of VTF. For example, if you are tracking at 2 grams, you want 0.2 grams of anti-skate. If your turntable has an adjustable anti-skate control, adjust it to this value.
However, keep in mind that this is just a starting point. You may need to make further adjustments based on your listening experience. Listen carefully to the last few minutes of a record and look for distortion, particularly in the form of sibilance. Determine if it appears to be louder on one channel, the left or the right. Adjust the anti-skate value until the distortion is minimized.
It’s also important to listen at two or three different points across the record, particularly if you used an alignment protractor to align your cartridge. 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.
To measure the anti-skate force accurately, make sure that you measure it while the stylus is sitting in the grooves with the LP playing. Any tools which attempt to measure anti-skating force without the stylus sitting on the LP groove while the record is spinning will introduce a different friction coefficient experienced by the stylus which bears no correlation with the actual level of pressure and frictional force experienced in real-time play settings.
Common Anti-Skate Issues And How To Fix Them
While anti-skate is an important feature on turntables, it’s not uncommon to encounter issues with it. Here are some common anti-skate issues and how to fix them:
1. Arm drifts towards the center of the record: If the arm drifts towards the center of the record, it means that there is excessive arm pivot friction or the anti-skate spring has lost its tension. To fix this, check the pivot and bearings for any dirt or debris that may be causing friction. Clean them thoroughly and lubricate with a light oil. If the spring has lost its tension, it may need to be replaced.
2. Uneven channel balance: If you notice that one channel is louder than the other, it may be due to improper anti-skate adjustment. Check the anti-skate setting and adjust it until both channels are balanced.
3. Skipping: Skipping can be caused by a variety of factors, including improper tracking force, worn stylus, and incorrect anti-skate setting. Check all of these factors and adjust as needed. If the anti-skate setting is too high, it can cause excessive pressure on the stylus and record surface, leading to skipping.
4. Excessive wear on stylus and record: If the anti-skate setting is too low or not applied at all, it can cause excessive pressure on the inside of the record groove, leading to rapid wear and deterioration of both the record and stylus. Make sure to set the anti-skate correctly to avoid unnecessary wear.
By understanding these common anti-skate issues and how to fix them, you can ensure that your turntable is functioning properly and producing high-quality sound. Remember to listen carefully for any distortion or unevenness in sound when adjusting anti-skate, and make adjustments as needed.
