If you’re a vinyl enthusiast, you know that setting up your turntable correctly is crucial to getting the best sound possible.
One important aspect of turntable setup is anti-skating, which helps maintain good channel balance, minimize distortion, and reduce stylus and record wear.
But where exactly should you set your anti-skate?
In this article, we’ll dive into the details and give you step-by-step instructions to ensure your turntable is properly set up for optimal performance.
So grab your favorite record and let’s get started!
Where To Set Anti-Skating
The anti-skate feature on your turntable 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 it approaches the end. This helps maintain good channel balance, minimize distortion, and reduce stylus and record wear.
To set your anti-skate, start by making sure your tonearm is properly balanced. Most turntables come with an adjustable weight at the end of the arm called a counterweight. Begin by setting your counterweight to 0 grams and your anti-skating to 0 as well. Then, adjust your weight until the tonearm floats freely. Your tonearm is now balanced.
Next, rotate the knob on your counterweight until it reaches your cartridge manufacturer’s recommended weight for tracking force. If you’re not sure what this weight is, it’s usually safe to go with 2-3 grams.
Now comes the slightly tricky part of setting up your anti-skate. 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 parallel position without being supported.
If the cartridge end of the tonearm floats up in the air, move the counterweight towards the cartridge. If it sinks down, move the counterweight away from the cartridge.
Once you have achieved a balanced tonearm and set your tracking force to the recommended weight, adjust your anti-skate to match that same value. 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, and determine if it appears louder on one channel than the other. Adjust your anti-skate value until distortion is minimized.
Finally, listen carefully at two or three different points across the record. If there are differences in tone, dynamics, or soundstage at these points, some tweaking of your anti-skate adjustment may be needed.
By following these steps and taking care to properly set up your anti-skate feature, you can ensure that you’re getting optimal performance from your turntable and enjoying your vinyl collection to its fullest potential.
What Is Anti-Skating?
Anti-skating is a feature on many turntables that helps prevent tracking issues when listening to a record. It 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 it approaches the end. This is important because it helps maintain good channel balance, minimize distortion, and reduce stylus and record wear.
When the tonearm is not properly balanced, it can cause tracking issues that result in uneven wear on your stylus and records. Anti-skating helps prevent this by ensuring that the stylus remains centered in the record groove as the tonearm travels across the record.
To set your anti-skate, you first need to ensure that your tonearm is properly balanced. This involves adjusting the counterweight at the end of the arm until it floats freely in a parallel position without being supported. Once your tonearm is balanced, you can set your tracking force to the recommended weight for your cartridge and adjust your anti-skate to match that same value.
By taking care to properly set up your anti-skate feature, you can enjoy optimal performance from your turntable and ensure that your vinyl collection lasts for years to come.
Why Is Anti-Skating Important?
Anti-skating is an essential feature in maintaining the quality of your records and stylus. Without it, the natural inclination of the stylus is to be drawn towards the center spindle, putting excessive force on the inside groove wall. This can cause distortion, particularly in sibilance, and uneven wear on the stylus and record.
By applying a small outward force to the tonearm, anti-skate helps maintain equal force on both sides of the stylus, keeping it balanced within a typical groove. This balance is not natural and must be created by the anti-skate control.
Properly setting up your anti-skate is important for maintaining good channel balance, minimizing distortion, and reducing stylus and record wear. It ensures that your stylus remains centered in the record groove as the tonearm travels across the record, providing optimal sound quality.
In short, anti-skating is a crucial feature that helps protect your records and stylus while providing the best possible listening experience.
How To Determine The Correct Anti-Skating Setting
Determining the correct anti-skating setting for your turntable is crucial to maintaining good channel balance, minimizing distortion, and reducing stylus and record wear. The first step is to properly balance your tonearm, which can be done using the counterweight at the end of the arm. Set both your counterweight and anti-skate to 0, and adjust the weight until the tonearm floats freely.
Once you’ve achieved a balanced tonearm, set your tracking force to the recommended weight for your cartridge manufacturer. This is usually around 2-3 grams. Next, 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 parallel position without being supported.
If the cartridge end of the tonearm floats up in the air, move the counterweight towards the cartridge. If it sinks down, move the counterweight away from the cartridge. Once you have achieved a balanced tonearm and set your tracking force to the recommended weight, adjust your anti-skate to match that same value.
To determine if more or less anti-skate is needed, listen carefully to the last few minutes of a record. Listen for distortion, particularly in sibilance, and determine if it appears louder on one channel than the other. Adjust your anti-skate value until distortion is minimized.
Finally, listen carefully at two or three different points across the record. If there are differences in tone, dynamics, or soundstage at these points, some tweaking of your anti-skate adjustment may be needed. By taking these steps and properly setting up your anti-skate feature, you can ensure that you’re getting optimal performance from your turntable and enjoying your vinyl collection to its fullest potential.
Step-by-Step Guide To Setting Anti-Skating
Setting up your anti-skate feature can be a bit tricky, but following these steps will help you get it right:
1. Begin by making sure your tonearm is properly balanced. Set your counterweight to 0 grams and your anti-skating to 0 as well. Then, adjust your weight until the tonearm floats freely. Your tonearm is now balanced.
2. Rotate the knob on your counterweight until it reaches your cartridge manufacturer’s recommended weight for tracking force. If you’re not sure what this weight is, it’s usually safe to go with 2-3 grams.
3. 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 parallel position without being supported.
4. If the cartridge end of the tonearm floats up in the air, move the counterweight towards the cartridge. If it sinks down, move the counterweight away from the cartridge.
5. Once you have achieved a balanced tonearm and set your tracking force to the recommended weight, adjust your anti-skate to match that same value.
6. 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, and determine if it appears louder on one channel than the other.
7. Adjust your anti-skate value until distortion is minimized.
8. Finally, listen carefully at two or three different points across the record. If there are differences in tone, dynamics, or soundstage at these points, some tweaking of your anti-skate adjustment may be needed.
By following these steps and taking care to properly set up your anti-skate feature, you can ensure that you’re getting optimal performance from your turntable and enjoying your vinyl collection to its fullest potential.
Troubleshooting Anti-Skating Issues
Even with proper setup, anti-skating issues can still arise. If you’re experiencing problems with your anti-skate, there are a few things to check.
First, make sure that your tonearm is properly balanced and that your tracking force is set correctly. If either of these is off, it can affect the performance of your anti-skate.
If you’re still experiencing issues, try cleaning your stylus and record. Dirt and debris on either can cause tracking problems that may be mistaken for anti-skate issues.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, it’s possible that there is a problem with your turntable’s hardware. This could be due to a faulty spring or other part that affects the performance of the anti-skate feature.
In this case, it’s best to consult with a professional technician or contact the manufacturer for assistance. They can help diagnose the problem and provide guidance on how to resolve it.
By taking care to properly set up and troubleshoot any issues with your anti-skate feature, you can ensure that your turntable is performing at its best and that you’re getting the most out of your vinyl collection.
