Blank Vinyl Record for anti skate adjustment.

A K Bhattacharjee

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What is the exact process of anti skate adjustment? Using blank record as suggested by some experts will help? I do not know where to get the blank record. In my opinion sometimes anti skate does not function properly if set according to manufacturers guidelines. Fellow members opinion pl.
 
I use Laser disk for the purpose. The centre circle is much larger than the record. So you need to place it accurately. It has worked fine for me.
 
What is the exact process of anti skate adjustment? Using blank record as suggested by some experts will help? I do not know where to get the blank record. In my opinion sometimes anti skate does not function properly if set according to manufacturers guidelines. Fellow members opinion pl.

Skate is a vector force that acts on the stylus that is caused by its movement on a modulated record track as a consequence of the offset angle of the cartridge relative to the rest of the tonearm. Because the arm travels in an arc.

Linear tracking tonearms (having no arc, and no offset angle) have no skate. Hence no anti-skate.

Using blank records or laser discs make no sense. The stylus HAS to be in a moving modulated groove for skate to happen.

The best way to set anti-skate is to go by the TT manual instructions, which have optimised the settings under lab conditions. The skate force is not uniform across the disc - it varies from the first track to the last. It also is marginally impacted by stylus profile : spherical or elliptical. Hence optimisation by the manufacturer matters.

Or by using a Test Record (which used to be plentiful back in the day, but expensive now).

Also note that after setting anti-skate, the tonearm may drift slightly outward when cueing at the start of the LP. That’s because anti-skate is already in operation, while skate happens only after the stylus makes contact with the groove.
 
What is the exact process of anti skate adjustment? Using blank record as suggested by some experts will help? I do not know where to get the blank record. In my opinion sometimes anti skate does not function properly if set according to manufacturers guidelines. Fellow members opinion pl.
@G401fan has beautifully explained this.

There is a work around ! if you have any record which has a larger run in groove ie the space between the last song and the center, you can use that, the only thing being that dont place the stylus on the groove but on the space between the grooves and closest to the outer one. Since the distance between track is hig, you have some time to observe the movement which has to be a very slow movement till it gets into the next groove. I remember reading about this as a method suggested by Frank Schroeder and thought of it as very clever !
 
As G401fan explained quite clearly , the skating force is actually determined WITH the stylus in the groove . Not really easy to determine .
Letting the stylus sit on a groove free disc ( like a Laser disc etc ) only makes contact at the tip of the stylus. The stylus tip doesn't touch the vinyl when playing a track. Only the sides of the stylus touch the groove walls. So this is not an accurate way of checking for anti-skate.
Antiskate is a highly debated subject because it is such a variable factor. There is no ideal anti-skating force. It's always a compromise depending on your preference. Too much anti-skating force adjustment is probably worse than no anti-skating force.
Usually the inner grooves are where there is most distortion ( how much depends on the arm design !) . One wall having more force on it will generate more signal than the other channel. So you can play the inner tracks and check the two channels and see what setting of anti-skate gives identical signal level ( measured on a meter !). You need a mono signal for this. Or if you can DIY, then subtract L-R and the point where you get the lowest signal would be the ideal anti-skating force for 'that location' .
Trying to get a "perfect" setting is one way of spending one or more Sundays doing this , while neglecting more important and useful matters and enjoying the weekend !

 
As mentioned by me in another current post, the OP has not bothered to acknowledge the replies, leave alone saying a simple thank you. Hasn't learned basic good manners, or the ethics that prevail on forums like these. Merely a fulsome sense of entitlement. They should best be left to trawl through Google for finding their answers.
 
@G401fan has beautifully explained this.

There is a work around ! if you have any record which has a larger run in groove ie the space between the last song and the center, you can use that, the only thing being that dont place the stylus on the groove but on the space between the grooves and closest to the outer one. Since the distance between track is hig, you have some time to observe the movement which has to be a very slow movement till it gets into the next groove. I remember reading about this as a method suggested by Frank Schroeder and thought of it as very clever !
Due to my ill health, I could not check the anti skate as per your advice. Now I am much better & hope will be o.k in a few days. Any way thanks for valuable suggestion.I shall share my experience as soon as I check the anti skate as per your advice. I have gone through the valuable advices of other forum members also.
 
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What is the exact process of anti skate adjustment? Using blank record as suggested by some experts will help? I do not know where to get the blank record. In my opinion sometimes anti skate does not function properly if set according to manufacturers guidelines. Fellow members opinion pl.
You can use a blank CD. There is a video on YouTube aswell..
 
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