RECORD PLAYERS: Anti Skate

[@Earcandy73]

The purpose of the anti skate actually isn't to stop the arm skating across the record. The purpose is to counteract centrifugal force in the inner record grooves at the last tracks. The grooves are narrower there and inner groove distortion occurs as the stylus clings to the inner groove wall. The anti skate keeps the stylus in the center of the groove.

[@vomitermind8829]

I look forward to these videos every week! 😆

[@vinyleyezz]

Awesome! Well you're in luck, I have another coming out tomorrow!

[@badbirdkc]

You know, I was thinking all this tedious adjusting was a bunch of fancy BS, but I actually tweaked the last three steps, and I have noticed an improvement.

[@zippycruz27]

Great videos. Have you covered how to set up anti-skating using a hanging counterweight? I have this on my turntable and would love to see your advice.

Thank you so much for these videos! I had a crosley for a very brief time, and then I ran into your video on how awful those are. So yesterday I went and myself a professional turntable, and your videos helped me get to the promised land of vinyl perfection. Again: thank you!

[@Carlo_Amico]

I bought a turntable a while ago. Its setup was totally wrong. Not anymore thank you and your clear explanation. Cheers 👍

[@dirtyths]

Wait a minute, sorry guys, but the anti-skate does NOT prevent the stylus to jump the groove, if it does, there's something wrong with your set-up, cartridge compliance, or record but it has not much to do with anti-skate. But to know this, you first gotta know what skating is. Skating is not a force, like centrifugal force, it is a drag effet that happens because the traction force on the needle is not in the same axis as the tonearm's axis, which makes the rotating disc act like a pull on both axis, trying to make a single straight line. This is why linear tonearms don't need anti-skating. If you don't apply anti-skate, what happens is that there will be slightly more pressure on the inner wall of the groove. Anti-skate compensate this effect and makes the pressure even on both walls of the groove. But by no means is this effect strong enought to make the stylus jump. It just reduces tracking errors and make the stylus wear-out evenly. The longer the tonearm, the less anti-skate you need. And this is why matching the anti-skating to the tracking force is also not the right way to do it. Most of the time, we simply put too much of it this way, making the right side of the stylus wear out faster. What you really want to achieved with anti-skate is making the tonearm gently go along the groove. And to set that correctly, you will need a flat surface, like a blank side (no groove) of a record (some test records have blank spaces exactly made for that). You put the needle on the rotating surface and adjust the ant-skate so the tonearm goes inward VERY SLOWLY. This is where it's going anyway, you dont want to fight that too much.

[@Livewire91]

Should it not be possible to do this with the blank space between the last groove and record label? It should be slowly moving towards the record label?

[@dirtyths]

@@Livewire91 In theory, yes. but you don't have much time and the groove might catch the stylus anytime

[@CHRISMED2]

I'm setting up the tracking using a blank vinyl. I have it adjusted to where the stylus/cartridge is staying put & hardly moving. Should I adjust to where the cartridge is moving slowly slightly inward or staying steady?

[@disquesettourne-disques]

@@CHRISMED2 Personnally, I set it to move slowly inwards, because that's where the groove is going. But ultimately, your ears will tel the best. Distortion on the left, you have too much ant-skate. If it's on the right, then you don't have enough.

[@PromoagentRockinJohnnyA]

Funny you should mention that I was just trying to work out how to fix some record skipping after setting the weight on my 1960 Garrard AT6 which had a Shure cartridge and it was the anti skate that needed reset lol.

[@vinyleyezz]

Glad you got it fixed!

[@noelnoel4796]

the at lp120 is notorious for having a non existent anti skate function. you should have made a short video of the actual test on a blank vinyl record after you set the anti skate to see if it really works.

[@Rijeka82]

I have problem with Anti skate on this turntable.. and i saw that many people have also this problem :(

[@pat_hcn]

funny because the anti skate of the lp120 doesn't work. even on bnew ones. if you don't believe me, try it with a cd or better yet with a laser disc. the arm will still move to the center, even if you're all the way upto 7. took mine's arm base and replaced it with a shorter spring. voila. the numbers on the anti skate are just guides. not necessarily the same counter force. bottom line, best way to calibrate your anti skate is with a CD or an LD.

[@dennisgallant9411]

Patrick. Do you have a video of how you replaced the spring? Mine does exactly the same thing on a laserdisc. Also...where did you get a new spring that works? Thanks for any help.

[@keithparkhill8546]

Here is my opinion. If your using elliptical, or micro line styli it's absolutely important to have a good anti skate or your stereo field will be heavy on one side untill the middle of the record. If your using spherical 0.7 styli it's doesn't matter. That stylis circumference will touch each side of the track regardless of anti skate. I never run anything but one on the Chinese OEM tables.

[@conradhartgmx]

My 2 Cents: you can actually hear if your antiskating is off, if you Listen closely. Antiskating differs from the outer to the inner grooves and i find myself adjusting the antiskate settings while listening to an lp more often. Heres what i do generally to set up AS: find a good mix in your collection with a certain amount of reverb in it. i heard that „year of the cat“ should work well, anyway I always use „love theme“ by Barry white. While listening via headphones start with AS set at 0 and SLOWLY start to turn AS up. You will hear the rhythym Guitar and Violins slowly wandering in your speakers/head. I can assure that when I did this for the first time it was magical. :) but you have to really do it Slow as it is rather a subtle effect. And best not look at the settings......edit: and of course you have to stop at the Sweet Spot. ;) from my experience thats usually AS Setting set a Bit Lower than tracking force

[@MegaIkedog]

Jarrett, will you be doing a video series on your audio setup? Also, do you have a PO Box if I wanted to send you some records? I got the same Micca bookshelf speakers, Pioneer sub, and Yamaha receiver that you have for X-mas and I'm loving them!! Cheers, Steve

[@vinyleyezz]

+Steve Carney Awesome! I'm so glad you're happy with your new setup! Yes, my current PO Box address is "Jarrett New, 321 N. Pass Ave, #139 Burbank, CA 91505" I might change it after February, but if you send records this month, I should get them! Thanks so much and take care!

[@vinyleyezz]

+Steve Carney Also, in the final video of this series I'll be talking about the vinyl audio setup, which is basically the 4 main things every setup needs. So keep an eye out for it!

[@MegaIkedog]

+Vinyl Eyezz I ask because I'm curious as to how you have your subwoofer hooked up. I've got mine connected to the receiver with subwoofer cables (purple) but I know you can also connect the bookshelf speakers to the sub and then run the sub to the receiver. A process like this certainly is more visual than trying to think through it with words, like I did above, so I was hoping you could show us!!

[@vinyleyezz]

+Steve Carney Oh ok, actually the receiver has 2 channels for output, 100 watts each. So I connected the bookshelf speakers to it on channel 1 with normal speaker wire, and then connected the sub on channel 2, also with speaker wire. Works pretty well!

[@MegaIkedog]

Okay Gotcha! Yeah I've got the bookshelf speakers connected to channel A, and a pretty nice pair of JBL speakers (similar to the ones in this link, but from the mid 90's: www.amazon.com/JBL-Control-Performance-150-Watt-Miniature/dp/B000U2G6VA) connected to channel B facing the other direction. My setup is in my grandparents basement, so if I have channel B on, my grandma can hear my records while she's on her desktop at the other end of the basement! :)

[@koncees1110]

Nice video :)

[@vinyleyezz]

+Forever Babe Thank you! :D More great stuff on the way!

[@j.m.channell8938]

What about if your turntable has a defective antiskate spring, as many audiophiles have discovered with the LP120 you use?

[@shvinehoond]

@@jerryking7502 where on the disc should it stay stationary? I can set my tone arm to stay stationary anywhere on the disc, but only one place at a time. Should the stylus stay stationary wherever you drop it on the video disc?

[@VinylRescue]

Since I have the same TT I need to pass on a point about this. This might be a basic rule of thumb for most, but it doesn't work accurately on mine at all. Some have posted you should set it at twice the value of your tracking force. Some have posted theirs were broken and had to return them. What I have found is the most accurate is using the Hi-Fi News Analogue Test LP. It has many tests on it, but the last one on side 2 is the best for setting the anti-skate by ear. Does it work? It did for me as I had a couple of LPs that used to skip, but no longer skip. My tracking force is 1.6 on my AT440MLa cartridge, but my anti-skate is set at 5.8. The album cost about $50 and I found it worth it. Enjoyed your videos!

[@Shanoa]

Hey friend, cool videos! Thanks!

[@Tardus89]

Will you be creating playlist for this video series?

[@vinyleyezz]

Yes! It's already created!

[@Tardus89]

Good good I'll likely be picking up an LP120 this spring. :)

[@vinyleyezz]

Awesome! They're incredible! I've had mine for over a year now and I love it!

[@VOVASFILMAS]

How do you set up Anti Skate on that string weight thing that the pro ject has? :)

[@vinyleyezz]

I'm not sure how you set it up on the project, because it's anti skate is not nearly as precise as the LP120. If you find out let me know lol

[@VOVASFILMAS]

+Vinyl Eyezz Ok thanks :) and hello from LATVIA :)

[@vinyleyezz]

No problem! Tell Latvia hello for me! :)

[@VOVASFILMAS]

+Vinyl Eyezz Hei I have found the info about the pro ject Anti Skate :) Next to the counter weight there is a small pin with 3 noches you have to put the string loop in one of them according to the owners manual and then just hang the little weight thing in the G hook next to the counter weight and that's it :D The LP120 Anti Skate system is much better and more accurate. :D P.S. Sorry for my bad spelling :D

[@annemargarethkhan5945]

Is it necessary to have anti-skate with a straight tonearm and headshell?

[@legojedi101]

I also have the LP120, yet when I test the anti-skate it on a blank piece of vinyl, it still rotates to the center. Any advice?

[@tsetso8]

Hi ! With me is the same ! Any ideas ? How did you resolved that please?!

[@Cyan_Orange]

is there any risk of damage if the anti skate is not set to the same exact thing as the weight? I find that on some records it helps with skipping that sometimes occurs while set at "properly" to have it instead set a little lower, sometime records play fine and sound great even with my headphones set at 0! is this a situation of as long as it works its fine, or am I doing damage to my collection when I do this? (usually only a thing with used records)

[@vinyleyezz]

+James Seidler if that works for you with no sign of the tonearm slipping toward the center, then you should be good!

[@KingQuanProductions]

Its really weird because now my turntable tone arm will start moving to the arm rest when i have the anti skate matching the tracking force. But when the anti skate is at zero it will work perfectly fine. Is this ok?? Or should i be worried

[@vinyleyezz]

+King Quan Productions if it works properly at zero, then that's ok. What you don't want is the arm drifting toward the center or the outside of the record. You want it to stay right in the middle.

[@dominicpanico2682]

@@vinyleyezz I am having the same issue. I set it back to 0. Can you explain further what you mean by drifting towards the center? Isn't it needle naturally moving through the grooves and eventually gonna move towards the center?

[@fleivobeat]

Hi Jarrett, my at lp120 has the anti skate problem, seems I'll have to open and modify it. Does your anti skating system work alright? Thank you

[@Iliek]

Bro you at least need to test the anti-skate, not just set and forget. You'll find that on the LP120 the anti-skate force is extremely weak and modifying it is the only way to get it to track properly.

[@koncees1110]

Nice video

[@vinyleyezz]

+Forever Babe Thank you! :D

[@edwardjonhson]

how can i set the anti skate if i have an anti skate without the numbers? (sorry for my bad english)

[@Perplexer1]

Oh, come on! A new video for every minute of footage. That's lame.

[@blakeabraham7047]

What about players with a different anti-skate setup? I.e., "notches" instead of a dial?

[@indyvinylz]

hmm sounds too easy for me... ;) i have tested the anti skate adjustment with a blank vinyl, and checked the force by that. when you turn the little anti skate wheel you def. see a reaction of the tonearm on the blank vinyl. like that i coud kinda match the right anti sakte. for my m44-7 shure (on technics 1210) with 2,75 g weight.. the anti skate i choose was 1,8. this was the setting that puts the needle mostly in itz place while the needle was spinning on the blank record. just seemed like the most logic setup, as there is not so much force pushing the needle towards the spindlehole or in the opposite direction. this is still a mystery with this force... i just think the equal weight setting is a little too easy if you want a good result... but again, i am no pro at this, but seen a lotta videos about it and read texts on boards about this... so this is just my thought about this :) greetings :) dj skeli

[@vinyleyezz]

Ok no worries! If your method works for you then that's cool too! Essentially as long as the arm doesn't get pulled too fast one way or another then you're good!

[@jordanl4406]

I'm having issues with my anti skate on an AT-LP120. No matter if it is at 1 or 7 the tone arm goes to the middle when I test it on a blank sided record.

[@vinyleyezz]

+SeeburgMan 1000 hmm, maybe the tracking force is too light, causing the arm to glide across the record when you spin it.

[@jordanl4406]

+Vinyl Eyezz well I have the tone arm set at 2 grams.

[@gunsreloader7121]

that's because anti-skating doesn't work at all on the AT-LP120. It is there just as an ornament, it is attached to nothing...

[@Jimmy-lm2eg]

important and super easy

[@TheCommentator353]

audio technica lp-120 or Pro-ject Debut carbon?

[@Kabamaru86]

I buy a needle, ortofon pro s and it say to adjust at 4 grams but my sl 1200 mk2 have only 3 scale anti skate. what i have to do on this?

[@hellfried68]

I find that with the VTF and anti skate set at 2, the needle slams into the starting groove of some records. Will it damage the needle or the record? To avoid this should I set the anti skate to a higher or lower value?

[@JoshMedia123]

HI JARROD!!! I LOV HEARING YOUR VOICE

[@jorgemartin5093]

It's not that simple. First out turntable must be at level too.. Then for the antiskating we gotta get an empty face vinyl and place the needle over it and rotate the antiskating adjust till the needle always stays in the same place. Some guys use laser disc or a cd but the material is not the same.

[@jackofalltradesmercury207]

I wish I'd never bought a turntable. Should have just bought Cds.

[@kingchakazulu7762]

Not a Jack of this trade i guess.

[@ThomasMoreyThomas]

this is not totally correct. The best way to set anti-skate is to get a blank record, put the tonearm in the center of thblank. Then adjust the antiskate so the tonearm is dead center and not pulling toone direction or the other. Ifu can't get a blank disk, ucan always remove the stylus and use a record that has scratches or one u don't like to set the A/S up.

[@ManicksChannel]

Thats not entirely accurate. Your anti skate is tension based and, if the spring is old, the dial may not be entirely accurate. A good way to set anti skate without spending any real money is to use an unwanted CD or blank CD and place it (label down of course) on your record player. Turn it on to making the CD spin and set the anti skate so that the stylus runs along the outside edge of the CD. Make sure the stylus does not go of the CD and run along your mat. If imagine that would be very bad for your stylus. The best way is to buy a blank vinyl record so that you can set the anti skate so that the stylus runs somewhere along the middle of where the groved section would be on a regular vinyl. Really the only true way to set anti skate. Setting it based on the dial is setting it blind really.

[@everettberry6339]

Do NOT trust that your anti-skate is working properly. Especially on vintage models. My old Pioneer PL-560 is set at about .8 even though the stylus weight is set to 1.8 grams. Use an acrylic platter mat or single sided record to set it.

[@Iliek]

So sad to see professional KZbinrs only having a very basic understanding of what they pretend to be experts at. The creator spent more effort on the production of this video than he did learning about the subject matter.

[@takisharalabidis611]

A distinct video just to adjust the tracking? Are you serious?

[@the509s4]

Bro, chill out on the talking with your hands. Its too distracting.