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Post by jazzbones on Jun 24, 2015 14:25:09 GMT
I have been reading an interesting article on TT setup, in HiFi+ June 2015 issue No124, I think it was aimed at late starters, but there was something for all. Let me quote, herein, the bit that focused my attention:
".... Peter Ledermann who has rebuilt thousands of cartridges for SoundSmith, says that most of the well used stylii he sees show greater wear on the outside than on the inside, and this tells him that most people are using too much anti-skate. He suggests using a blank record, and setting the anti-skate so that the cartridge moves slowly inward as it rides on the blank surface....."
I have always set my anti-Skate using the blank section of a Cardas test record so that my cartridge did not move inwards or outwards and that gave me the front on presentation with imaging left and right. My Linn Ekos AO modified tone arm has a dial in facility to achieve this particular tune up so I did just what Peter Ledermann suggested, allowing cartridge/arm movement to ever so slightly move inwards and the result was pleasing. The must requisite is that your TT must be level of course!
I was never aware of stylus wear in this particular situation, were you? You learn something every day.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2015 14:46:32 GMT
I use an old one sided 12" single set it via lift & drop, compromising within three positions near start/Centre/Near end. Many do not recommend this but ive done it for donkies years..
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Post by pinkie on Jun 24, 2015 15:10:56 GMT
For sure wrong anti-skate wears stylus fast.
Oh boy, I've posted exactly the same advice given to me by Arthur before and ended up in discussions about the best way to set antiskate NOT being a blank record
That is not my view - I am a blank record fan and use it to set my anti-skate. It is better than nothing, and better than relying on an arm manufacturers gauge for their spring. If you really know how to use one properly, particularly if you have a sillyscope - then test records are probably better, but a blank record is good enough for me (and Arthur)
Note - the key issue to antiskate is stylus wear. Any percieved "sonic" benefit is secondary
Most I have checked use excessive anti-skate force
My blank record is "Bringing up Baby" - a 12" video laser disc I got for £2 off ebay.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 24, 2015 21:28:12 GMT
Using a blank record to set bias (it's not anti-skate because you'd have a fault if that happened) is an incorrect method. The tip of the stylus is never used for real tracking. The drag created by the sidewalls of the stylus is completely different. You can only set bias by using a record with a test tone (torture track) and listening for evenness and least distortion in each channel.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2015 3:19:09 GMT
I agree with Martin about blank records not reflecting real playing conditions. I like the advice given by Origin Live, which is to lower the arm and study the movement of the cantilever when it enters the grooves. If it pulls one way or another, adjust bias accordingly.Since I adopted this method, I have had better tracking whatever cartridge I have used. I tried to post the full advice but their link is now broken.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 25, 2015 5:20:27 GMT
That's a good method, too. I normally use the HFS69 test record and play the second most severe lateral tracking test. Move the bias one way to hear left channel distortion, then the other way to hear right channel distortion. Then centre the setting in the range you have found. That gets the bias right and maximises tracking performance.
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ynwan
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Post by ynwan on Jun 25, 2015 6:33:37 GMT
The problem with using a test tone is that it doesn't reflect the dynamic nature of playing a real record. I would recommend initial setup as in the first post and then fine tune by ear.
There are those that believe that zero bias adjustment is preferential (I don't share this view myself).
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Post by MartinT on Jun 25, 2015 6:52:12 GMT
A blank record is just wrong. It can't even know about the stylus profile, which determines drag - why else do the arm vendors specify different bias scales for spherical, elliptical and fine line profiles?
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ynwan
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Post by ynwan on Jun 25, 2015 11:53:35 GMT
Just to be clear, I'm not recommending the 'stylus moves neither in nor out when playing a blank disc' method. I would set it up so that the stylus moves slowly in (about 1.5 to 2 seconds) when playing a blank disk - then tune by ear.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 25, 2015 12:05:38 GMT
Ok, that does clarify thanks.
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Post by zippy on Jun 25, 2015 14:37:29 GMT
".... Peter Ledermann who has rebuilt thousands of cartridges for SoundSmith, says that most of the well used stylii he sees show greater wear on the outside than on the inside, and this tells him that most people are using too much anti-skate."
Now they tell me !
Many years ago when I ran a TT I always noticed that when 'worn out' the wear was very uneven from side to side.
I always followed tracking and anti-skate rules to the letter.
So it wan't my fault at all, it was the instructions that were wrong !
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2015 15:43:27 GMT
".... Peter Ledermann who has rebuilt thousands of cartridges for SoundSmith, says that most of the well used stylii he sees show greater wear on the outside than on the inside, and this tells him that most people are using too much anti-skate." Now they tell me ! Many years ago when I ran a TT I always noticed that when 'worn out' the wear was very uneven from side to side. I always followed tracking and anti-skate rules to the letter. So it wan't my fault at all, it was the instructions that were wrong ! Must be all those RB250 and RB300 users. I could never understand why the bias was so heavy handed on those arms, the calibration was notorious for being way off. |
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Post by jazzbones on Jun 25, 2015 18:29:08 GMT
In my initial post on this subject, I should, with hindsight, have quoted the proceeding words of the author's article, which I will do so now:
Skating away
"Anti-skate is the final thing you need to set, and is also perhaps the most contentious (my underling emphasis) . This is an outward force applied by the tonearm, to counteract the inward skating force created by the friction of the stylus riding in the grove. Anti skating is always a compromise, as this will vary depending on how deep of a cut the record is, whether its a quiet passage or a loud one, and even whether you're at the start or the end of the side...." (this now leads into what I quoted originally from the article).
No one wants to be paronoiac, or should be, continually hoping up and down to adjust anti-skate depending on track, I certainly don't but it does tell me that this aspect of LP replay will always crop up and be debated, some can't abide vinyl requiring the to and froing to flip sides let alone make adjustments, what say all?
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Post by Greg on Jun 25, 2015 19:05:46 GMT
Here's a youtube video by Mark Baker (Origin Live) on set up. Very recently released. See also a few more videos by him on TT set up. Hope it helps.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2015 21:02:58 GMT
What's all that swinging the arm in & out about?  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 26, 2015 6:21:29 GMT
I don't think it needs to be paranoid constant readjustment, Ron. I set it and forget it, unless I switch cartridges which is very rare.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2015 17:03:58 GMT
all ranges sound perfect to & not a single bit of distortion my method will do for me.. i honestly think that enthusiasts love to make things a bigger deal than they are |
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