You really do need antiskate compensation for the best sound.

Posted by jsm (A) on January 27, 2025 at 16:48:54

In Reply to: RE: Technically, do you need more antiskate for 45 rpm records? posted by George S. Roland on January 16, 2025 at 13:55:16:

I owned the original AR turntable and I remember Villchur making those remarks. He was wrong. Indeed the skating force is small, but it is big enough to matter. I went from the AR turntable to one with antiskating, but used the same cartridge. With no antiskating force applied the new TT sound very similar to the AR. With antiskating force applied the new TT sounded noticeably better than the AR with lower distortion (as heard through AR 3 speakers i might add). I have a test record that I used to set the force. If it's too low you hear distortion from one channel, with it too high you hear it from the other channel. When it's just right you hear no distortion. It's not subtle.

The only major things that matters in the skating force are the friction of the stylus in the groove and how much the direction of that frictional force misses the bearing of the tonearm. Wiith offset headshells the direction of the frictional force does not pass through the pivot, resulting in a torque about the pivot. That torque can change across the record because of geometry changes, but it isn't a great change, so some average or typical antiskate force works reasonably well across the record. The amount of the frictional force can also vary according to how loud the music is, as a heavily modulated groove will in principle produce a higher drag than a low modulation one. I suspect this effect is extremely small and of no consequence, though I've never seen a measurement of it and haven't had the time or energy to calculate it theoretically from physical principles.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Technically, do you need more antiskate for 45 rpm records? - Steve Parry 17:26:51 01/15/25 (19)

RE: I can't find a single post in the below thread ... - andyr 15:33:24 01/20/25 (3)

Perhaps you should look again! - John Elison 18:30:57 01/20/25 (2)

RE: Yes, John ... you did say this: ... - andyr 19:06:35 01/20/25 (1)

Yes, Andy ... I answered the question ... - John Elison 13:21:33 01/21/25 (0)

RE: Technically, do you need more antiskate for 45 rpm records? - billo 03:18:03 01/19/25 (0)

RE: Technically, do you need more antiskate for 45 rpm records? - beach cruiser 16:41:02 01/16/25 (0)

RE: Technically, do you need more antiskate for 45 rpm records? - George S. Roland 13:55:16 01/16/25 (1)

You really do need antiskate compensation for the best sound. - jsm 16:48:54 01/27/25 (0)

RE: Technically, do you need more antiskate for 45 rpm records? - John Elison 07:05:16 01/16/25 (10)

RE: "This test just proves that frictional force does not change when platter speed is changed" ... - andyr 02:37:56 01/20/25 (0)

Skating force is produced by the groove, so that test is not valid; see here: - Steve Parry 08:19:30 01/16/25 (8)

RE: Skating force is produced by the groove, so that test is not valid; see here: - JonM 13:15:38 01/16/25 (2)

Then why isn't called a 'Centripete'? :) - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 17:39:01 01/16/25 (1)

RE: Then why isn't called a 'Centripete'? :) - JonM 03:01:24 01/17/25 (0)

RE: Skating force is produced by the groove, so that test is not valid; see here: - John Elison 08:42:49 01/16/25 (4)

RE: Skating force is produced by the groove, so that test is not valid; see here: - Not Yet There 12:51:19 02/04/25 (1)

Skating force is produced by friction between the spinning record and the tracking stylus... - John Elison 17:05:20 02/04/25 (0)

Siting on top of a blank area does not engage the stylus contact faces - 13th Duke of Wymbourne 17:37:14 01/16/25 (1)

RE: Siting on top of a blank area does not engage the stylus contact faces - John Elison 10:21:31 01/18/25 (0)

Follow Ups

You really do need antiskate compensation for the best sound. - jsm 16:48:54 01/27/25 (0)

You really do need antiskate compensation for the best sound.

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