Lyra Atlas experiences
The simplest way to check the anti-skate is by ''tracking abiity'' test on the test records. The first distortion will appear in the right channel. By increasing the anti-skate force the mentioned distortion will disappear. So much about the causal relation. However one should not try to get those 80-90 microns ''pure'' because to much anti-skate is worse than no skate at all. |
Heavier arm - perhaps - I think J Carr wrote that it is possible to tweak the mass of the arm. I thought the SME V would be an OK match. I’ve tried some more mass (damping material) on the headshell and the arm but it didn’t work for me (not even some ’magic dots’ I had). I did some eyeballing tests now, using a loupe and then some 20x glasses. Stylus settles as before, a little to the right, in the hole in the front. Mirror test; it looks vertical. I had to turn down the AS to 1.1 to avoid the arm sliding to the right (the platter is level). I wanted to have a look at the stylus tip also, but the glasses are too weak. So I tried a little 100x microscope with light. I got nervous, however, it has to go extremely close the cantilever. Perhaps later I will try a small USB microscope that I also have. But well, so far, there is no visible sign that the azimuth is off. So it should be an OK starting point for listening tests. |
All theory, after repairing in Japan my Kleos had a very high compliance and my bass speakers made synchron movements to the out of center vinyl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1yvgCINtI4 |
Nandric - as related above, the test record method doesn't work in my case, I end up with far too much antiskate (2.7), and adjusting by ear I've gone down to 1.5 or so. And I recently got a clear message from SME saying don't use these tracks, instead start AS equal to the weight and fine tune by ear from there. These distortion tests are more for a rough first check perhaps - is the cartridge very off (or damaged). The Atlas sails through them without problems. |
o-holter, ''As equal to the weight'' (VTF?) will not do because the other variable is the stylus shape. With low compliance carts I am satisfy with 60 microns ''pure'' (aka without any distortion from the right channel). The high compliance carts (MM) will track 80 microns with 1,5 g VTF even without any anti-skate. So there is no easy way out but those test records are useful for at least some orientation. To put it otherwise: to start with. |
