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Tonearms with no anti-skate adjustment

I am in recent possession of a Grace 704 uni-pivot tonearm, which has no anti-skate adjustment. This is not optimal IMO, but should I really be worried?
128x128jdjohn
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cleeds
2,065 posts
 
lewm
... the magnitude of the skating force will vary based on the stylus shape, the degree of tracking angle error, the headshell offset angle, and the modulations in the groove wall. This is why no one value of anti-skate force will be absolutely correct across the surface of any LP. It’s a moving target.
I agree. The best one can achieve with anti-skate is a compromise, a happy medium.
Any tonearm which is designed to be mounted so that the stylus tip overhangs the spindle will develop a skating force at all points across the surface of the LP. There are no exceptions. Therefore to say that some tone arms do not need anti-skate is to me a bit of self deception. If you cannot hear the effect of the absence of anti-skate, nevertheless there is a skating force.
Agreed! That's why I prefer to use anti-skate, even if there is no one, single perfect setting. There is no reason to allow perfect to be the enemy of the good. 
moonglum
605 posts
 
All 3 of you are wrong.
If the C of G is below the pivot point (stable) then there will be a restorative force at the stylus.
Have a good day.
lewm
6,770 posts
 
 Moonglum, are you going to take your marbles and go home? I am very interested in your hypothesis. Please explain in more words. I am willing to be convinced. First of all, I want to be sure what you are saying. Are you saying that there will be no effect on vertical tracking force if you lower the pivot point of the tonearm? Or are you saying that vertical tracking force will go up? Also, if you can explain more thoroughly what you mean by a “restorative force” that would help.
chakster's avatar
chakster
2,482 posts
 
Interesting

I remember when Thomas Schick's tonearm was designed without antiskating, it was about 5-7 years ago when i bought my Schick "12. At that time the designer said antiskating is not needed for such a long tonearm. 

But now i can see on his website that All his tonearms are equipped with an Antiskating mechanism ! His distributor also have all his arms with antiskating now. 

Seems like Thomas learned a bit about proper tonearm design over the years :) 
moonglum
605 posts
 
Lew,
Pleased to oblige.
Consider an old-fashioned set of weighing scales.
- The pivot point is high
- The CofG is below the pivot
- the scales are stable, balanced

Now if one of the pans is manually raised upwards then released, there will exist a restorative force. A downward force.
So to summarise, raised stylus = extra downward force.
Rasied stylus could be due to warp or change in VTA. Both apply.
Have a good day.
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