Technics SL Q2 anti skate question

[theotherangie]

Greetings all. I hope expertise and experience can answer my question. I inherited a friend's Technics SL Q2 turntable and re-balanced the tone arm, adjusted the tracking force, and adjusted the anti skate. For my cartridge, I set the tracking force and the anti skate between 1.5 and <2. I played one side of a record and everything worked well and sounded good. But, just as I was about to pat myself on the back for a job "well done," I decided to play again only the last track of the record. Using the cuing lever, I positioned the tonearm over the last track, then lowered it. Unfortunately, the tonearm lowered about half way down and then (while still descending) skated to the right about 2/3 of the record. If I don't use the cuing lever, I can place the tonearm at any location on the record without this skate function overriding my positioning. Since my hands are a little shaky, this would not be my preferred method. Instead, I started playing around with the anti skate dial, increasing and decreasing it until the tonearm lowers straight down. I played full sides and have not experienced any problems. I am concerned though that the tracking force number is about 1.7 and the anti skate number is about .3. While I do not hear any distortion, aren't these number too far off from each other? Thanks. I look forward to your insights.

 

[kvetcha]

Having 'too little' anti-skate really isn't going to hurt anything, so personally, I wouldn't stress about it too much.

 

[Jbraswell]

Greetings all. I hope expertise and experience can answer my question. I inherited a friend's Technics SL Q2 turntable and re-balanced the tone arm, adjusted the tracking force, and adjusted the anti skate. For my cartridge, I set the tracking force and the anti skate between 1.5 and <2. I played one side of a record and everything worked well and sounded good. But, just as I was about to pat myself on the back for a job "well done," I decided to play again only the last track of the record. Using the cuing lever, I positioned the tonearm over the last track, then lowered it. Unfortunately, the tonearm lowered about half way down and then (while still descending) skated to the right about 2/3 of the record. If I don't use the cuing lever, I can place the tonearm at any location on the record without this skate function overriding my positioning. Since my hands are a little shaky, this would not be my preferred method. Instead, I started playing around with the anti skate dial, increasing and decreasing it until the tonearm lowers straight down. I played full sides and have not experienced any problems. I am concerned though that the tracking force number is about 1.7 and the anti skate number is about .3. While I do not hear any distortion, aren't these number too far off from each other? Thanks. I look forward to your insights.

That sounds odd.
Is the table level?

 

[theotherangie]

I thought it was odd also. Yes, the table is level. The tone arm is balanced.

 

[Mather]

I thought it was odd also. Yes, the table is level. The tone arm is balanced.

I'm not sure how the AS mechanism works on that tonearm but it's certainly possible a spring or something is going in the unit which is causing the tonearm to jog like that. Honestly if .3 is working with no issues, just use it and don't worry about it. There could be any number of reasons it's doing that at a higher AS setting but as Kvecha said, it's not going to hurt anything to have less anti skate so you'll be fine.

 

[Turbo]

Might not be the antiskate.

On the Technics, the little rubber cushion pad on the cueing device can get "used" and become bumpy, creating little slopes in some sections. Happens mainly in the areas where you mostly lift/drop the tonearm, so at the beginning and end of sides. You have to swap the cueing device every now and then. It's not that expensive for my 1210 - I was able to get an OEM part off Ebay. Did mine a year or so ago as I started my noticing slipping like that and I noticed that the pad was bumpy. Comes off with a single screw. The OEM part came with the screws, springs and all you need.

 

[Turbo]

This is the part I'm talking about (and damn, I need to do some dusting).



This is the old part I replaced - see the crushed pad in parts - that was enough to cause slipping while lowering the tonearm when you cue in those spots.

 

[psemeraro]

Might not be the antiskate.

On the Technics, the little rubber cushion pad on the cueing device can get "used" and become bumpy, creating little slopes in some sections.

Another option is to use the abrasive side of a dish scouring pad. Dampen with some water and gently scrub until the rubber surface feels clean and consistent.

Pat