The VPI Turntable Thread

I can't honestly say I've ever noticed a difference between having it on or off. Like I certainly have a few discs where the sound audibly degrades as you get towards the label, but I have much more that don't, so it's not a universal thing. In a lot of cases those are 40 year old discs that were probably played with poorly aligned carts that damaged the grooves. So I don't think it comes down to anti skate at that point anyhow. I use the wire method on my table so it still has skate, but it's not micro adjustable like the actual mechanism is.
 
Mather said:
Yeah it's hilarious because VPI are like "Here fine have one, but you don't need, we don't use it, it's dumb." And then Ledermann is like "OMG use the antiskate all you people are idiots." It's kinda amazing.
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Here’s how I look at it- Ledermann builds cartridges and rebuilds many more. VPI has cartridges built for them. Big difference. And if Leidermann can spot the amount of anti skate usage under a microscope, then it’s a real thing. I set mine up per his method and have no issues.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Here’s how I look at it- Ledermann builds cartridges and rebuilds many more. VPI has cartridges built for them. Big difference. And if Leidermann can spot the amount of anti skate usage under a microscope, then it’s a real thing. I set mine up per his method and have no issues.
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Yeah I tend to agree, I'm definitely trusting him on this one. I mean I have anti skate. Using the tonearm wire, so it's operating but it's not adjustable. But to be honest I don't even know how to know what I'm adjusting. Seems to just be complete trial and error.
 
Mather said:
Yeah I tend to agree, I'm definitely trusting him on this one. I mean I have anti skate. Using the tonearm wire, so it's operating but it's not adjustable. But to be honest I don't even know how to know what I'm adjusting. Seems to just be complete trial and error.
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You can get this add on to allow you adjust the anti skate on vpi turntables

www.vpidirect.com

Anti-Skate Mechanism

About the VPI Anti-Skate Mechanism Anti-Skate is one of the least understood forces acting on a tonearm. Skating force is created by friction between the stylus and the record, causing a force vector in a direction towards the center of the record when the headshell of the tonearm has an offset...
www.vpidirect.com
 
Joe Mac said:
You can get this add on to allow you adjust the anti skate on vpi turntables

www.vpidirect.com

Anti-Skate Mechanism

About the VPI Anti-Skate Mechanism Anti-Skate is one of the least understood forces acting on a tonearm. Skating force is created by friction between the stylus and the record, causing a force vector in a direction towards the center of the record when the headshell of the tonearm has an offset...
www.vpidirect.com
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Oh I have that, I just don't know how to use it haha. Like I can set it up but my issue is simply knowing how to diagnose and fix anti skate issues
 
I also read that you can use a piece of flat (no grooves or etchings) vinyl to test antiskate. If it moves one way or the other then you adjust the anti skate to the opposite direction. I have no idea though, my tt has a preset antiskate and it is not adjustable and I am fine with this.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Here’s how I look at it- Ledermann builds cartridges and rebuilds many more. VPI has cartridges built for them. Big difference. And if Leidermann can spot the amount of anti skate usage under a microscope, then it’s a real thing. I set mine up per his method and have no issues.
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The counter-argument is that with a long enough tonearm (say 10+ inches) and imperfections in records (aka off-center holes), the impact of anti-skate may be set-off by other forces.

Ledermann and Weisfield can both be right - it may matter, but it’s a moving target that may be constantly changing across the surface of the record.

If you are not hearing a difference, then it may not be worth worrying about.
 
The anti-skate on the Traveler is non-existent for the most part.

They say you can twist the S-Video connector, but any full twist around is too much since the connector can only go in one way.
 
Angsty said:
I don’t go to AudioCircle often, but I saw a very minty VPI HW-19 there for sale. It’s not mine and I don’t know the owner, but I just had to share it with somebody! Has a Jasmine TA-214J tonearm and Grado Black 2 cart for $1099 in the Boston area.

View attachment 193037
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It’s on USAM too. I’ve thought about it multiple times.
 
LeeVing said:
The anti-skate on the Traveler is non-existent for the most part.

They say you can twist the S-Video connector, but any full twist around is too much since the connector can only go in one way.
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I love this quote in the original Traveler manual:

“Time is better spent listening to records than setting anti-skate on a 10.2” tonearm.”
 
spydrwebb44 said:
Late to reply but I don't mess with anti-skate. I have the V shaped gadget you linked earlier but lack the capacity to understand its true function.
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After a LOT of googling I've finally figured out how to use it. It's actually a pretty ingenious little thing. Works on gravity, you secure the fishing line to each groove on the vertical post with two washers. As you move the fishing line up the vertical post you are decreasing the anti skate and thus the force applied on the outside "right channel" groove. I currently have mine on the second from bottom groove. Then if you want extra anti skate you can go to the horizontal post and move those washers further along the post to increase skate even further, or add washers. Though I would imagine that would likely be unnecessary in most instances unless the table was really unbalanced.
 
Mather said:
After a LOT of googling I've finally figured out how to use it. It's actually a pretty ingenious little thing. Works on gravity, you secure the fishing line to each groove on the vertical post with two washers. As you move the fishing line up the vertical post you are decreasing the anti skate and thus the force applied on the outside "right channel" groove. I currently have mine on the second from bottom groove. Then if you want extra anti skate you can go to the horizontal post and move those washers further along the post to increase skate even further, or add washers. Though I would imagine that would likely be unnecessary in most instances unless the table was really unbalanced.
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Any sonic difference thus far?
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
Any sonic difference thus far?
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Not really, I mean to be honest in most cases where I hear IGD I'm fairly certain it's just baked into the disc, most discs it's not really a thing. I like that this is adjustable and most of the stuff I've played sounds great right till the final note of the last track on each side so I consider that a win. But the discs that have always had IGD still have it, but I don't think anything would prevent it on those
 
Mather said:
Not really, I mean to be honest in most cases where I hear IGD I'm fairly certain it's just baked into the disc, most discs it's not really a thing. I like that this is adjustable and most of the stuff I've played sounds great right till the final note of the last track on each side so I consider that a win. But the discs that have always had IGD still have it, but I don't think anything would prevent it on those
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Remind me, please, of your record cleaning regimen.
 
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