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Grace G-707 Tonearm: How to Set the Antiskate

Homebrook

Homebrook

Member
I have recently come to own a Kenwood KD-550 turntable with a Grace G-707 tonearm. I have set it up as best I can carefully following the directions in the manual. I think I have it mostly set up properly, and it does seem to be working well. However the one thing I am not entirely sure of is whether I have properly set up the anti-skate. I wonder if some of you who have much experience setting up tonearms might help. This is what it says regarding the anti-skate setup in the manual:
The bias compensation (antiskate) force required is determined by gently lowering and raising the arm with the arm lifter so that the stylus is alternately lowered and raised into the record groove. At the moment the stylus contacts the record groove the stylus will be pulled toward the turntable spindle. Increase the bias compensation by moving the bias weight up along the graduated shaft until there is no inward side deflection when the stylus contacts the record groove. Without changing this setting, position the bias weight set screw toward the back of the turntable and tighten.
When the bias weight is all the way down the graduated shaft there is present a bias compensation force of 0.75 gram and the force increases by 0.25 gram for each division the weight is moved up the shaft.
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OK that seemed clear enough until I actually tried doing it, because, no matter where I had the anti-skate weight positioned, when I lowered the stylus onto a record it never moved. But when I raised the stylus it would deflect outward toward the outside of the record, which seems to be consistent with an inward force being suddenly released when lifted from the record. Is this an indication that the anti-skate needs to be increased? I thought perhaps so. Is this correct? Currently I have it set at the third division so I believe the anti-skate force is at 1.5 grams. Now, when I raise the stylus, it does not deflect outward. Do I now have the anti-skate force set correctly?, because what I did is nothing like described in the manual.
Thanks for any light you can shed on this. I want to make sure I truly understand what is going on here.
 
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Homebrook said:
I have recently come to own a Kenwood KD-550 turntable with a Grace G-707 tonearm. I have set it up as best I can carefully following the directions in the manual. I think I have it mostly set up properly, and it does seem to be working well. However the one thing I am not entirely sure of is whether I have properly set up the anti-skate. I wonder if some of you who have much experience setting up tonearms might help. This is what it says regarding the anti-skate setup in the manual:

OK that seemed clear enough until I actually tried doing it, because, no matter where I had the anti-skate weight positioned, when I lowered the stylus onto a record it never moved. But when I raised the stylus it would deflect outward toward the outside of the record, which seems to be consistent with an inward force being suddenly released when lifted from the record. Is this an indication that the anti-skate needs to be increased? I thought perhaps so. Is this correct? Currently I have it set at the third division so I believe the anti-skate force is at 1.5 grams. Now, when I raise the stylus, it does not deflect outward. Do I now have the anti-skate force set correctly?, because what I did is nothing like described in the manual.
Thanks for any light you can shed on this. I want to make sure I truly understand what is going on here.
Click to expand...

when I raise mine out of the groove it deflects outward as you described, I have mine at the minimum setting, so .75g. My cartridge runs at 1.2g VTF, this setting will affect where you want to start with the anti-skate, then adjust from there.

I have to admit I can't hear any difference wherever I have the weight, even if removed, this has been true with every table I've owned except one.

The AR XA doesn't even have anti-skate other than to try and put a twist in the tiny tonearm leads attempting to have them add resistance, real precise eh lol.

That said the AR was my main deck for most of 2 decades, great table anti-skate or no anti-skate.
 
You could double check your AS by using a record with a wide end of groove area, and placing the needle on top of the vinyl but NOT IN THE GROOVE. The record spinning will pull the tonearm toward the spindle. It is a bit frustrating because you only have about a second (if that) before the stylus will hit the groove and ride it.

Many experts suggest adjusting anti skate so it pulls in very slowly, instead of quite quickly. If it stays put, they feel this is too much ant skate, and if it moves toward the outer platter, it is definitely way too much anti skate.
 
Since I originally posted I have come to realize that setting the anti-skate is somewhat of a black art, with any number of various methods suggested.
  1. Set it at the same as the stylus tracking force.
  2. Set it at 10-12% of the stylus tracking force, based on the length of the tonearm.
  3. Use a blank record (no grooves), if you can find one, and set the anti-skate so that the stylus remains about two thirds the distance in between the outside and inside of the record.
  4. Set the stylus in the run-out area of the record and set the anti-skate so that the stylus slowly drifts toward the center.
  5. Set the stylus in the run-in area of the record and set the anti-skate so that the stylus gently drifts toward the center and catches the groove without jumping grooves.
  6. Use a gizmo that hangs the tonearm vertically from a string with some sort of counterweight doing something.
  7. Use the confusing method specified in the Grace G-707 tonearm manual.
That's a lot of choices! Which is best? I'm not at all sure. Does anybody?
 
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doctor fuse said:
That about sums it up. By the power invested in me by the United Brotherhood of Audiophile Esoterica, I hereby pronounce you a Doctor of Philosophy in the Art of Setting Skating (A.S.S.).
Errare humanum est
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Wow! I don't know if I deserve such an honor! I'm speechless. But, hmm..., so I have an A.S.S. or do I have a P.A.S.S.? :-)
 
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