Technics 1200MK5 anti skate? Is this right?

Guys, I know it's been said before but remember that anti-skate is a compromise because forces vary across an LP side so don't over-think it too much. Absolute perfection is not likely on a pivoted arm.

I use the Peter Ledermann method on a wide run-out + a check against a specific LP track to ensure both channels are equally lively sounding. Once that's done, make a note of the force applied for future reference, accept what you have & enjoy listening to music...

 

Have you tried this Hi-Fi News test record?

Googling indicates there are people out there that have invested quite a bit more than I, and can't keep the needle in the groove through the 4th.

 

Someone just said they track level 5 fine.

 

I think he was talking about the Shure test album, mine is the "Hi-Fi News Analog Test LP/The Producer's Cut."

It has four bias testing tracks at the end of the first side. They're basically 300-Hz tones recorded at +12, +14, +16, and +18-dB. That is pretty hot, loud enough that the tracks even "look" loud.*

Then there are three more 300-Hz test tracks dispersed through the 2nd side recorded at +15dB.

I've been keeping an eye open for a copy of the Shure record, I'd be interested in trying one of them. I think there were multiple versions, correlating to the version of the V15 cartridge at the time.

Not sure which would be the best to get.

*Some manufacturers say not to use test records to setup cartridges, that the test tracks are too hot and nothing like real music. I think that makes some sense, it would be nice to know the range of real music on real albums so I can make better decisions. Like, maybe the optimum would be to setup the cartridge for the onset of distortion at the +14dB track, that using that setup would provide the best average for performance and album longevity. Not sure if I'm making sense.

 

I seem to recall from my time in retail, which was early '80's to mid' 90's, that the only cartridge manufacturer who recommended a test record was Shure! From a very fading memory, the Shure test albums were not as extreme as the Hi-FI News and a couple of others.

Early on before I was fitting a dozen plus cartridges weekly, I did try the HI-FI News test record on my then turntable / arm / cartridge, which failed at least a couple of tracks. To come close to passing the test record resulted in using a setting that made every real world record I then played sound worse and would probably wear both the record and the stylus quicker!

As you know, alignment and anti-skate settings are simply a compromise, so surely it is better to set them for the majority of your real world records and not a test record. As some test records have the bias tests cut at differing parts of the vinyl, apart from the totally extreme levels on some bias tracks, it is hardly surprising that results are variable.

In the real world, do you set up your cartridge to attempt to track the Telarc canons (which cut?), or the the best sound from the other 99.999% LPs out there?

As for cartridge alignment, there was an old saying that possibly didn't please CD haters, "they've all got to mistrack somewhere!"

@Drewan77, you are a wise man.

 

Exactly why I dont like test LPs.

 

Excellent post.

The funny thing is, that old green stylus slays those test tracks. I suspect the suspension is very loose/shot.

The spec calls for up to 2-grams of VTF, but I don't think the old green stylus could accommodate that, I think 1.5 was about as high as I felt it should go.

The diamond looks good under a scope, though.

Makes you wonder a bit whether styluses are like fine wine, getting better with age.