The anti-skate control is an important part of a turntable that counteracts the tonearm’s natural bias to “skate” toward the record’s center. This so-called skating causes the needle to lean against the inner side of the record’s groove, which can cause issues during playback.
The main functions of this control are:
- to prevent skipping (when the needle jumps around)
- to keep the left and right channels in balance
- to reduce distortion
- to reduce wear on the stylus and vinyl records
You can find this control in the form of a small rotating dial on most turntables. In some cases, a small weight at the end of the tonearm is used for the same function, while other (usually cheaper) models have no anti-skate controls at all.
In this guide, you’ll learn why an anti-skate feature is important, how it works, and how to calibrate it correctly.
2 Responses
My tonearm used to run into the paper label on a disc if I didn’t catch it promptly at the end of the last song. I had set the anti-skate to the recommended value per the owner’s instructions but this is a vintage turntable with an Ortofon AS 212 arm. The magnetic anti-skate mechanism could be a bit off. The other day, I readjusted it and it now stops when it hits the untracked vinyl, remaining in place. Does that mean the anti-skate is now properly set up?
Hi Dennis, it sounds like your turntable’s anti-skate setting was way off, despite adjusting it to the recommended setting. While it seems that the original issue has been resolved, to really know whether anti-skate is set properly you should try the steps I outlined in my guide. Most importantly, in your case definitely check that your tt is level, and use a blank disc to actually watch how your needle behaves when it’s not locked in a groove.