Every pivoted tonearm pulls inward toward the record center while playing — a product of tracking angle and groove friction called skating force. Anti-skate is the counter-mechanism, and it is the most misunderstood dial on the deck.
Why the pull exists
The stylus drags along the groove at an angle to the arm pivot (tracking angle error, unavoidable in pivoted arms). The drag vector's inward component pulls the stylus against the inner groove wall — mild extra pressure on one channel, uneven wear, and a slight tendency to skate inward on low-friction vinyl. Anti-skate applies an outward counter-force, usually via a small weight or magnetic dial.
Setting it
- The default rule: anti-skate matches tracking force — 2.0 g VTF, 2.0 on the dial.
- The blank-plate test: cue down on a smooth ungrooved area (or a blank track) — the arm should drift very slowly inward; adjust the dial until it barely moves or holds.
- The ear test: severe anti-skate shows as channel imbalance and one-sided distortion (usually the inner groove/treble).
When the rules bend
- DJ cartridges: scratch technique fights inward pull deliberately — many turntablists zero anti-skate entirely. Different sport.
- Some linear-tracking arms: no pivot, no skating force, no dial — nothing to set.
- Certain low-compliance MCs on heavy arms: some set slightly below force; trust measurements and ears over folklore.
The honest hierarchy
Anti-skate matters less than tracking force, alignment, and level — but it is the third setting people get wrong after ignoring the first two entirely. Set force with a gauge, align with a protractor, level the deck, then set anti-skate to match. The dial is the garnish on a properly prepared plate — and skipping the plate ruins the meal regardless.