VPI JMW-10 Tonearm Anti-Skate Upgrade
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 centre of the record when the headshell of the tonearm has an offset angle. Putting the stylus down on a flat, grooveless record will cause the arm to move toward the centre of the record.
Arm manufacturers have tried to compensate for this force, but that is impossible because the force is constantly changing as the music and velocity change.
VPI has conducted careful listening tests and determined that every tonearm they tried sounded better with its mechanical anti-skating disabled and the tracking force very slightly increased... VPI has a unique solution to anti-skating: the coiled wire of the JMW Memorial Tonearm acts as a spring and pushes the arm back without affecting the sound quality.
If you have older VPI turntable/tonearm combo that has "silver" junction box, a new "black" junction box would need to be purchased to use the anti-skate upgrade.
Directions on how to install:
- The anti-skate mounts on the black junction box by removing the left front side screw using a #2 Phillips screwdriver and screwing the anti-skate mechanism into the now vacant hole. Tighten the nut once you have the shaft screwed all the way in.
- Remove the counterweight and install the black D shaped piece on the counterweight stub
