Pro-Ject - Anti-Skate Weight

The replacement thread-and-weight anti-skate assembly for Pro-Ject tonearms — the small part that goes missing more often than any other, and without which the cartridge is fighting the record.

Skating force is a consequence of geometry. Because a pivoted tonearm’s headshell is offset, the friction between stylus and groove produces a net inward pull toward the spindle. Left uncorrected, the stylus presses harder on the inner groove wall than the outer one: right channel louder than left, mistracking on the inner wall first, and asymmetric wear on both the record and the diamond.

Pro-Ject’s answer on most of their tonearms is the oldest and arguably the most honest one — a small weight on a thread, hung over a support hoop and hooked into one of three grooves on a stub at the back of the arm. No springs to age, no magnets to weaken, just a measured outward pull. It is also, being a loose thread and a tiny weight, the single easiest part of a turntable to lose during a move or a cartridge change.

Setting it is straightforward. Set your tracking force first, using a gauge; then hang the thread loop in the groove that matches. Pro-Ject calibrates by downforce range rather than by a printed gram figure: groove one for 10 to 14mN, groove two for 15 to 19mN, groove three for 20mN and above. In more familiar units, that is roughly up to 1.4g, 1.5 to 1.9g, and 2.0g or more.

Fitment: Pro-Ject’s distributor documentation lists this as suitable for their Debut, Essential, 1Xpression, 2Xperience and Xtension turntables, and specifically not suitable for the Signature models. That list was truncated at source, so if your deck is not named, send us the model and we will confirm before you order.

Features

• Thread-and-weight anti-skate assembly — nothing to age or weaken
• Three calibrated positions matched to tracking force ranges
• Direct replacement for a lost or damaged original
• Fits Pro-Ject Debut, Essential, 1Xpression, 2Xperience and Xtension tonearms
• Not suitable for Signature models

Specifications

• Type: Thread-and-weight anti-skate assembly
• What is in the set: Per Pro-Ject’s turntable manuals the assembly comprises the anti-skate weight on its thread, the weight support hoop, and the anti-skate stub with its three-position scale
• Weight value in grams: Not published. Pro-Ject calibrates this part by tracking force range rather than by a printed gram figure, and no gram value appears in any manufacturer document we could find. We are not going to estimate one
• Calibration positions: Groove 1 for 10–14mN downforce (up to about 1.4g); groove 2 for 15–19mN (about 1.5–1.9g); groove 3 for 20mN and above (2.0g or more)
• How to set it: Set tracking force first with a gauge, then hang the loop of the anti-skate thread in the groove matching that downforce
• Fitment: Pro-Ject’s distributor documentation lists the Debut, Essential, 1Xpression, 2Xperience and Xtension ranges, and explicitly excludes the Signature models. That list was truncated at source, so send us your model if it is not named
• Country of manufacture: Not published for this product
• Warranty: Two years from date of purchase, extendable to three years by registering the product with Pro-Ject and subscribing to their newsletter. Pro-Ject states that warranty is administered by the local distributor and that terms can vary by region; no separate United States term is published. Coverage requires purchase from an authorised dealer — The ’In Groove is one.