[78-L] Can someone help this collectore re: Home Reco rdings like Record Disc Co?

[Chris Zwarg]

At 22:42 16.11.2008, you wrote:

>> > The most valuable recordings are on the magnetic steel records. . . 
>> > The cartridge gets sucked flat onto the steel records, compressing
>> > the cantilever & stylus by magnetic attraction.
>
>From: Jeffrey Lichtman <swazoo at rcn.com>
>> Have you tried demagnetizing the records? A degausser (the type used 
>> for televisions) might work.   - Jeff Lichtman
>
>The discs are not magnetized at all.  It is the phono-cartridge that is
>magnetized.  The cartridge magnets are pulling it to the steel discs. 
>You can't demagnetize the cartridge's magnets!!!

The only magnet in a modern (e.g. Shure or Stanton) magnetic cartridge is the minuscule moving magnet at the end of the stylus cantilever which will hardly interact with the disc surface or any outside object. The outer body of the cartridge is plastic with a thin non-magnetic sheet metal box inside acting as electrical shield. With moving-coil cartridges, as well as heavy pre-Hifi pickups, the situation is different as they have larger magnets in the cartridge body, but then these are not the type used by most people to play 78s. Either the discs are strongly magnetized, or the cartridge is simply of an unsuitable type. 

Chris Zwarg