[78-L] Damage Control on Acoustic 78s? - PART II

[lotsastuff at iinet.net.au]

On Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:39:02 -0500
David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca> wrote:

> Mistracking is something best described as "you'll know it when you hear it". 
> If you hear surface noise or groove noise that's inconsistent or swishy, 


"Swishy"  is such an accurate term - pure onomatopoeia.  Easily recognisable when you hear it.

Another more subtle type of mistracking can be heard as simply distortion, especially at higher frequencies, or during loud passages.  Hard to tell, because sometimes it's just a poor recording in the first place, or damaged grooves.


>that 
> is mistracking. I don't know the cartridge you're using, but a 3 mil stylus 
> should be okay. Some prefer 2.5 mil, some like 3.2..depending on personal taste 
> and experience. The stylus should indicate the optimum tracking force it's 
> designed for. Don't forget, acoustical records and most records made before 
> 1940 were designed for very heavy tracking forces and unless they were played 
> repeatedly with dull steel needles, they've survived very nicely. If they're 
> worn, tracking at a heavier weight will do no harm and probably get more sound 
> and less noise, but many modern styli cave in at heavy forces and you'll hear 
> noise from the stylus base touching the shellac. 

Glad to hear you mention this. I was wondering about it myself. The Stanton is specified at 2 - 5 grams, and I run it at 5 most of the time, but have found it will take quite a bit more before bottoming.  I do wonder, however, whether the change in sound might be partly to do with the moving magnet riding in a less optimal part of the coil's field, due to the extra deflection of the heavy tracking weight.  Still it makes some ripply surfaced 78s playable and that's good.