[78-L] Damage Control on Acoustic 78s? - PART II (David Lennick)

[Dan Van Landingham]

I came across a Dual 1210 that was out of an old Sony tabletop stereo.Does anyone know where I can
get the platform for the tone arm?Should I get it going,what companies still manufacture 78 rpm cartridges?



________________________________
From: "beststuff4u at frontiernet.net" <beststuff4u at frontiernet.net>
To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
Sent: Sun, March 14, 2010 12:50:12 PM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Damage Control on Acoustic 78s? - PART II (David Lennick)


Thank you for the helpful response. One item in your response concerns me and I do not know how to deal with it.

You stated "many modern styli cave in at heavy forces" and "stylus base touching the shellac". I've been able to find the range of tracking forces for a given cartridge (i.e. Stanton 500.v3) but I have not found tracking force ranges for styli, particularly custom styli above 3.0 mil.

Any suggestions on picking the right styli to avoid collapse and potential damage?

Thank you!


>>Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:39:02 -0500
From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: [78-L] Damage Control on Acoustic 78s? - PART II
To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Message-ID: <4B9C6866.70705 at sympatico.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

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, 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. The Shure SS78E takes a nice 
heavy weight and they stopped making it years ago, unfortunately (it goes with 
the SC35 cartridge). That's a 2.5 mil elliptical tip.

There are a few other answers that will come from those with more experience 
with different styli and cartridges. I stick with the Shure SC35 and Stanton 
500 and my turntable is a Technics SP 15.

>>dl

beststuff4u at frontiernet.net wrote:
>  I thank those of you who responded with relevant information to my initial inquiry. Unfortunately the answers provided me with an understanding of all I need to consider in playing acoustic 78s but did not address the signs or symptoms of potential damage-in-progress while I am playing the records. I believe you gave too much credit that I understand the very elementary knowledge you all have from your experiences.
> 
> Dave Lennick provided some very valuable detailed information and questions that made me realize that I did not sufficiently pose my questions. I'll give it another try as follows:
> 
> I have very old acoustic 78s that I am currently thinking of playing on an early 70s Garrard TT with a Shure M91-ED cartridge and an after market 3.0 mil stylus. If need be, I am willing to get a new TT, cartridge, styli, etc. if that is determined by your answers from the questions I am posing. 
> 
> 1. I often hear the term "mistracking" but do not know how to identify it. Exactly how would I know if mistracking is happening?
> 
> 2. If I'm playing a record and the stylus size is incorrect, how would I know that? I've learned from many of your posts regarding styli that some of you have multiple styli of various sizes so clearly you must have some criteria to know when you've selected the right one or conversely selected the wrong one?
> 
> 3. Same question as #2 above but STYLUS SHAPE (ie. conical elliptical, TE) incorrect vs correct for a given record as you are playing it? 
> 
> 4. Same question as #2 above but TRACKING PRESSURE incorrect vs correct for a given record as you are playing it?
> 
> 5. For those of you with multiple cartridges, how can you tell from playing a record if the tonearm and cartridge are properly matched?
> 
> Please do not hesitate to respond in the simplest terms. As you can see from my questions, you would be correct to assume that I am truly starting from scratch.
> 
> Thank you!



------------------------------

_______________________________________________
78-L mailing list
78-L at klickitat.78online.com
http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l