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AUDIO FORUMS >> Vinyl >> How do you know when you need a new Stylus?
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Message started by Archie on 03/08/21 at 02:29:38

Title: How do you know when you need a new Stylus?
Post by Archie on 03/08/21 at 02:29:38

I was listening to Janis Ian's Between the Lines today and I noticed the Ss were quite hissy (sibilant). I at first wrote it off to the recording but then I decided to try my new Jubilee cart. I'd been running my old one thinking it was still fantastic. WRONG! Now the sibilance is gone and everything is in tighter focus. I guess I'll be sending the old cart in for a rebuild. Money well spent but still very expensive.

Lesson learned, don't assume your old cart is still up to stuff without comparing it to a baseline. Bad sound will creep up on you. :P

Title: Re: How do you know when you need a new Stylus?
Post by 4krow on 03/11/21 at 15:46:38

Archie,
I recently bought a used TT mounted with an AKG cartridge. I won't go into everything that I encountered, but suffice it to say that it pays to check all aspects of what you have bought or assumed. After correcting the counterbalance weight (maybe my error, since the unit shipped with TWO counterweights), I found that tracking much improved. On a hunch I decided to buy a replacement stylus from LP gear, who offered a bit of an upgrade from the original. Yes, the sound ALL came back. Although this is great, I have to wonder just how much damage, if any, the original stylus has made? Or perhaps it was just the cartridge suspension for the original that had aged to the point where it simply wasn't in spec anymore.

Title: Re: How do you know when you need a new Stylus?
Post by Archie on 03/11/21 at 17:33:09

It's hard enough when you know the entire history of a cartridge.

Knowing what to listen for is important. I wouldn't have caught mine except that Ortofon once told be that sibilance happens as my cart wears. I'm sure there are other things too but they may be more insidious and hard for us average guys to catch. :-/

Title: Re: How do you know when you need a new Stylus?
Post by 4krow on 03/25/21 at 03:45:29

Right Arch,

Since this is new to me, not as a whole, but the new TT/cart/phono amp, and more, I tread very carefully when the thought of dropping the needle on an expensive album that I just bought. Now that I have the hang of cleaning much better than I ever did before, that gives me a sigh of relief. I still have a little ways to go, but now am not so apprehensive as in the beginning. Like buying an older classic car.

Title: Re: How do you know when you need a new Stylus?
Post by Archie on 03/25/21 at 06:47:36

I've been reading posts by people who seem obsessive to me. There is a good enough for peace of mind I think. If playing music gets to be too much trouble, I know I've gone too far! 8-)