Groove damage

Vinyl Asylum

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I've just got through transcribing onto DVD an album that used to belong to my parents. It was recorded in 1976 locally and is of a college choir my sister, whom was barely 18 was a part of. She even had a solo in it.
Anyway, I discovered something tonight I'd not noticed before. Since I can only hear out of one ear, I must not have been listening to the recording's left channel during transcription but when I did turn the headphones, I noticed mistracking, enough so that when she hit a high and loud note, it became grainy and kind of hard sounding during those tight, congested grooves. I hit the antiskate and turned it down a notch and the mistracking virtually went away.
Here's what I think happened. My Dad had a Nivico (Japanese record changer, but with the "S" arm and 3/4 mount cart) and had never set it up correctly and probably had the cart missaligned all this time, causing groove damage in the left channel most likely.
Now my table isn't that super but not the worst there is (Kenwood KB-12RB semi auto belt drive) fitted with an Ortofon OM-10 cart. I know Ortofons are very transparant and are known for their superior tracking abilities and tonight was just such an examaple. The album is very quiet overall with little to no real scratches and no surface noise to speak of, even during the quiet passages it's pretty quiet.
Kind of makes me think that another album I'm doing may need a little more tweaking as it's not in as good a shape and the last track on side one is in pretty bad shape (groove damage amongst them) that I may be able ti improve things just by tweaking the antiskate a little.
It's amazing what you discover just by knowing what to listen for.

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Parts Connexion

Topic - Groove damage - John-from Seattle 22:37:59 12/03/05 (2)

Groove damage is forever! - Crazy Dave 05:59:43 12/04/05 (1)

Re: Groove damage is forever! - John-from Seattle 18:01:23 12/04/05 (0)

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