|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
108.16.127.155
I have had a Rega P5 turntable with a Rega Exact cartridge for about four years. It has had no problem in the time I've owned it, until two weeks ago when it started sounding "shrill." The highs are not smooth and are accentuated and "sharpened," to the point that listening is difficult. There is no issue with my amp, preamp, or speakers, because output sounds fine via my cd player. My phono stage is a Graham Slee Era Gold V, which again I have owned for about four years with no issues. Any ideas on what could be causing the shrill sound quality?
Thanks,
Mike
Follow Ups:
...you may already be damaging your records. It's best to have a backup cartridge for comparison once you hear the signs of stylus wear.
I think it time for a new cartridge. Really!
worn out
Did you ever change the cartridge in four years? Do you think you have over about 1,000 hours on it? If so, I would order a new one.
I have not changed the cartridge. I do not think there are over 1000 hours on it. I'd say it has averaged 2-4 hours of use per week--which would be ~400-800 hours over 4 years. I cleaned it with some green paper (finest grade sandpaper, given to me by an audio store). Now it sounds great again. Hope it does not have any damage. I am buying a magnifying glass later today to take a look. What would I see if it were damaged? Many thanks!
Edits: 12/17/14
A "magnifying glass" won't tell you much more than whether the stylus is clean or not.
To see wear you need to have a microscope with at least x200 magnification and have experience with what you are looking at.
Buy yourself a USB microscope like a Dinolite. They are relatively inexpensive and should be able to be useful, in terms of wear.
Just FYI, here is a pic of a Stanton stylus at x60:
Regards,
Andy
same reply, check stylus. I have seen a chip on stylus or buildup cause this issue. get a good magnifying glass or jeweler loupe
oilmanmojo
Later Gator,
Dave
Do you mean alignment or wear? How do I tell if it's worn down to the point that is causing this problem?
Thanks.
As John said, figure on 1,000 hrs (or 2,800 sides) before you replace the stylus.
Obviously, this is not the time it takes to wear a stylus down to nothing ... it's the time beyond which, there will be sufficient wear on the diamond:
* for the "chisel-flats" which have been created at each side to start degrading the sides of the groove, and
* for nasty sounds to start to appear. ;-))
Good luck,
Andy
If you play a lot of records and you've used the same cartridge and stylus for four years, it is likely the stylus is worn out. I would recommend replacing the cartridge.
A diamond stylus will last approximately 1000 hours of playing time. You should be able to estimate the playing hours on the stylus if you play a lot of records. Estimate a record side at 20 to 22-minutes and go from there. If you average a record a day for four years, that's about 1000 hours.
Good luck,
John Elison
Also try reseating the rcas from tt to pre and pre to amp.
Opus 33 1/3
When I did this for a living, you really had to know what you were doing to tell if a needle was worn with a very powerful binocular microscope. A jeweler's loop would be useless for wear. As you say it could reveal gross damage, but that's about it.
Dave
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: