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I have been happily listening to my Rega P25 with modded RB300 tonearm and Soundsmith Denon DL-103r with a ruby cantilever and diamond stylus for several years. Last week, I was suddenly called away from my house while listening to an LP, and I inadvertently left the TT running for two days.
The stylus had traversed the run-out groove and had been rubbing against the paper label for 48 hours. There was paper dust all over the dead wax area. I removed the Denon and temporarily mounted a spare Audio-Technica AT440MLa cartridge.
The cantilever appears straight. I took macro photos of the cantilever and stylus (at about a 45 degree angle to horizontal) and am wondering if the status of a cartridge can be assessed by looking at these. Can the moving coil be damaged by running against the label for two days? Can you give me your expert opinions on the condition of the ruby cantilever and diamond stylus? Thanks.
Follow Ups:
Having spent years looking a styli under a microscope I can tell you that you can't tell from that picture. You don't have they right equipment. You need training and lots of practice to do it right.
I left a record on a turntable spinning for a few days and it trashed the cartridge. I didn't need a microscope. My ears told me when I played a record. If you have a record that is not important to you, I would try it and see.
The other alternative is to send it to Soundsmith. I am sure they have the right equipment to check a stylus. The cantilever looks good, so if the stylus is bad, the probably can just retip it, at a mucy lower cost.
Dave
I appreciate the expertise. I run the tracking force at the recommended 2.5 grams, which seems very heavy.
Here are a couple of additional photos. I was unable to get a shot from directly above, as it was too cold outside to continue.
You could send those pictures to Peter and hope of a response, see if he suggests sending it back for a closer look, etc.
Or just play it and see what it sounds like.
That could easily happen to any of us.
The Moh's hardness of diamond is at the top of said scale at 10, while synthetic ruby takes second place at 9. Insofar as the stylus and cantilever, they're fine. Where the cantilever is attached to the body of the cartridge, it looks okay, too.
Cheers,
Alan
Whilst a picture is worth a thousand words, music, intangible, is worth a thousand pictures, ad infinitum.
Thanks for the replies. One general question: when a cartridge "times out" after 500-1000 hours, which components of the cartridge actually wear out? If the cantilever and diamond stylus remain intact, is it the coil or magnets that "die?"
The coil or the magnets dose not wear out. What wears is the diamond, then the cantilever suspension. These are both dependent on your tracking force and your abuse.
AB.
My Ortofon Kontrapunkt A has been running smoothly for the better part of 8+ years now- the only thing that has ever been replaced/touched is the stylus/cantilever by Peter as well (level two upgrade, twice). I would have to say that I have significantly more that 500-1000 hours (maybe close to triple that now), and my cart hasn't died...
I must be lucky, as the suspension has been operating flawlessly. The last time I sent mine into Peter, I asked him specifically to check that out before doing the level two again. Got the cart back in about 8 weeks and no comment was made about anything going wrong.
The only "time out" I'm familiar with is a Brubeck album...
Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie
Send it back to Soundsmith, you will sleep better.
I suspect the others are correct that the stylus is still okay, but you should probably look at it from the front at higher magnification to see if there is significant V-shaped wear. Also look straight down at the tip with side lighting to see if flat spots are visible. I suspect that 48-hours in a spinning groove would not have caused a problem, but you never know until you view it at the correct angles.
Here are some pictures of a stylus that is too worn to continue playing LPs without causing groove damage.
What magnification are you using there, 150x, 200x?Many years ago (okay, well over 20 now) I was allowed the use of my audio guru/friend's stereo microscope and got to see the difference between good and bad styli of different shapes- but I'll be darned if I can remember the level of mag he had it set on!
Thanks,
Dman
Analog Junkie
Edits: 02/26/15
I think it was 200X. I used a microscope with a third ocular for the camera.
Actually, that microscope should be more than sufficient. However, you need dual fiber-optic lights to aim directly at the playing surfaces. You judge by the shape, size and clarity of the playing surface. It is best to have a new stylus to compare, which we always had in the store.
I have the right microscope, but I have yet to buy the lighting. It is expensive.
Dave
I actually bought the correct dual fiber optic light, but I have yet to take a picture of it. Yes, it was an expensive light and I hardly ever use the microscope anymore.
When I originally bought the microscope, I thought it would work as is because its built-light shines down through the objective lens. However it wasn't bright enough to light a stylus properly. I used flashlights for a while before finally giving in and buying a dual fiber optic light.
Thanks,
John Elison
...when funds permit (gotta get a new power amp first. Darned priorities)!
Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie
Dman, I used my Nikon DSLR with a Nikkor 105mm Macro lens to take the photos. I will try some of the angles suggested by John Elison this morning in brighter light outside. (Once the temp rises, as it is -19 degrees F now.)Regarding the "time out" phrase, perhaps that was incorrect. I was referring to the suggestion by most manufacturers that their cartridge will last 1000 hours, or in the case of Benz, up to 2500 hours. Just wondering if the coils and magnets are the parts that wear out.
Edits: 02/26/15 02/26/15
Magnets and coils should not wear out under normal use. Abuse (banging or dropping the cart) is a whole other animal, and all bets are off!
The time listed usually refers to stylus life (and again, if you abuse it, figure a lot less time)...
Now if you want to get into whether or not you should be demagnetizing...
Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie
Only your perception of the event is
Stylus looks OK--in fact it seems damn clean--might have done you a favor!
Des
Diamond wins. I would be freaking out too, but I think it's fine. How does it sound?
The stylus is fine. The picture is taken so that the stylus looks at a peculiar angle, but then I read the post again and realized you took the picture that way.
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