Vinyl Asylum

Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

Return to Vinyl Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Cartridge Break-in by Running it in the End Groove?

129.82.158.46
Posted on March 5, 2015 at 07:54:03
scott.shuler@colostate.edu
Audiophile

Posts: 2
Location: Northern Colorado
Joined: March 5, 2015
 This may be blasphemy, but is there any risk of harm to the cartridge when 'breaking' it in by letting it run around the end groove for 40 hours instead of playing records for 40 hours?

I am getting ready to record all my vinyl to digital and it would expedite the process of 'break-in'. Also, I know there is some debate whether 'breaking in' a new cart is even worthwhile, let alone desirable?

Any and all opinions welcome, of course.

S

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
Bad idea. The cart won't be tracking anything. Therefore,, posted on March 5, 2015 at 08:11:57
Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014
 the suspension will not be "working out." Regarding break in, IMHO there is no doubt cartridges sonic character changes over the first 50-100 hours. It certainly has on all of the 50 plus cartridges I've used over the years.

Suck it up and allow the Elys to break in normally.





Opus 33 1/3

 

Agreed. You're trying to break in the suspension, not just put hours on the diamond., posted on March 5, 2015 at 08:31:56
Bry
Manufacturer

Posts: 5610
Location: S. Florida
Joined: July 21, 2005
 A cheap auto-repeat table would do it nicely.

 

A less aggressive way is to simply....., posted on March 5, 2015 at 08:44:15
viridian
 ....leave the cartridge in the groove with the turntable off. This helps to break in the suspension without any deleterious side effects.

 

Disagree..., posted on March 5, 2015 at 08:50:42
Bry
Manufacturer

Posts: 5610
Location: S. Florida
Joined: July 21, 2005
 You're trying to compress and expand the elastomers in the suspension until they reach a point of long-term stability. This won't happen just because you've got a static force on the cantilever. You need to put the suspension through the expected range of motion.

 

Bry, please read my post again...., posted on March 5, 2015 at 08:55:01
viridian
 .... the word I used was "helps", as in assists. I did not say that static tensioning of the suspension breaks in a cartridge.

 

My rule of thumb., posted on March 5, 2015 at 09:07:24
olddude55
 Play music with a lot of dynamics. Whenever I get a new stylus or cartridge I break out the Telarcs and Sheffields.
Seems to speed things up. Most of my carts/styli seem to settle in at around 20 hours.

 

RE: Cartridge Break-in by Running it in the End Groove?, posted on March 5, 2015 at 09:23:07
SgreenP@MSN.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3537
Joined: April 23, 2007
 Don't be so impatient...just listen to music.

 

RE: Bry, please read my post again...., posted on March 5, 2015 at 09:28:58
Bry
Manufacturer

Posts: 5610
Location: S. Florida
Joined: July 21, 2005
 I see what you're saying but I don't personally think there's much benefit in a static force. I think you need compression cycles to actually break the bonds in the elastomer. I'm not an expert on the subject by any means, though.

The best shortcut would be if someone comes out with an optimal break-in LP that puts the suspension through the maximum safe workout in the minimum time.

 

RE: Cartridge Break-in by Running it in the End Groove?, posted on March 5, 2015 at 09:57:05
BCR
Audiophile

Posts: 2444
Location: connecticut
Joined: April 7, 2009
 Get a one sided record with no grooves on the blank side. You can get them on Ebay for about five bucks. I use a Donna Summer on the Disco label Casablanca to check the anti-skating on my tonearm. It would also serve the purpose of breaking in a cartridge since the arm does not move out of the lead out groove and damage the stylus on the label of the record.

 

Sane and logical enough for Shure themselves to suggest it for break-in. nt., posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:55:20
Story
Audiophile

Posts: 10426
Location: NJ
Joined: December 11, 2000
 .



 

Amen! Just be careful with the Ricker-mastered 1812 overture..., posted on March 5, 2015 at 20:07:19
Dman
Audiophile

Posts: 7211
Location: Kansas
Joined: January 28, 2001
 Or you might be wondering where the stylus went after the last few cannon shots! LOL

Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie

 

The stylus tip or the woofer cones., posted on March 6, 2015 at 04:45:17
olddude55
 Those cannon shots blasted one of the woofers in my old Advents.

 

Page processed in 0.033 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]