FourStrongWinds Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 i've only had my own turntable about 2 years and havnt changed one yet apparently you should change them every 200-300 hours of play but i dunno how long that is really since i dont time how long i use it i dont wanna leave it too long incase i damage my records Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 I think 2000-3000 hours is more like it, but it will depend on the make and model, and other factors like how well you have it aligned and balanced. Some esoteric designs like Koetsu are known for shorter lifespans of ~1000 hrs.Usually if your cartridge has a replaceable stylus it is on an assembly, just pull down on it gently (carefully) and it should come out. It will have the replacement model number on it. See needledoctor.com as a guide for prices etc. You can also examine the stylus with a magnifying glass...and try to keep it clean - and keep your records clean. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FourStrongWinds Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share Posted October 1, 2007 but will i know when its knackered?, sound wiseand will it ruin my records Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 but will i know when its knackered?, sound wiseand will it ruin my recordsIf you have real issues and are not sure, take it to your local hi-fi store and let them check it out. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sean Patrick Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 dont worry about it.the purists would argue of course, but some of those same people use "cd oil" ("...it sounds so much more.... woody..")some old record players from old shops still have the original and they sound out of this world.as long as you keep quarters off of the arm, you should have it for a while.you wont ruin any of your records, unless it breaks off. which i doubt would happen.ohh,,, cool thing though. get some silly putty. it pulls the gunk off wonderfully. just be easy pulling the needle out of the putty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FourStrongWinds Posted October 2, 2007 Author Share Posted October 2, 2007 i really enjoy taking the fluff off the needle, when you let it build up for ages what on earth is cd oil?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sean Patrick Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 what on earth is cd oil?? its an oil thats like 50 bucks an ounce and you rub it on yr collection.some audiowanks really think it sounds better because the light is refracting easier off the disc.these are the same people that have too much money and buy 10000 dollar cables that are 4 yards long....ugg. taken from one of their "hair potion" sites..."Also, try to listen to the *treated* CDs with different CD players and HiFi systems: this will improve the reliability of the whole testing process.So the Claro works. To me, the main differences are in the mid-high range, where the sound becomes clearer, more transparent and airy.This is self-evident with voices and female voices in particular but also with percussions and cymbals.The overall feeling is as if a veil has been taken away from the instruments and even dynamics and bass articulation slightly improve.Don't get me wrong: I'm talking of small improvements, not dramatic ones. Also, if you have a low-priced HiFi system you won't be able to detect any improvement at all, since you need high-resolution HiFi components to *tell* the difference easily." dumbs.i think that people forget that there is nothing touching the disc itself. its just light. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dannygutters Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 what's wrong with the quarter on the arm? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 what's wrong with the quarter on the arm? Well, I suppose it's better than having an unbalaced tonearm... And it's a lot 'better' than fucking up your stylus with silly putty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 CD oil sounds like snake oil. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sean Patrick Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 ha ha ho!the silly putty works, from the tone bones i have talked to. (however, i never listen to them)quarters can put too much weight on a record and bore a hole through it! (not really) cd oil is snake oil.and 'them who sell it are snake oil salesman. har Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dannygutters Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 quarters can put too much weight on a record and bore a hole through it! (not really) This is my concern. I tend to use the quarter for the records I have that skip on their own (espessially my live at the old quarter, boo). Is this a real concern or is it more snakeoil. Tho I have a pretty cheapo sony turntable, I'm sure the stylus is not weighted well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 This is my concern. I tend to use the quarter for the records I have that skip on their own (espessially my live at the old quarter, boo). Is this a real concern or is it more snakeoil. Tho I have a pretty cheapo sony turntable, I'm sure the stylus is not weighted well.You really shouldn't need a quarter on your tone arm. Take this to a hi-fi store and have them check it out. You can up the amount of weight on the arm by adjusting the arm itself. I haven't seen anyone do this since I was in college and we had all in one stereos. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sean Patrick Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 i love how snake oil has now proliferated this thread!the quarter thing started as a really cheap shortcut, but overall will probably bite your record collections ass. (hopefully not)my dad said he used to do it to all of his and his are really worn. more worn than 30 year old vinyl should i think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 i love how snake oil has now proliferated this thread!the quarter thing started as a really cheap shortcut, but overall will probably bite your record collections ass. (hopefully not)my dad said he used to do it to all of his and his are really worn. more worn than 30 year old vinyl should i think.Vinyl wears anyway, but putting many grams of weight on it will only accelarate the wear. Don't do it unless it is a really beat up album and you don't give a shit. A really badly warped album may need more weight as well, but that should be the only other reason. I seriously have not seen anyone do this since I was basically a kid (including college) which goes back to 1972 and the 60s. But in those days we had suit case type hifis and plastic fold down units with detachable speakers and other tacky bullshit systems. If a turntable is skipping on a number of disks it is because it needs some serious repair and should not be used. The arm is wacked or the stylus is too worn or the weight mechanism needs adjustment, etc. Thirty year old vinyl is actually pretty new when you figure that they started making LPs in the early to mid-50s and basically stopped making LPs in the mid-80s. The resurgence in LP manufacturing and sales is a fairly new phenominon. A 30 year old LP was made in the mid to late 70s and some of what was made then was shitty due to the oil crises. I played a Louis Armstrong LP from the 50s the other day (not a reissue, but new recordings from that time period), mono at that, and it sounded great, despite being sold as junk for about $3 at the Jazz Record Mart. They made great LPs back during the original LP days and they have stood the test of time. I have LPs that should sound great from the 70s that sound like crap. So it goes. Don't let anyone here tell you you need top notch stereo equipment to listen to LPs. That is biggest load ever. Get an old turntable, get it fixed right at your local hi fi repair place and enjoy them while they still exist. Just stop playing them with quarters (or even pennys) on the tone arms; that will in fact ruin them, otherwise just have fun with them. Of course if you are going to buy audiophile quality stuff, I guess all bets are off. (I just got done listening to an older copy of the Kink Kronicles on my old Dual turntable and it was purely enjoyable.) LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dannygutters Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Get an old turntable, get it fixed right at your local hi fi repair place and enjoy them while they still exist. Just stop playing them with quarters (or even pennys) LouieB Hey Louie where would you reccomend for repairs in chicago? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Hey Louie where would you reccomend for repairs in chicago?I do, but they have taken over one year to fix one of my turntables. Luckily I have two others.... 20th Century on Montrose is very good for turntables and tuners and such. They are waiting for a part for over a year from Germany, but they do very good work when they have what they need. Lauries uses them too. They don't re-cone speakers, but Speakerworks up on Western does a great job at that. I understand desibels does okay work and I have had okay luck with Delta Audio on Clark Street in Rogers Park. I would personally stay away from the stereo place on Western in Lincoln Square. Since I can't remember the name I guess it is okay. They fixed my tuner one time and then put it out for sale. Luckily I reclaimed it before that happened. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sid Hartha Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 What really happens is that, over time, the suspension of the cantilever (the shaft the diamond is mounted on) begins to break down. It's usually a tiny rubber part - its job is to keep the stylus centered in relation to the cartridge's pickup coils. It gets brittle, loses its elasticity.The result: the needle doesn't seem to track as well as it used to, and everything sounds duller than it used to. You're not going to hurt your records, but you may notice a slight bump in sound quality if you replace the stylus every 4 - 6 years (if you use your turntable a lot). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.