Making my record player sound better
 

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

I'm quite happy taking things apart and making mechanical adjustments,
but I haven't done much messing about with record players.

**Here's what you should do (in approximate order of importance):

* Have the stylus examined under a microscope. Replace (with a
manufacturer's original), if the diamond is chipped, or excessively worn.
* If the stylus is several years old, you may find that the rubber damping
has hardened. A replacement stylus will sort this problem out too. This
effect is temperature related. In cold weather, the rubber is harder. Try
warming the room.
* Check the tracking pressure and compare to the manufacturer's suggested
figures.
* Check and adjust the 'overhang' of the tone correctly.
* Check and adjust the azimuth of the arm.
* Check and adjust tone arm height.
* Check some of your LPs on a known good TT.

NB: Many modern, contemporary LPs are crap. Do not assume that a new LP is
blameless. NOS (pre-1983) LPs are usually blameless however.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

Making my record player sound better
 

"Trevor Wilson" wrote in message
...

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

I'm quite happy taking things apart and making mechanical adjustments,
but I haven't done much messing about with record players.

**Here's what you should do (in approximate order of importance):

* Have the stylus examined under a microscope. Replace (with a
manufacturer's original), if the diamond is chipped, or excessively worn.
* If the stylus is several years old, you may find that the rubber damping
has hardened. A replacement stylus will sort this problem out too. This
effect is temperature related. In cold weather, the rubber is harder. Try
warming the room.
* Check the tracking pressure and compare to the manufacturer's suggested
figures.
* Check and adjust the 'overhang' of the tone correctly.
* Check and adjust the azimuth of the arm.
* Check and adjust tone arm height.
* Check some of your LPs on a known good TT.

NB: Many modern, contemporary LPs are crap. Do not assume that a new LP is
blameless. NOS (pre-1983) LPs are usually blameless however.

Good advice, Trevor. I agree with everything except the last
paragraph. Due to much slower pressing cycles, and tighter
QC than was every applied in the pre digital era, modern pressings,
especially parallel issues of a new project (those where a CD is available
also) are actually very good indeed. The manufacturer is keen to
demonstrate just how good vinyl can be.

Iain

Making my record player sound better
 

"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

"Trevor Wilson" wrote in message
...

"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

I'm quite happy taking things apart and making mechanical adjustments,
but I haven't done much messing about with record players.

**Here's what you should do (in approximate order of importance):

* Have the stylus examined under a microscope. Replace (with a
manufacturer's original), if the diamond is chipped, or excessively worn.
* If the stylus is several years old, you may find that the rubber
damping has hardened. A replacement stylus will sort this problem out
too. This effect is temperature related. In cold weather, the rubber is
harder. Try warming the room.
* Check the tracking pressure and compare to the manufacturer's suggested
figures.
* Check and adjust the 'overhang' of the tone correctly.
* Check and adjust the azimuth of the arm.
* Check and adjust tone arm height.
* Check some of your LPs on a known good TT.

NB: Many modern, contemporary LPs are crap. Do not assume that a new LP
is blameless. NOS (pre-1983) LPs are usually blameless however.

Good advice, Trevor. I agree with everything except the last
paragraph. Due to much slower pressing cycles, and tighter
QC than was every applied in the pre digital era, modern pressings,
especially parallel issues of a new project (those where a CD is available
also) are actually very good indeed. The manufacturer is keen to
demonstrate just how good vinyl can be.

**I was careful not to brand ALL modern vinyl as bad. IME, much of it is
crap. In fact, I purchased my last Australian vinyl (new) back in 1988. I
placed both records on my TT and was appalled at the sound quality. So much
so, that I thought I had a chipped diamond. Fearful of testing a another
record on the TT, I finally found one I was willing to sacrifice. It sounded
fine. Both recordings had different labels, but were pressed at the same
plant (here in Sydney). EMI Records. I sent both LPs back for replacement. I
received two new records by courier. They had identical faults to the
previous ones. When I called and complained, I spoke to the QC department
that claimed by equipment must have been defective, since they were unable
to hear any flaws on their reference equipment. I gave up and asked for
replacement CDs instead.

NEVER assume modern vinyl to be without fault. Boutique labels are likely to
be producing excellent product, but that's about it.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

Making my record player sound better
 

Trevor Wilson wrote:

* Have the stylus examined under a microscope. Replace (with a
manufacturer's original), if the diamond is chipped, or excessively worn.

It's a Linn cartridge. They abandoned their customers many years ago.
You mean replace the stylus with an Audio Technica that doesn't quite fit.

--
Eiron.

Making my record player sound better
 

On 13/01/2010 19:12, Don Pearce wrote:
On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:06:31 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

Laurence wrote:

I have noticed this glassiness before, but now I want to do something
about it.

Try to pin down whether it IS happening nearer the centre of the disc.

Very difficult to tell. It becomes more irritating, and one notices it
more after a while, and records also typically get louder towards the
end of a side.

If I recorded it, would that help an expert identify the possible cause?


Please do. Save it as wav, not mp3 though.

Could be cartridge alignment (don't tell me a Linn owner isn't
equipped to adjust this? :-)

I assumed that the hi-fi shop I bought it from wold have set it up
correctly, and that it won't have moved around very much since then.


That is a big assumption. Last time I set up my cartridge and arm it
took more than 2 hours. I really can't see any shop taking that sort
of time, care or trouble.


I wouldn't have thought it'd take a reasonably seasoned bod more than 10
minutes to fit and align a cartridge in one of those. Bias, tracking and
alignment aside, everything is fixed.

Making my record player sound better
 

Well lots of other responses to choose from, without reading them my first
thought was yes, wear, but also the compliance of some carts that old will
have become either too soft or too hard, particularly true I recall with
moving coil units.

However if this has occured over time, it may well have damaged records you
play a lot.

Another think is any lubricants in the arm. These can go sticky over time,
and may need cleaning out and replacing.

As you say, old second hand vinyl is not exactly going to be a test disc
worth relying upon. You need a known good sounding copy of something.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"D.M. Procida" wrote in
message
...
My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

I'm quite happy taking things apart and making mechanical adjustments,
but I haven't done much messing about with record players.

Daniele

Making my record player sound better
 

Brian Gaff wrote:
Well lots of other responses to choose from, without reading them my first
thought was yes, wear, but also the compliance of some carts that old will
have become either too soft or too hard, particularly true I recall with
moving coil units.

However if this has occured over time, it may well have damaged records you
play a lot.

Another think is any lubricants in the arm. These can go sticky over time,
and may need cleaning out and replacing.

As you say, old second hand vinyl is not exactly going to be a test disc
worth relying upon. You need a known good sounding copy of something.


Just an observation: Unless it has changed radically in the last two or
three years, it is/was not difficult to find unplayed or played only
once or twice vinyl in charity shops. Boxed sets for song with only the
first disc ever having seen the light of day were quite commonplace.

I reckon I have hundreds of unplayed discs yet to do!

Making my record player sound better
 

Rob wrote:
On 13/01/2010 19:12, Don Pearce wrote:
On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:06:31 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

Laurence wrote:

I have noticed this glassiness before, but now I want to do something
about it.

Try to pin down whether it IS happening nearer the centre of the disc.

Very difficult to tell. It becomes more irritating, and one notices it
more after a while, and records also typically get louder towards the
end of a side.

If I recorded it, would that help an expert identify the possible cause?


Please do. Save it as wav, not mp3 though.

Could be cartridge alignment (don't tell me a Linn owner isn't
equipped to adjust this? :-)

I assumed that the hi-fi shop I bought it from wold have set it up
correctly, and that it won't have moved around very much since then.


That is a big assumption. Last time I set up my cartridge and arm it
took more than 2 hours. I really can't see any shop taking that sort
of time, care or trouble.


I wouldn't have thought it'd take a reasonably seasoned bod more than 10
minutes to fit and align a cartridge in one of those. Bias, tracking and
alignment aside, everything is fixed.



The biggest problem is yet again here we have someone with not much idea
who has been suckered into buying a 'famous name' instead of a better
option deck that is easy to live with, like a Technics - where you can
effect a headshell swap in 20 seconds if you bustle....

Making my record player sound better
 

Eiron wrote:
Trevor Wilson wrote:

* Have the stylus examined under a microscope. Replace (with a
manufacturer's original), if the diamond is chipped, or excessively worn.

It's a Linn cartridge. They abandoned their customers many years ago.
You mean replace the stylus with an Audio Technica that doesn't quite fit.



The AT-95E stylus fits and works fine, it just sticks out a bit - you
wouldn't give it a thought from Day 2....

Making my record player sound better
 

Keith G wrote:
Brian Gaff wrote:
Well lots of other responses to choose from, without reading them my
first thought was yes, wear, but also the compliance of some carts
that old will have become either too soft or too hard, particularly
true I recall with moving coil units.

However if this has occured over time, it may well have damaged
records you play a lot.

Another think is any lubricants in the arm. These can go sticky over
time, and may need cleaning out and replacing.

As you say, old second hand vinyl is not exactly going to be a test
disc worth relying upon. You need a known good sounding copy of
something.


Just an observation: Unless it has changed radically in the last two or
three years, it is/was not difficult to find unplayed or played only
once or twice vinyl in charity shops.

An ex of mine astonished me by the number of 78's she was able to accumulate in
that manner. She had one of those antique horn record player thingy's. It
sounded bloody awful of course but looked wonderful.

--
Bill Coombes