Finally, my entrance into the vinyl rabbit hole!
Comments
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I reiterate my previous statement.
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I reiterate my previous statement.
Sorry, I saw it, I guess I just didn’t reply?
In reply to your previous statement, yes, we thought about those options and used them. -
mlistens03 wrote: »
Well if you didn't give me your home address who's place of business am I going to be egging and TPing when I drive there from Colorado?afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
For the Technics turntable(s), the easiest way to align your new cart and/or stylus is to use a Technics "Needle Gauge Adjustment Tool." It doesn't get any easier than this. Don't forget to reconnect the wires from the headshell to the cart (and the cart to the headshell) in the proper order: blue-->blue, red-->red, white-->white, & green-->green.
You may also want to pick up some jeweler's micro pliers to assist with getting the nuts & bolts on the headshell nice and tight. I agree that practicing with the damaged cart is a good idea. You can still save the cart for use at a later date as all you need is a replacement stylus.Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
mlistens03 wrote: »
Well if you didn't give me your home address who's place of business am I going to be egging and TPing when I drive there from Colorado?
My fathers
For the Technics turntable(s), the easiest way to align your new cart and/or stylus is to use a Technics "Needle Gauge Adjustment Tool." It doesn't get any easier than this. Don't forget to reconnect the wires from the headshell to the cart (and the cart to the headshell) in the proper order: blue-->blue, red-->red, white-->white, & green-->green.
You may also want to pick up some jeweler's micro pliers to assist with getting the nuts & bolts on the headshell nice and tight. I agree that practicing with the damaged cart is a good idea. You can still save the cart for use at a later date as all you need is a replacement stylus.
The Technics alignment tool looks pretty cool, and I think I will order one if I get the chance to.
I will remember to wire it correctly. Just out of curiosity, what will happen if I don’t? I’m going to wire it correctly but I just am intrigued.
I think I may have some of those pliers you linked, so I will use that to help me. I have a few hours later today, so I will practice with the old cart then.
Thanks,
Micah -
Sorta kinda. I think by 'mount' you mean the headshell?mlistens03 wrote: »My dad might, I think I do as well, but I will have to double check with a YouTube video or something.
I believe it is something along the lines of this:
1: remove cartridge mount and then remove old cart
2: screw the new cart into the mount, leaving on the stylus protector (?)
3: make sure it is aligned with a protractor
4: use a scale to set the weight of the tone arm (we have a scale built for this already)
5: play music to test
Am I correct, half and half, or did I totally fail the class?
Edit: oh I just realized it would probably help to put the mount back on the tone arm
- Always remove the stylus before unmounting/mounting a cartridge. The stylus should always be first-off, last-on.
- Set VTF before aligning with protractor. You don't want to potentially crush the stylus suspension with high VTF during alignment, nor do you want the stylus sliding around on the protractor if VTF is too light. Also, set anti-skate to zero for the alignment process. Of course set anti-skate back before playing.
- Align the cantilever/needle to the protractor grid, not the stylus body, since it might not be square. In fact, you could practice by aligning your crooked cantilever to a protractor grid. By aligning that one you have, it shouldn't damage your records, and it might sound okay. This is a personal choice, but that stylus looks to be OEM, so IMO worth attempting to salvage. Btw, the 681EEE was later surpassed by the 881S; I like both of these since they sound very neutral IMO. The LP Gear VividLine replacement strikes at a good value point, and I've had good results with it.
I like stylus brushes for cleaning, which can be done slightly wet as well. You can dip the bristles in rubbing alcohol (or a mixture of alcohol and water), and then gently scrub the stylus as usual, back-to-front. The Audio Technica AT607 stylus cleaner works very well, too, includes a brush, and is cheap. Personally, if/when I use a magic eraser, I remove the entire headshell/cartridge assembly, flip it over, and then dab the eraser on the stylus by hand. Most stylus cleaning is done dry with a brush between playing records. Wet cleaning is much less frequent, and you can usually see visually when it is needed, or if you hear that something is 'off' while playing. Of course the cleaner your records are, the less you will have to clean the stylus.
The carbon fiber brush is good for dry cleaning records between playing sides, but I would recommend a wet, or damp, cleaning of some kind for new-to-you records, or ones that have been in storage awhile. There are several products that include a pad and bottle of cleaning solution for a 'damp' cleaning (add a few drops to the pad). Or you can invest in a 'bath' type cleaner such as a Spin Clean or Knosti Disco-Antistat (Bee Gees not required
) "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
Sorta kinda. I think by 'mount' you mean the headshell?mlistens03 wrote: »My dad might, I think I do as well, but I will have to double check with a YouTube video or something.
I believe it is something along the lines of this:
1: remove cartridge mount and then remove old cart
2: screw the new cart into the mount, leaving on the stylus protector (?)
3: make sure it is aligned with a protractor
4: use a scale to set the weight of the tone arm (we have a scale built for this already)
5: play music to test
Am I correct, half and half, or did I totally fail the class?
Edit: oh I just realized it would probably help to put the mount back on the tone arm
- Always remove the stylus before unmounting/mounting a cartridge. The stylus should always be first-off, last-on.
- Set VTF before aligning with protractor. You don't want to potentially crush the stylus suspension with high VTF during alignment, nor do you want the stylus sliding around on the protractor if VTF is too light. Also, set anti-skate to zero for the alignment process. Of course set anti-skate back before playing.
- Align the cantilever/needle to the protractor grid, not the stylus body, since it might not be square. In fact, you could practice by aligning your crooked cantilever to a protractor grid. By aligning that one you have, it shouldn't damage your records, and it might sound okay. This is a personal choice, but that stylus looks to be OEM, so IMO worth attempting to salvage. Btw, the 681EEE was later surpassed by the 881S; I like both of these since they sound very neutral IMO. The LP Gear VividLine replacement strikes at a good value point, and I've had good results with it.
I like stylus brushes for cleaning, which can be done slightly wet as well. You can dip the bristles in rubbing alcohol (or a mixture of alcohol and water), and then gently scrub the stylus as usual, back-to-front. The Audio Technica AT607 stylus cleaner works very well, too, includes a brush, and is cheap. Personally, if/when I use a magic eraser, I remove the entire headshell/cartridge assembly, flip it over, and then dab the eraser on the stylus by hand. Most stylus cleaning is done dry with a brush between playing records. Wet cleaning is much less frequent, and you can usually see visually when it is needed, or if you hear that something is 'off' while playing. Of course the cleaner your records are, the less you will have to clean the stylus.
The carbon fiber brush is good for dry cleaning records between playing sides, but I would recommend a wet, or damp, cleaning of some kind for new-to-you records, or ones that have been in storage awhile. There are several products that include a pad and bottle of cleaning solution for a 'damp' cleaning (add a few drops to the pad). Or you can invest in a 'bath' type cleaner such as a Spin Clean or Knosti Disco-Antistat (Bee Gees not required )
Apparently I missed your comment, sorry.
Yes I did mean headshell, I forgot what it was called and that was the best i could come up with
I will remember to set the VTF before I align it.
I tried to align the Stanton cart, just for practice before I get the Shure, but it turns out the stylus is totally loose, and it just about fell out when I tried to align it.
I believe I have a stylus brush somewhere, or my dad does.
I will use the carbon fiber brush between sides of the records for sure. I will eventually get a spinclean, but it is rather pricey (for me to buy something that is not super necessary) so I will probably wash them by hand for now.
Thanks for the suggestions! -
I received the cartridge last night, and it sounds really good! Took a while to get it lined up, but it was definitely worth it. Thanks to @Nightfall and @dromunds for sending me the cartridge and helping along the way!
Micah
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The Shure looks real nice on your arm. Glad to help out a brother!
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No thanks to me is necessary. I reached out to Don't to purchase the Shure but when he found out it was for a budding audiophile he wouldn't let me pay.
I've been real busy lately so I haven't been able to get you a few starter records out yet but I promise they're coming.
That Shure sure looks nice on there. Enjoy!afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
I had that cartridge model myself and I believe the brush is supposed to be in the down position, according to the owners' pamphlet I think. I think it works with the cantilevers flexability properties.
Great guys here on the forum for getting you a great cartridge to hear some great sound from your new to you TT!
Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
The Shure looks real nice on your arm. Glad to help out a brother!
I know, the Stanton looked pretty good, but the Shure looks REALLY good.No thanks to me is necessary. I reached out to Don't to purchase the Shure but when he found out it was for a budding audiophile he wouldn't let me pay.
I've been real busy lately so I haven't been able to get you a few starter records out yet but I promise they're coming.
That Shure sure looks nice on there. Enjoy!
Oh ok, well then, thanks in advance for the records!I had that cartridge model myself and I believe the brush is supposed to be in the down position, according to the owners' pamphlet I think. I think it works with the cantilevers flexability properties.
Great guys here on the forum for getting you a great cartridge to hear some great sound from your new to you TT!
Oh the brush is supposed to be down? Huh. I didn’t really read the manual.
Ahem.
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/181552/sometimes-the-man-card-laws-bite-the-big-one/p1
Most definitely! Looking forward to listening to it again when I am done cleaning!
Now, something I forgot to ask (I think) before, if you look at the switches in the picture in my previous post, you can see there is some form of corrosion/rust on them. Any ideas on how to get it off?
Thanks again guys!!
Micah -
mlistens03 wrote: »
Now, something I forgot to ask (I think) before, if you look at the switches in the picture in my previous post, you can see there is some form of corrosion/rust on them. Any ideas on how to get it off?
Thanks again guys!!
Micah
If the switches are made of plastic, you can try some of the plastic cleaners made by Meguiar's. If they're aluminum, you can try some metal polish from Mother's or Flitz.Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
mlistens03 wrote: »
Now, something I forgot to ask (I think) before, if you look at the switches in the picture in my previous post, you can see there is some form of corrosion/rust on them. Any ideas on how to get it off?
Thanks again guys!!
Micah
If the switches are made of plastic, you can try some of the plastic cleaners made by Meguiar's. If they're aluminum, you can try some metal polish from Mother's or Flitz.
Ok, I will check it out. Thanks! -
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There’s no brush on the Shure. The Stanton may have a brush but the Shure does not.
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Ignore that, super tired. Lol.
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I had that cartridge model myself and I believe the brush is supposed to be in the down position, according to the owners' pamphlet I think. I think it works with the cantilevers flexability properties.
Great guys here on the forum for getting you a great cartridge to hear some great sound from your new to you TT!
So Tony, I read the manual, and it says only to use it on warped or damaged records, and that it will sound better without it on a clean record. Pretty interesting how the mechanism works, I love learning about that sort of thing. Now math... I’ll pass. -
Ok, clean and level records, don't use it.
Thanks for refreshing my old brain. Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
Hold on to the Stanton cartridge. Later on if/when you get curious and a few dollars, you can order this stylus from JICO. I put a JICO shibata stylus on the Stanton 881S that came with my Micro Seiki and I've been very happy with it!
Enjoy your vinyl and your new Technics! There's something involving about vinyl--it's part the sound, part "the ritual" that helps get your mind into that zone where things just sound better.Jay
SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0 -
Hold on to the Stanton cartridge. Later on if/when you get curious and a few dollars, you can order this stylus from JICO. I put a JICO shibata stylus on the Stanton 881S that came with my Micro Seiki and I've been very happy with it!
Enjoy your vinyl and your new Technics! There's something involving about vinyl--it's part the sound, part "the ritual" that helps get your mind into that zone where things just sound better.
I will get that stylus when I have the money for sure!
I will! Like you said, there is something about it, I think it just sounds so much more real, like the person is singing in your room. Not like CDs, where it sounds like a really good recreation of a concert, or MP3, where it sounds like your sister is singing at the top of her lungs.
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I think this is because of the nature of vinyl, the sound being reproduced is analog, so it's easier/less fatiguing on your ears to listen to. It sounds more "natural".
From an article I just found:
"“Analog” sound is natural sound as it is created and heard in our daily lives. We hear analog sounds as smooth, continuous wave of air pressure pulses (vibrations).
“Digital” sound means that in the process of presenting a musical program to the listener, the analog sound has been numerically described by a digital code. It is much like the way that computers store letters and numbers as it ultimately gets down to a string of bits and bytes. Upon playback, this digital code is turned back into audible sound."mlistens03 wrote: »Like you said, there is something about it, I think it just sounds so much more real, like the person is singing in your room.
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That Shure is a fun cartridge. I run one of these on a Technics table, and find it to be especially smooth and forgiving with some of lesser quality presses, whereas a Grado Green seems to pick up everything. That little dynamic stabilizer brush thing that Don, ahem, says doesn't exist is a neat little design. (just ribbin' ya Don! that was a great gesture!) I disabled signatures.
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That Shure is a fun cartridge. I run one of these on a Technics table, and find it to be especially smooth and forgiving with some of lesser quality presses, whereas a Grado Green seems to pick up everything. That little dynamic stabilizer brush thing that Don, ahem, says doesn't exist is a neat little design. (just ribbin' ya Don! that was a great gesture!)
It most definitely is. -
That Shure is a fun cartridge. I run one of these on a Technics table, and find it to be especially smooth and forgiving with some of lesser quality presses, whereas a Grado Green seems to pick up everything. That little dynamic stabilizer brush thing that Don, ahem, says doesn't exist is a neat little design. (just ribbin' ya Don! that was a great gesture!)
I concur on the M97xe, FWIW. It gets a bad rap from some folks, but I think it's a nice musical cartridge at a reasonable price.
Too bad Shure's thrown in the towel on phono cartridges (even though they've been an ever=more minor player for quite a while).
Oh, and about that brush, umm, I mean -- stabilizer -- if one uses it (which is, I'd opine, generally 'recommended'), be sure to set the "VTF" appropriately to allow for it.
source: https://www.vinylengine.com/library/shure/m97.shtml -
I play my Shure with the stabilizer brush down.The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact. -
How long before you have to clean the brush included on the Shure cart?Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
Well then, I will try it with the brush down later when I get a chance.
Micah -
That little dynamic stabilizer brush thing that Don, ahem, says doesn't exist is a neat little design. (just ribbin' ya Don! that was a great gesture!)
When my brain goes dead it goes dead. Lol. I was picturing the V15s in my puny mind for some unknown reason. Plus, technically it’s not a “brush” -
That little dynamic stabilizer brush thing that Don, ahem, says doesn't exist is a neat little design. (just ribbin' ya Don! that was a great gesture!)
When my brain goes dead it goes dead. Lol. I was picturing the V15s in my puny mind for some unknown reason. Plus, technically it’s not a “brush”
I do think that's marketing on Shure's part
