Keep your styluses clean

The concept that it is important to keep the stylus clean on any Beogram is so basic that on the surface it might appear unnecessary, even frivolous to bring up the subject.

 

Like so many of you guys, I take pride in keeping my vinyl records clean and the Beogram dustcovers are never, but NEVER left open. As such I was confident of the cleanliness of my six Beogram styluses.

 

I acquired a new record, “Missing You” by No Mercy and wanted to hear how it would sound on my bass-heavy amplifier. I cranked up the volume and was enjoying the music when the volume dropped along with distortion that was just unbelievable.

 

I had no doubt that my amp had bit the dust….. I mean NO doubt, so I turned down the volume before things could get worse.

 

But just on a caprice I tried the FM section and there was no problem there.

 

So I took out the MMC6000 stylus from my Beogram 8000 and got out my trusty 20X jeweler’s loupe. I didn’t need the loupe as there was a “hairball” of crud on the needle. With the loupe it was staggering to see the amount of garbage that surrounded the needle.

 

Once removed I was further shocked to find a small piece of broken black plastic wedged solidly between the needle and the shaft. All the brushing in the world with an artist’s paintbrush and alcohol wasn’t going to dislodge that piece of plastic….. that took a very sharp knife.

 

Once the unwanted debris and broken plastic was removed the amp returned to it normal self.

 

Enlightened I had previously made a mental note that my absolutely stellar Beogram 4000 and it’s vintage but superb MMC20CL stylus wasn’t sounding up to its usual lofty standard, so I inspected it and found more crud. Nothing compared to the MMC6000, a light cleaning was all that was needed to bring the 4000 back to where it should be.

 

Now energized on a mission of cleanness I checked my remaining Beogram 4004, 8002, and 4002. They were all remarkably clean, but I didn’t know that until I checked.

 

The point I am hoping to make is if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone, so periodically it is a good idea to check your styluses for cleanliness. I don’t know what to recommend for a inspection schedule as every household is different.

 

That said, if the stylus is clean, you will have wasted very little time….. and if the stylus needs cleaning, then it NEEDS cleaning.

 

Jeff

I clean mine about once a year using an artist paintbrush and eyeglasses cleaning solution. Base ingrediant being ISP with a bit of soap mixed in.

I clean mine regularly when I inspect the stylus.  I use a dry cleaning method.  I cut a small quarter inch thick pad from a Magic Eraser and use it to dip my stylus into. It is important that no lateral movement of the stylus is made. Just straight down and straight up.  The Magic Eraser will remove anything on the tip.  To clean the cantilever and other areas around the tip, I cut a small sliver of the Magic Eraser material and use it like a brush (carefully avoiding the tip).  It removes all the small dust particles. 

sonavor:

I clean mine regularly when I inspect the stylus.  I use a dry cleaning method.  I cut a small quarter inch thick pad from a Magic Eraser and use it to dip my stylus into. It is important that no lateral movement of the stylus is made. Just straight down and straight up.  The Magic Eraser will remove anything on the tip.  To clean the cantilever and other areas around the tip, I cut a small sliver of the Magic Eraser material and use it like a brush (carefully avoiding the tip).  It removes all the small dust particles. 

Yep! Magic Eraser here too!

 

I always reckoned the MMC6000 was the most efficient record cleaner available! One play of even the cleanest record and one would see a huge amount of rubbish on the stylus! I used to play the record once without listening and then clean the stylus and listen properly!! Use CLs now which don't seem so bad!

Yes, some of out there did not care cleaning. This MMC4 I had to clean with knife...

I find that this Discwashwer product, or a cotton bud dampened with rubbing alcohol will remove caked-on crud.  I do both steps.

Peter:

I always reckoned the MMC6000 was the most efficient record cleaner available! One play of even the cleanest record and one would see a huge amount of rubbish on the stylus! I used to play the record once without listening and then clean the stylus and listen properly!! Use CLs now which don't seem so bad!

Peter,

 

I didn’t know this about the MMC6000, but considering the amount of crud I found on the stylus, I have NO trouble believing this!

 

Thanks for the insight!

 

Jeff

 

Yes, some of out there did not care cleaning. This MMC4 I had to clean with knife...

 

Now I don’t feel quite so alone….. thank you.

 

Jeff

Michael Fremer is a vinyl preacher, attached to Stereophile. He got a shock when he checked out the stylus on one of his very expensive Pick-Ups, after just a few records.

 

I clean them regularly. With a dry brush after each record, and with a magic eraser occasionally. Also did some experiments with just lowering the stylus into a Q-tip head, and it was amazing how clean the stylus became. Just lowering it into the head - before and after through a microscope showed a remarkable effect.

Peter Lederman of Soundsmith warns against using solvents or liquids, as that will reduce the strength of the glue used to attach the diamond to the stylus. (When the solvent evaporates, it cools down the stylus/diamond, this attracts moisture from the air, and that moisture attacks the glue.)

I can only agree.

I use AM stylus cleaner and AM record cleaner for vinyl records.

I have done it for a long time and my records gets cleaned before I play it. My MMC20CL is very good to collect the dirt so I just spray it on before playing.

Also clean the heads of your Beocords! Capstan and the rubber wheels. A lot of cassette tapes are old so do leave dirt and makes the sound muddy even without dolby on.

I have a question about inspecting the stylus. Unfortunately I don't have the equipment (microscope with camera) to inspect and share pictures. I do have a couple inexpensive magnifiers (the type with an LED light). While not the best, I can rig up my biggest magnifier (supposedly 100X) and look at my MMC stylus. My cartridges play good and from what I can tell, look fine. But I was wondering, aside from something obvious like a broken tip, would I be able to really tell how much wear I had? 

It would be nice if the forum had some detailed pictures of various stylus (MMC1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, plus 20CL, 20EN, 6000, 4000...whatever we can get) posted. Preferably in known, new condition. Something to reference for comparing our own cartridges to. Maybe it could be a new thread in the Beogram section of the forum.

-sonavor

I did do some a while ago, mainly of 20CLs. I will dig them out again when I am home.

Thanks Peter, looking forward to it. Meanwhile, I bought a small Panavise to hold my cheap magnifier. A temporary microscope until I can buy a good one with a camera. Today I inspected my MMC cartridges along with the 4000 and 6000. You are right about the 6000. It does seem to be a dust magnet and requires more frequent cleaning.

OK, I’ll bite, why is the MMC6000 such a dust collector?

 

I am under the impression that the MMC6000 is the four-channel version and/or predecessor of the superb MMC20CL.

 

Certainly the MMC6000 is an excellent stylus vis-à-vis audio performance, aside from its unwelcome attraction to crud.

 

I have three MMC20CL’s in place and only one was remotely dirty, nothing vaguely compared to the MMC6000.

 

Now I know that Leslie likes photos, but I’ll admit I was more interested in removing the crud as opposed to documenting it for posterity. In addition in my lifetime I have had some pretty dirty styluses, but the worst of these merely muddied the sound, not the dramatic volume drop and the horrific noise that my MMC6000 delivered.

 

It is not with the slightest exaggeration when I said in the beginning of this thread that I was absolutely convinced that I had suffered a complete amplifier failure….. I know what one sounds like and this was it. (Only it wasn’t)

 

From what Peter says I can expect it will happen again, only next time I won’t go into a panic, I’ll know to clean the stylus.

 

Still I’d love to know why this occurs.

 

Jeff

Piaf:

OK, I’ll bite, why is the MMC6000 such a dust collector?

Jeff

I guess it has to do with the shape of the stylus. In examining my MMC 1 and 2 types along with the 20CL, the diamond is like a railroad spike. On the 6000, the diamond is like a cone (a mountain shape). Perhaps that shape picks up and holds the particles that come off the vinyl. That might also feed particles to the cantilever too. I'm just guessing though.

Every record, every time.  I clean any stylus prior to playing vinyl.  Moreover, I clean the record thoroughly, too, before every playing.  I'm fastidious in this and the vinyl I bought new in the 1970s plays as clearly and quietly today as when new.  It's very easy to tell which records came from a used record store.

Clean everything, every time.

With the care of records, in addition to regular cleaning, which is a wonderful idea, I find the use of extra cost plastic-lined sleeves to be a HUGE improvement over the standard issue paper sleeves. You can just “hear” the minute scratching every time you take a record in or out of one of those record company issued sleeves.

 

I purchased boxes of plastic lined record sleeves and replaced all the paper ones with these more gentle sleeves. Of course if the original sleeve had cool printing on it, photos of the artist and such, I kept it in addition to the more protective plastic one.

 

Jeff

Piaf:

With the care of records, in addition to regular cleaning, which is a wonderful idea, I find the use of extra cost plastic-lined sleeves to be a HUGE improvement over the standard issue paper sleeves. You can just “hear” the minute scratching every time you take a record in or out of one of those record company issued sleeves.

 

I purchased boxes of plastic lined record sleeves and replaced all the paper ones with these more gentle sleeves. Of course if the original sleeve had cool printing on it, photos of the artist and such, I kept it in addition to the more protective plastic one.

 

Jeff

Absolutely agree! Those are far, far superior to paper sleeves, and are very gentle on the records. 

Also, a properly setup and functioning B&O turntable is about the safest and least damagaging way to play your records. Between the low stylus mass, excellent tracking ability of the cartridges, the floating suspension on most B&O tables, etc. It's hard to find a better way to play your albums. 

I still have a Discwasher stylus brush that works well, about a centimeter or so wide circular densely bristled brush, bristles about 5mm high. I also use an Audio Advisor Record Doctor II vacuum record cleaner, it also works really well to clean up vinyl and keep it clean. 

The MMC6000 has a Pramanik profile diamond, named after the B&O engineer who designed it and who was largely responsible for the Beogram 4000 arm and cartridge design. The p[rofile is a modified Shibata stylus but where the Shibata have a reduced aspect to the leading edge of the stylus, the Pramanik also has a reduced trailing edge. This means that it can track the very high frequency undulations seen in a CD4 record. It also means it goes nice and deep in the groove and has a long but thin contact area on the groove. Needless to say, it can excavate the rubbish lying at the bottom very nicely!!

B&O did a very nice demonstration model of the cartridges - MMC3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000. I think Lee might have a set! It allowed dealers to give a crude demonstration of the advantages of a thin contact area - the design was simplified for the 20CL.

For those interested, Subir Pramanik's wife has worked for many years answering queries for beoinfo - I am not sure but think she has retired now but was a charming and very informative lady whom I always found very helpful.

Hi Peter,

 

You have a genuine gift for words.

 

Thank you for your articulately written answer to my question.

 

It makes perfect sense that a narrower stylus will be able to drop deeper into a record groove and be able to “excavate” debris that other styluses would miss.

 

My very good friend who has sent me so many B&O “goodies” over the years sent me what he felt was the “correct” stylus for my Beogram 4000, a MMC4000, although I never used the 4000 in the 4000. The 6000 was sent as some sort of “back-up” yet it ended up in the Beogram 8000, where it will stay.

 

Whereas I find the MMC 6000 thoroughly impressive, I prefer the MMC20CL.

 

Jeff

I have attached a picture I added text to that shows an elliptical and a Pramanik stylus in a record groove. The contact line and Shibata shapes also get more surface contact between the stylus and groove (than the elliptical). What I was saying about the MMC 6000, that this picture doesn't show, is that the base for the tip is more conical (all the way to the cantilever). While the 20CL, MMC1 and MMC2 have straight, vertical sides from the cantilever down to the tip. I was wondering if the conical shape (of the base, not the actual tip) is allowing more of the groove debris to collect on the stylus. 

Wow, whoever said a picture is worth a thousand words wasn’t kidding, and this one is!

 

Thank you.

 

Jeff

Excellent photo! I remember someone, maybe Audio Technica since they were big on the Shibata bandwagon, used to have a display with an oversized record groove and three clear plastic styluses, each about 3inches in diameter. The idea was you could take each and run it down the groove and see the differences in how they contacted the groove wall. Neat marketing toy. 

Back in the day I had an Audio Technica AT-15SLA, which had a Shibata stylus. I remember it retailed for $150 and I got it from them on an employee accommodation deal for $26. Which was even better than the dealer cost of under $50 if I remember right. Huge markup in cartridges and stylii back then. Now the big markup items are wire and cables. 

I remember it sounded good, tracked very well, but I preferred the sound of my lower end Grado. 

I found this web site - The Microscopy of Vinyl Records that, on page 4, demonstrates wear on an elliptical stylus. The pictures of the wear points on the elliptical stylus tip shows me that, even though I can use my crude magnifier to view my various phono stylus at 100X, I need a real microscope with much higher capability to really determine the wear on the stylus tip. 

-sonavor 

20CL

 

Interesting little fact - the 20CLs I have have the square section of the diamond with the sides parallel to the cantilever. The Soundsmith cartridge is set so the sides are at 45 degrees. Obviously the profile is cut is a different way.

sonavor:

I found this web site - The Microscopy of Vinyl Records that, on page 4, demonstrates wear on an elliptical stylus. The pictures of the wear points on the elliptical stylus tip shows me that, even though I can use my crude magnifier to view my various phono stylus at 100X, I need a real microscope with much higher capability to really determine the wear on the stylus tip. 

-sonavor 

Why are you concerned about wear on a diamond tipped stylus? As a retail jeweller I can tell you that a diamond is the hardest substance on Earth coming from nature and vinyl, soft as it is, is NO match for a diamond.

 

In a jewellry application while other gemstones show wear with time, diamond do not. CZ’s and other diamond substitutes show wear in months and even sapphire will show wear on the facets over a very prolonged period.

 

Of course jewellry is not designed or exposed to regular wear as is a stylus; however I am of the opinion that our cartridges suffer from the suspension components aging rather than any significant wear on the diamond tip.

 

Jeff

 

Piaf:

...I am of the opinion that our cartridges suffer from the suspension components aging rather than any significant wear on the diamond tip.

Jeff

For those of us that keep our vinyl nice and clean, that is probably true. However, wear does occur on the stylus eventually. I am just wanting to get a thread going with information and images in place so we can compare the cartridges we own and have a better idea of the condition. When cartridges are put up for sale, the description of the condition is always vague. I doubt if anyone tracks exactly how many hours are on their cartridge. The wear can be different anyway. It is just good to know all the factors regarding the wear and tear on the vinyl and cartridges. I thought is was interesting (in that link) to actually see wear on the stylus tip.

There are ways to extend the life of the vinyl and cartridge though -
- proper turntable setup and cartridge balance
- keeping the vinyl and cartridge clean
- let the vinyl rest and recover after playing (don't keep playing the same record over and over during the day)

The reason I bought my first Beogram 4002 back in 1976 was for the benefit of my vinyl collection.  It didn't hurt that it was a beautiful turntable though.

-sonavor

You'd be surprised at how much wear you can get on a diamond stylus, if you play a lot of records it wears out faster than the suspension, which takes quite a few years to harden. One thing, it's very hard to see wear with a standard microscope, but you can easily see it with a true stereo binocular microscope, depth perception makes a huge difference. 

Hello Jeff,

 

I am in no position to offer you a real debate, however even sapphire styluses last a very long time and sapphire (corundum) is not remotely as hard as a diamond.

 

Going back to my diamond training over the years, diamonds can be chipped or even broken by a shape blow at the “wrong” point; however the ONLY thing that can cut a diamond is a diamond.

 

You literally could saw on a diamond with the hardest steel blade you can find, but all you would accomplish is you would wear out the blade and the diamond would be unmarked.

 

With thousands of hours of play I imagine that the diamond stylus does wear, but intellectually I don’t understand how it is possible for household debris/dust and a polished vinyl surface to wear a diamond point down.

 

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that jewellers are most satisfied with a 10X loop, 20X when you are “serious” and 30X in the most extreme of circumstances.  

 

That said, if it takes such an extraordinary microscope to show wear on a diamond stylus, especially if the wear is even, what possible effect could that have? I mean you said that “it is very hard to see wear with a standard microscope.” Well if it is nearly impossible to see the wear with a standard microscope I fail to see where such minute wear could have a dramatic effect of the sound reproduction.

 

Jeff  

Remember, we are talking about a very small area of the stylus, the tip, that is the part that contacts the grooves (which are also very small). In any case, the important point is that well cared for record playing equipment can extend the life of the vinyl and the stylus. For me, I am still amazed that vinyl works like it does. Digital information that is read from memory and converted to an analog signal is much easier to see how it would work well. The process where some cutting tool makes a mold to produce a bunch of vinyl copies that, in turn, wind up on a spinning platter where a stylus rides the grooves and accurately reproduces an orchestra is amazing. I think that is why I will always enjoy vinyl as my preferred audio source.

-sonavor

I can't remember how long in hours a typical diamond stylus lasts, if well cared for certainly many hundreds, but as mentioned the size is small and stresses are high. I recall reading that the stylus actually melts the vinyl which then resolidifies almost immediately. And while diamond is hard, it's also fragile, and can crack along faults. I know I've looked at plenty of worn stylii. And it doesn't take a particularly exceptional microscope, not very high powered, just stereo as you having depth perception makes it very easy to see the wear.

I know what you mean sonavor, if I knew nothing about either system and someone presented the LP approach and the CD approach, there's no way the LP approach would make sense! We are going to record vibrations on a spinning plastic disc, that has different linear speed depending on how far in the disc the groove is, and play it back by dragging an electro mechanical low mass transducer down the groove...you'd be laughed out of the room. 

It works amazingly well all things considered, but regardless of audiophile lore it's a long way from perfect. 

I agree, the fact that vinyl works at all is amazing. The old 78’s were hard as a rock and the stylus was beyond crude, but music they made. Beyond this, with all our technical advancements, digital on parade, it is vinyl that sound the most lifelike and by a considerable margin vis-à-vis the next best thing, the compact disk.

 

Also, as a jewellry professional I can absolutely confirm that diamonds, while extremely hard, are susceptible to cleavage and most certainly chipping.

 

Now strike a diamond against the grain (the direction the diamond grew) and nothing, but NOTHING is going to happen. Strike the same diamond along the grain line and you might well have two diamonds instead of one.

 

Now let’s get back to the real world. In 1974 I purchased my first Beogram 4002 which came with a MMC20CL cartridge. I simply adored that turntable and used it constantly.

 

Then in 1985 my B&O dealer insisted that it was time for a new cartridge, which I purchased, but kept the original as a spare. Lightning struck the 4002 which blew the tip off the new needle while frying all the internal electronics…. but I still had my spare MMC20CL cartridge.

 

Today, 39 years later my original MMC20CL resides in my much talked about Beogram 4000. This combination is my conversation “ender.” That is to say someone who thinks that CD’s are better than vinyl and wants to compare, or better still valued audiophile friends who have heard me talk about my Beogram 4000 and want to compare it to their systems.

 

This Beogram 4000 and its ancient MMC20CL cartridge has never failed to earn an “OMG, my system is crap” reaction. Most recently a friend with a mega-buck system, sterling wiring, and big ticket speakers came over with his vinyl favorites and this comment was his reaction to HIS records being played on my Beogram 4000.

 

Accounting for the many years of non-service (I am being EXACT here) assuming I only used this cartridge for 1 hour a day (There were days of no use and days with 5 hours….) that comes to a whopping 6,570 hours on this MMC20CL and the quality of the sound will still blow friends socks off…. and has. This is not debatable, this is a fact.

 

So what’s my point? Well certainly I have an incredible survivor, but it will not last forever. And when this MMC20CL ceases to amaze my audiophile buddies I am willing to stick my neck out and say it will be suspension components that failed (got hard), not the diamond stylus.

 

Jeff

I agree to a point - though I have had styluses wear - my 6000s certainly did - I don't have a picture unfortunately but I reckon it fractured! My CLs, like yours, seem to go on for ever. I am afraid mine rarely get much of a work out these days though. 

On the suspension change, in my experience this only have affected cartridges really when tracking CD4 records where they seem unable to cope with the very high frequencies. I base this assertion on the fact that some can and some cannot despite having very similar tips.

broken cantilevers, coils going (one channel working the other not) and stylii falling off (or knocked off the cantilever) are more common problems IMHO than worn out tips, certainly from the eighty odd MMC's we have examined in the last 12 months

ouverture:

broken cantilevers, coils going (one channel working the other not) and stylii falling off (or knocked off the cantilever) are more common problems IMHO than worn out tips, certainly from the eighty odd MMC's we have examined in the last 12 months

 

 

I certainly would agree with every word. All the components you listed are subject to wear and tear, but as I said previously as a trained jeweller, I CAN tell you that diamonds will not wear easily.

 

I am positive that if I got out my diamond class books I could make a very strong case for the extreme durability of the diamond with its 3.52 specific gravity (that means it is dense and 3.52 times heaver than water) plus the fact that a diamond is 140 times harder than the next hardest element corundum (sapphire).

 

It really boils down to simple physics, the harder substance wins. You rub Plexiglas against glass and glass wins. Then rub glass with steel and steel wins.

 

Now in a very uneven contest, take a diamond tipped stylus and rub it against vinyl, the hardest substance known to man against plastic with organic particles of dust thrown in, and guess who wins? Yep, the diamond.

 

Jeff

 

Jeff, I know what you say sounds logical, and in a clean lab room environment (no dust particles, clean filtered air down to thousandths of an inch) , then yes a diamond tip on a flat vinyl surface (no grooves) would never wear out in a hundred years, but sadly people are generally unaware of some of the other things outlined below in this paper published nearly 60 years ago !

my Dad says the biggest problem is dust and grit particles in the room, more specifically silicon oxide and other airborne particles, that is why most turntable manufacturers insist on using dust covers for the deck, but that is not enough, you really need a good hepa air purifier, so he bought a Blueair purifier for his music room, the Blueair is on all the time, but when he listens to vinyl he turns it off and closes the door, this and his Moth record cleaning box are in his opinion the best two things he has done when it comes to prolonging the life of his two MMC1 and MMC2 carts.

In 1954, a booklet was published on this subject. It has been out of print for decades. Shure Applications Engineering found a copy and is making it available in this FAQ. This original text has been edited and condensed by Shure Applications Engineering for clarification purposes.

Title: THE WEAR AND CARE OF RECORDS AND STYLI

Author: Harold D. Weiler

A study conducted by to determine the effective life of phonograph styli and the effect of worn styli and dust on record life and quality of reproduction. Published 1954 and now in the public domain

INTRODUCTION

The most neglected portion of record reproducing equipment is the phonograph needle, or stylus, as it is properly called. In the entire phonograph system, the stylus is the component subjected to the most wear and is most likely to be mishandled. Research indicates that the majority of listeners were damaging their valuable collections of records through the continued use of worn styli. This is not a trivial matter, if one stops to calculate the financial investment made in a record collection. And in many cases it involves irreplaceable recordings. Of equal importance is the fact that these same listeners are not enjoying the full tonal quality which their equipment and records are capable of producing. In addition, they are actually introducing considerable distortion into otherwise excellent music reproducing systems. It was a revelation to discover that even those who had acquired expensive fidelity reproducing equipment, were not entirely aware of the important part played by the stylus in record reproduction and record wear. This important matter has been far too often neglected, even by professionals. This booklet attempts to provide sufficient information that will enable anyone to increase the life of a record collection, and to reduce annoying background noise mistakenly referred to as "needle scratch." It will also show how it is possible to obtain far better reproduction from one's present equipment.

THE TURNTABLE AND PHONOGRAPH PICKUP CARTRIDGE

There are two general types of record turntables in use; the manually operated unit and the automatic player, called a record changer. Both types employ a device called a phonograph pickup cartridge, which is mounted in the tone arm and holds the stylus. This cartridge picks up a signal through the stylus and converts the microscopic impressions on the record into electrical energy, which is then amplified and converted into sound by the loudspeaker and associated equipment. It is the process of picking up these microscopic impressions engraved upon the walls of the record groove which is of concerns, since the power created by the minute electrical impulses are later transformed into sound. The original signal is obtained from the force developed between the stylus tip and the sidewalls of the record groove. The proper relationship between the stylus tip and the record groove is extremely important. The impressions on the walls of the record groove are microscopic, three-dimensional duplicates of the sound waves which created them. The pickup stylus must follow with extreme exactitude the variations of these impressions. This can only be accomplished if the original shape of the stylus tip is maintained.

An elementary knowledge of how these impressions are created and converted into sound will help in the understanding of exactly why the quality of reproduction deteriorates as the stylus becomes worn, and how a worn stylus results in record wear and damage.

THE RECORD

Let's start with the source of the music, the record itself. A record is a flat disc made of a vinylite compound or a shellac compound, and contains a single spiral groove. There are three types of records in use; the 78 RPM, the 45 RPM, and the 33 1/3 RPM Long-Playing Record. The two latter types differ from the 78 RPM record in the use of slower playing speeds and finer grooves. The finer grooves allow a greater number of grooves per inch of record. The result is longer playing time. A 78 RPM record contains about 100 grooves per inch, each groove about the width of a human hair. A 33 1/3 RPM record has about 225 grooves per inch, each groove approximately one-half the width of a human hair. The groove on a 12 inch, 33 1/3 RPM record, if uncoiled, would be over one-half mile in length.

The record groove and the impressions it carries are created in the following manner. The sound waves created by the musicians are picked up by microphones, which convert the sound waves into electrical energy. This electrical energy is fed into equipment in a control room, where the volume and the balance between the microphones is controlled. This controlled signal is then amplified and fed into a tape recorder. Tape recorders are used because tape is more easily edited and controlled than the earlier method which employed a disc for the same purpose. When an original recording is made on a disc, the entire performance must be absolutely perfect from start to finish, since the use of a disc permits no editing or alteration from the original. One mistake, and the entire recording session is wasted! But when the performance of a symphony orchestra, for example, is recorded on tape and an error occurs, the conductor stops the orchestra and repeats the passage, continuing on from a point just before the mistake was made, knowing that "editing" will remove the mistake and the "cut" sections will be spliced so that the correction cannot be detected aurally.

The music recorded on the tape is then transferred onto a lacquer disc. This disc is known as the "original". The music previously recorded on the tape is amplified and fed into the cutting head of a disc recorder, which transforms the amplified electrical energy into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy forces a cutting stylus to move from side to side and engrave impressions onto the rotating disc. The cutting head functions in a manner similar to the action which occurs in a loudspeaker, but instead of the back and forth motion of the loudspeaker cone, there is a side to side (lateral) motion of the cutting stylus. The shape and size of the impressions engraved in the rotating disc are determined by the pitch and level of the signal being recorded. The higher the pitch, the greater the number of times per second the cutting stylus will vibrate from side to side. The level of the sound being recorded also affects the impressions engraved upon the disc. Increasing the recorded level causes the cutting stylus to engrave deeper impressions into the walls of the grooves. Conversely, a reduction in level causes a reduction in the distance the cutting stylus swings from left to right, causing it to engrave shallower impressions. These impressions, as mentioned earlier, are microscopic three dimensional duplicates of the sound wave pattern.

When the cutting of the "original" lacquer disc is completed, the disc is then "metalized." This is accomplished by a process of dipping the newly cut disc into a solution of stannous chloride. The disc is then washed to remove any surplus solution, and sprayed with silver nitrate. Chemical action between the stannous chloride and the silver nitrate results in depositing of a microscopic layer of silver upon the disc. This metalized disc is then electroplated. The metal plating is separated from the original lacquer disc and reinforced by a solid metal backing. The now complete assembly is called a "master".

The "master" is next electroplated. This new plating is again separated from the master and reinforced. The result is called the "mother" or "matrix". The matrix is plated in the same manner, and the plating is removed and reinforced. This final assembly is called a "stamper." A quantity of these stampers can be obtained from each matrix.

Next, a pellet of vinylite (for LP records) is placed in a hydraulic press which heat the stampers. These stampers are placed in the upper and lower jaws of the press. The jaws are closed with the pellet of vinylite between them, just as dough is placed in a waffle iron. The stampers transfer impressions into the vinylite. The disc produced is then cooled, and the record is finished. The entire process undergoes rigid inspection each step of the way. An idea of the extreme care used can be shown by the fact that the stampers are changed after each 250 pressings, since even the microscopic wear created in pressing is not tolerated in precision record manufacture. This is how a record is manufactured and how the impressions are created on the walls of the grooves.

THE STYLUS

A spherical stylus tip is not sharp pointed, like a needle, but is conical in shape and has a smooth hemispherical tip with a radius of curvature for long playing records of one thousandth of an inch (.001"). It is polished to an extreme degree of smoothness. The smoothness of the surface of the stylus tip is very important since the higher the polish the less friction generated between the tip and the groove walls of the record.

The difference in groove width between the old standard 78 RPM and the Long Playing records necessitates the use of two different size stylus tips. The long playing records, as we have discovered, require a tip radius of 1.0 thousandth of an inch (.001") or less, whereas the older 78 RPM records require a tip radius of 2.5 thousandths of an inch (.0025").

The stylus tip, when in good condition, touches the groove walls at only two points. The entire weight of the stylus and the structure which holds it is concentrated at these two microscopically small points. When this concentration of pressure upon the points of contact is calculated, we find it to be approximately 26 tons per square inch. The walls of the record grooves are, of course, subject to the same pressure, but only for the fraction of a second required for a particular section to move past the tip as the record rotates. The stylus tip must travel well over one-half mile of surface each time a 12" LP record is played...with 26 tons of pressure per square inch. It is not surprising that the stylus tip wears out, despite the fact that the material of which it is made is harder than the vinylite record material.

As noted, the reproducer stylus tip follows the impressions engraved upon the walls of the record groove. These impressions, depending upon the pitch of the recorded sound, force the stylus tip to vibrate from side to side as fast as 10,000 times per second. The stylus tip in the record groove follows a path in much the same manner as automobile tires would follow the ruts in a country road. As mentioned, the stylus tip touches the groove walls at only two microscopically small points. The friction and resulting wear is concentrated at these points. This friction causes the gradual wearing away of the stylus material at these points, and creates what are called "flats". The amount and degree of wear are apparent when the tip is viewed from the side, using a microscope. It is these flats on the stylus tip which are the direct cause of increased record wear, distortion, and reduced tonal range. Although these flats appear on both sides of the stylus tip, the amount of wear is not the same on both sides because of the side thrust created by the tone arm mounting method. This can be off-set somewhat by proper setting of the anti-skate force.

The amount of record damage, distortion, and the reduction of tonal range due to worn styli increases in direct proportion to the size of the flats on the stylus tip. Depending on the wear, the stylus tip can become a cutting tool, and if continued in use, it will eventually take the shape of a miniature chisel. Thus, when it is forced from side to side, it will cut and gouge minute particles from the groove walls as it travels. This cutting and gouging of wave crests is one form of record wear. The wearing process is also hastened by the abrasive action of dust in the grooves. The wear on both the stylus and the record groove can be considerable.

STYLUS PRESSURE

Another factor affecting both record and stylus wear is the downward pressure of the stylus tip on the record groove. The greater this pressure the greater the amount of friction generated between the walls of the record groove and the stylus tip. Increased friction naturally results in increased wear. However, the original pressure may change due to various mechanical conditions. The best method of counteracting this factor is to check the stylus pressure once a month. Periodic checking and correction, when required, can result in an increase of record and stylus life up to 10%. Most pickup arms have either a screw, nut, or lever by means of which the stylus pressure can be adjusted to the correct value. Several manufacturers produce stylus pressure gauges which are comparatively inexpensive and simple to operate. Due to their low cost, they can pay for themselves very quickly.

STYLUS WEAR AND REPRODUCTION

Let's now consider how stylus wear and record wear affect the quality of reproduction. Earlier it was stated that the impressions engraved upon the walls of the record groove were three dimensional duplicates of the sound waves which created them, and that the stylus must follow with extreme exactitude the variations in these impressions. This could only be accomplished if the original shape of the stylus tip was maintained.

A new spherical stylus fits into and can follow all of the variations engraved onto the walls of the groove. The surface of the spherical stylus tip, at the point of contact, is a perfect circle and can thus enter any of the engraved depressions or pass around any of the engraved wave crests. A worn stylus tip, at the point of contact, is like fitting a square peg into a round hole. A worn stylus tip will no longer fit into the engraved depressions since the flat on the stylus tip is wider than the opening of the depression. Theoretically, this should result in a complete loss of signal. But, in actual practice, due to the resiliency of the vinylite record material, the worn stylus tip is forced part way into the depression due to the tremendous lateral pressure. Hence some signal is obtained. Since the stylus tip obviously cannot follow with "extreme exactitude" the variations in the groove, the signal is nowhere near a perfect replica of the original recorded sound wave. The sound produced with a worn stylus has a fuzzy quality which is difficult to define or describe, but is definitely unpleasant to hear.

Stylus wear occurs slowly over a comparatively long period of time. For this reason the distortion or fuzziness created by a worn stylus is also gradual. Therefore, the casual listener becomes aware that certain instruments do not sound the way they should. The distortion or fuzziness created by a worn stylus first manifests itself on the higher pitched sounds at the inside grooves toward the center of the record. As the flat on the stylus becomes progressively larger, the distortion becomes noticeable further and further toward the outside of the record and at the same time at lower and lower pitched tones. When the flat has become very large, sounds in the middle register are distorted or fuzzy over the entire surface of the record. Unfortunately, when this stage has been reached the stylus has already been damaging the records for some time.

Distortion or fuzziness should under no circumstance be used as an early indication of a worn stylus. Distortion created by a worn stylus becomes noticeable much sooner on high quality reproducing equipment than with less efficient equipment. This is because the higher the quality of the reproducing equipment the wider its tonal range, and any distortion of the high pitched sounds is immediately apparent. Since less expensive equipment does not reproduce the entire tonal range of the recording, it does not reproduce the higher pitched tones either. Consequently any distortion of these tones remains unnoticed. For this reason the distortion and fuzziness characteristic of a badly worn stylus shows up much later on less efficient equipment. The foregoing may sound like a point in favor of less efficient equipment, but it is definitely not so intended. The average record collection is usually worth more than the equipment on which it is used, and includes irreplaceable recordings. Thus, in order to protect and preserve these treasured records, the stylus should receive as much attention when it is used with an inexpensive record player as it does with an expensive home music system. Preservation of the records should be the most important consideration.

The forcing of a worn stylus tip into the engraved depressions is another contributing factor to record wear and distortion. The sharp edges at the ends of the flat can remove record particles as they are forced into the groove depressions. This forcing of the worn stylus against the groove walls may also distort the walls beyond their elastic limit, which results in additional record wear and distortion of reproduction.

Another manifestation of a worn stylus tip wear is considerably increased noise level in reproduction. This is because the stylus tip is in contact with the particles of dust and grit lying at the bottom of the groove. The effect of dust and grit on the noise level of a record can be easily understood as even the granular structure of the record material itself affects surface noise. This is one of the reasons that older shellac records are noisier than the vinylite or styrene records, even when new. The shellac base material is not uniform in structure but is built up of small grains. These grains, pressing against the stylus tip as the record rotates, create random impulses which are translated as noise. Dust, grit and stylus particles are often many times as large as these grains of shellac, and consequently affect reproduction to an even greater extent.

HOW LONG SHOULD A STYLUS LAST?

A worn stylus damages records, causes distortion, and affects tonal response. What, then, is the life of a phonograph stylus, and when should it be replaced? The first part of this question is rather difficult to answer with any degree of exactitude. Asking, "how long should a phonograph stylus last?" is like asking "what is the life of an automobile tire?" To answer such a question, even approximately, would require additional information, such as: the weight of the car; the speed at which it is usually operated; the type of roads over which it will travel; whether gravel, dirt, or asphalt; the quality of the tire itself, etc. Quite a number of variable factors! The life of a pickup stylus depends upon at least as many variables. Among the factors influencing stylus wear are the material of which the stylus tip is made; the condition of the records with which it is used; and the stylus pressure. Also of considerable importance is the ability of the pickup itself to follow the impressions engraved upon the groove walls with the least resistance to the motion they cause. This is called "trackability" and is related to a specification called "compliance."

The second part of the question, "when should a stylus be replaced?" is not quite as difficult to answer, though the answer can only be an approximation. As a rule of thumb, a diamond stylus should be replaced after 800 to 1,000 hours of playing time.

LIFE TESTS OF DIAMOND STYLI

Tests were made on diamond tipped styli. However, before discussing these tests let's dispel one fallacy. DIAMOND STYLI DO NOT DAMAGE RECORDS! This misconception apparently stems from the fact that the diamond is the hardest material known. "Look at what a diamond does to glass, and a vinylite record is not as hard as glass." True, but to cut glass a diamond must have a point or a cutting edge. A diamond stylus tip has a smooth rounded surface, like a ball bearing. A smooth surface finish is important on a stylus tip, since the smoother the surface the lower the friction between the tip and the record groove. The lower the friction the less is the amount of wear on both the stylus tip and the record. Due to its great hardness, the diamond can be polished to a higher degree than any other substance. A higher polish results in a smoother finish, which greatly reduces friction.

One of the chief causes of record and stylus wear is abrasion caused by the material worn off from the stylus itself. These particles worn from the tip become lodged in the record groove and act as an abrasive which accelerates the wear on both the record and the stylus tip. The diamond, being harder than other older stylus materials, like sapphire, does not wear as rapidly and thus does not deposit as much material in the record grooves. This results in less abrasion and consequently less wear.

TEST RESULTS

The average flat on a worn diamond spherical tip measured .00145". Even this amount of wear results in distortion, increased noise and excessive record wear. To obtain a flat of .00075" required 140 hours of use. To obtain a flat of .001" required 300 hours of use. To obtain a flat of .00125" required 700 hours of use. To obtain a flat of .0015" required 1,500 hours of average use; this degree of wear resulted in reduced tonal response, high noise level, greatly increased distortion and a considerable amount of record wear.

DUST AND GRIT

The presence of dust, grit and particles worn from the stylus tip itself not only can damage records and reduce stylus life, but may affect tonal response. An analysis of the "dust" removed from a number of stylus tips, which had been used on dirty records, showed that it consisted of approximately; 12% jagged silica particles, 35% diamond dust, 40% miscellaneous particles, including soot, grit and particles worn from the record groove itself. The remaining 13% consisted of fibers and lint.

The stylus tip could not, of course, remove particles which had already become embedded in the groove walls. From this analysis, we can see that almost 65% of the extraneous material is harder than the comparatively soft record material and, therefore, is capable of scratching and damaging it. This material in the record grooves also increases the amount of friction between the stylus and the record groove as we have found.

Increased friction results in increased wear on both record and stylus and also increases the amount of static electricity generated. Most plastics are insulators and retain a static charge. The friction created between the stylus tip and the groove accelerates the generation of static electricity. Even the friction generated by slipping the record into its jacket increases the static electricity. From the foregoing paragraphs, it is apparent how closely allied are dust, grit, and static electricity in creating excessive record and stylus wear.

Dust was mentioned among the factors contributing to excessive record and stylus wear. Dust and grit in the record grooves were found to be the primary cause of exceptional wear found in the tested styli. These findings led to an additional series of tests on styli to determine to what extent dirt and grit lodged in the record grooves affected record and stylus life. Brand new records were used to create wear on one group of styli. A second group was worn with used records. A third group of styli were then worn with clean used records, and a fourth group with used records which had not been cleaned.

Tests showed that both airborne dust and debris worn from the stylus tip itself are the greatest cause of excessive record and stylus wear. Complete removal of dust and grit from the record grooves resulted in increases of up to 60% in the useful life of both records and styli.

Many methods have been devised and improvised to combat the problem of dust on records and to reduce its effect on wear and reproduction. However, none of these methods were ever completely effective, and they all passed into oblivion with one exception, the cleaning pad. Unfortunately this device is in general use in 1954, despite the fact that it does not clean records! A record pad can actually damage records by scratching them and grinding microscopic particles of dust and grit into the grooves. In addition to causing excessive wear of records and styli, these dust particles also increase the noise level of the record. Since the particles of dust and grit are often as large as the recorded impressions in the record groove which create the sound, they will affect the stylus movement, causing random impulses which are translated as noise. This increase in noise level due to dust and grit is the biggest contributing factor to the hissing sound commonly and mistakenly referred to as "needle scratch." The dust problem is further aggravated by the fact that the new vinylite records actually attract dust and retain it, due to their electrostatic properties. Dust in the air and grit are attracted to the surface of records due to static electricity. Careful handling, storage and cleaning of one's record collection is more than repaid in better reproduction and greatly increased record and stylus life.

The grooved section should never be touched, since the skin oils and grease from the hands is transferred to the record, causing any airborne dust to adhere to the spot or area touched. Between the electrostatic attraction of the record and the natural affinity of dust and grit for grease, the grooves in the area touched soon become dust laden and consequently noisy.

Cleaning records has been a highly controversial subject since the invention of the phonograph. When the average person bothers to clean records it is usually done with a slightly damp cloth on the assumption that the cloth will pick up the dust and the dampness will eliminate the electrostatic charge. This method of cleaning does accomplish these functions to some extent. What actually does occur is that the cloth picks up some of the dust and grit. The remainder, however, is ground into the grooves by the rubbing action. The dampness of the cloth does reduce the electrostatic charge, but only temporarily, since it quickly builds up again as the record dries. However any attempt to clean records is commendable and even a poor cleaning is better than none.

Completely removing dust and grit from a record is not a simple problem. A number of factors must be considered. Firstly, the cleaner must not contain any gummy substance that will remain in the engraved depressions in the record groove. Secondly, the cleaner must completely penetrate these same depressions and remove any dust or grit they may contain. Thirdly, the cleaner must not affect the record material itself in any manner. Record dust/dirt when examined under a microscope consists of grease, stylus particles, abrasive material, and solids which resemble wool fibers covered with a soft waxy substance.

Clean grooves result in greatly reduced record and stylus wear. Once the dust and grit have been removed from the record grooves, consider the use of an anti-static agent as its repeated use will prevent the attraction of airborne dust or grit. No anti-static agent should be used which results in a sticky residue, and the record should be recoated as often as is necessary since the anti-static agent does not have a permanent effect.

a Shure microscope in the hands of an expert helps to see tip wear / polish wear

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/stylus-wear-it-happens.12422/

Wouldn't be much of a business model if your customers were convinced that the diamond could never wear down.