calibrating your turntable/replacing stylus's

[robotnerd]

does anybody else do this? if so, how often? i've had my turntable for about 2 and a half years now, and just calibrated it for the first time since i got it and also just ordered a replacement stylus... i feel like this was maybe something i should've done sooner, but i don't remember approximately after how many hours you're supposed to replace your stylus. 600 hours kinda stands out in my head, and i've easily put 1000 hours on this stylus. i can hear a subtle difference in the audio quality just from the calibration though. my cartridge wasn't aligned properly and the tone arm weight was set way too high... that's the kinda thing that slowly destroys your records. :-[

[dim]

how does one go about doing this?

[altarsofradness]

dude. i am completely nuts about calibration. i do it weekly. the fear of wearing out the grooves of my records ranks right behind my fear of spiders and women. ive talked to people who collect who just stare at me blankly when i bring up calibration. and i weep on the inside.

[robotnerd]

well, not every turntable is able to be fully calibrated, if you have your instruction manual, it should have instructions for making adjustments if they're possible. mine has full instructions for zero-ing and setting the counterweight, as well as has an alignment card to place on the platter to align your cartridge, basically it's a grid of lines that you use to line up your cartridge and then tighten the screws up etc.

[robotnerd]

dude. i am completely nuts about calibration. i do it weekly. the fear of wearing out the grooves of my records ranks right behind my fear of spiders and women. ive talked to people who collect who just stare at me blankly when i bring up calibration. and i weep on the inside.

yeah, i think i'm gonna start doing it much more often. it can't hurt... and i'm sure i went way too long with the wrong calibration.

[thomas]

I really need to get a new needle and reclaibrate the belt and stylus on my player, but I am lazy so if keeps getting pushed back. I haven't used my player in a while due to the needle being so worn (it has to be like 3 years old by now).

[xfedaykinx]

i try to calibrate every or every-other month if i can remember. the thought of my records someday sounding like balls scares the bejesus out of me.

[robotnerd]

all the more reason to spend a little extra money and invest in a turntable that you can fully calibrate.

[steventangent]

I can set the counterweight, that's it. I do it every time I move the player.

[scottheisel]

I have absolutely no idea how to calibrate my turntable. I feel like such a n00b. Is there a tutorial online for this? How do I know if it needs to be re-calibrated?

And how do you know when you need a new stylus? And what the hell is the difference between a needle and a stylus, anyway?

(I'm totally not worthy of being Collector Of The Month. Someone, revoke my title.)

[robotnerd]

a simple answer to when can be "when your vinyl doesn't sound as good as it used to." this can be b/c your counter weight is set too light (not enough contact with record) or too heavy (too much contact with the record, this is more likely), or your cartridge or tone arm is out of alignment, or both. the cartridge is the most likely culprit. i feel like it should be more of a preventative measure than anything else, which is why i'm going to start doing it more often. every turntable is a little bit different, as each model uses a slightly different design. it starts with setting the counterweight (if you have one), basically you need to zero it out (balance it, then set that weight to zero), and then set it for optimal tracking force (weight) for your cartridge. mine happens to be 1.5 grams on the counter weight. there are a number of tools available to check the alignment of your cartridge, mine is basically a small strip of cardboard with a grid on it. it also has 2 small x's in 2 different places (1 near the outside, 1 near the inside). you place the needle on the x and see how your cartridge lines up with the grid, if it doesn't line up, it's hitting the record crooked and not making the best contact with the groove, it's also potentially dragging and wearing out the groove edges. on my turntable i can loosen the screws that hold on the cartridge and move it until it lines up. tone arm adjustments are more complicated and way less likely to be done on average turntables. the stylus is just a fancy name for the actual needle that touches the record. on most good cartridges you can replace the stylus specifically without having to buy a whole new cartridge. again, a good indication of when to do this is when you start to hear a difference in your records, as the stylus wears down, it won't make as good contact with the grooves, the sound quality degrades. like i said earlier, as a preventative measure i'm sure people have said things like 600 hours or something like that... i don't actually know, but i feel like somewhere in the neighborhood of every 2-3 years is probably safe, if you keep your turntable calibrated and aligned correctly i could see the needle lasting for longer. as far as replacing the belt, i guess if you start to hear your speed warble a little, or if it seems to be slowing down from 33rpm, i would say replace the belt. i think doing these things more often than not can only be good.

there's probably some tutorials up online somewhere. and again, this is all dependant on what you can actually do with your turntable, you could have none, or all of these possibilities. it's kind of like a car though, the more regular maintenance you give it, the longer it will last and the better it will work.

[scottheisel]

Okay, so pretty much every record I've listened to now has a pop happening on every rotation, no matter how new the record is. Is this the stylus being worn down or the counterweight being too light and actually bouncing off the record with each rotation?

[robotnerd]

so you zero'd and set the counterweight, and that's what's happening? it sounds like it's probably a worn stylus. and if it's been years and you've never replaced it, that's likely the culprit. it's not making perfect contact with the record. you can adjust the counter weight heavier in an attempt to make better contact with your record, but that will create extra wear on the stylus and the record. very small incremental changes in the counterweight can make a big difference, kind of like adjusting the truss rod on a guitar, set it a tiny bit heavier, and then test it out. now, to figure out if you have a replaceable stylus, take note of the make of your cartridge and do a quick google search or check needle doctor for a replacement.

[beef]

this is a fantastic site, helpd me out alot with calibrating

http://kabusa.com/setup.htm

[benchwarmer]

dude. i am completely nuts about calibration. i do it weekly. the fear of wearing out the grooves of my records ranks right behind my fear of spiders and women. ive talked to people who collect who just stare at me blankly when i bring up calibration. and i weep on the inside.

this is the best post ever on this board

[robotnerd]

so, the new stylus came in today, tossed it on the cartridge. and hot damn. my records sound brand new. everyone should do this.

[xfedaykinx]

does anyone know how to tell if you have an elliptical or spherical stylus? im trying to get my anti-skating adjustments in order, but im not sure exactly what kind of stylus i have. i looked at Needledepot.com and whatever i can find about Empire needles to no avail. help?