Cartridge wear

[nghiep]

Is it normal to have the stylus tip wear only on the right side/right channel? Where do you normally see the wearing on the stylus? Thanks

[Cobra2]

Originally posted by nghiep
Is it normal to have the stylus tip wear only on the right side/right channel?

No. Only if run with too little stylus-weight, and/or wrong anti-skate setting.

Arne K

[nghiep]

I think that the outer groove pushes the needle to move inward. The anti skate force pulls the arm outward thus pressing the needle even more against the outer groove wall. Therefore more wearing on the outer side (right) of the needle. I found that the music sounded more natural and relaxed without anti skate. This may means that the needle has close to equal pressure on outer and inner groove's walls. With anti skate engaged, the music sounded more restricted and analytical. Note that on the blank record without groove, the arm does not move inward nor outward.

[EC8010]

Originally posted by nghiep
Note that on the blank record without groove, the arm does not move inward nor outward.

Do you often listen under those conditions? Seriously, blank records are neither here nor there; what is important is what happens under the actual conditions of use.

The stylus presses harder against the inner side of the groove as a consequence of arm overhang and cartridge offset. This force is derived from the drag of the stylus along the groove, so it's dependent on groove modulation, vertical tracking force, and the coefficient of friction between diamond and that particular vinyl mix. Bias (often incorrectly known as anti-skating) attempts to equalise the forces that the stylus applies to either side of the groove. Preferential wear on one side of a stylus is a clear indication of incorrect bias.

[nghiep]

The tonearm pivot makes the cartridge moves inward as the platter rotates. I use a denon 103R with the stylus protector installed. I position the cartridge on the platter without a record. When I rotate the platter, the cartridge moves inward. Then I set the antiskate to keep the cartridge stationary. This is safer than using the stylus on a blank record which is hard to find.

[Cobra2]

The drag of the grooves, will pull inwards, you should therefore compensate with a slight outward-pulling force.
Some good reading here:
http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/turntabl.htm

I have noticed that more advanced needle-shapes likes slightly more antiskate-force than "simple" elliptical or spherical shapes.

Don't your arm have a anti-s. scale? Usually this is close enough...
(setting = tracking-weight)

Arne K