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Can Someone school me on record damage?

HumanacatHumanacat 177 Posts
edited March 2011 in Strut Central
I have noticed marks on records that appear to be caused by the stylus. It appears as spots which are a lighter shade than the rest of the record and can also form a slanted pattern on the first track on a lot of records. I see these on many records at stores and in the field and i have also noticed them after i open a brand new record and play it once. I have a shitty numark and have switched the stylus and cartridge a few times. The last time around i gave it to a guy who fixes players, he said maybe the last cartridge (a Numark CC 1) was too heavy as it is supposed to be used for DJing as opposed to casual play. He put a generic cartridge and stylus on and said it would be fine, however i have noticed new damage to records recently and it is leading me to believe there is something bent or off base within the table itself causing damage. I have talked to several people about this with little luck on info. I probably even posted about it here in the past. I know other people have to be familiar with this. Any insight/help strutters? My next step is investing in a nice table and any recommendations for a nice affordable table for casual play would also be appreciated.

  Comments

  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Is the weight on the tonearm not too heavy?
  • HumanacatHumanacat 177 Posts
    its on pretty heavy do you think the lighter weight is more harmful than being too heavy?
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    The reverse. Sometimes too heavy can get the cartridge close to the record and scrape it. Make the weight lighter and see what that does.
  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    Definitely sounds like a stylus weight issue to me
  • dj_cityboydj_cityboy 1,477 Posts
    i must admit its been a long time since i last balanced my tonearm as well...although at the same time most dj's i have run into just crank the weight all the way up and roll with it..i believe i balanced mine back in the early 90's when i first bought my turntables..i cant say i have noticed any cue burn issues on any of my records other then scratch records..

    might be a good time to revisit this actually...
  • fab-skifab-ski 1 Post
    the tonarm seems to be to heavy! maybe you should definately change table! I still trust in the good old Technics 1210/1200 ;-)
  • rkellysbabygoatsanctuaryrkellysbabygoatsanctuary 15 Posts
    if it's just for home listening, i'd scrap the numark and go with a technics sl-d2 from the 70's. You can find them on ebay in great condition (make sure its been tested, and from a reputable seller) for less than $80, and no matter what they say, you should also buy a new cartridge (you can do great for less than $50). i wouldn't buy a new turntable unless you're willing to spend a few hundred at least.
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