Those old Shure Audio Obstacle Course test records...

olddude55

Super Member
They good for checking stylus wear? I've got the Era III and Era IV records. Tried the Era III record and the old Shure stylus I'm testing was sibilant on the left channel of the Sergio Mendes thing right from the start.
I won't cry if this stylus is shot, I'm expecting it.
 
Could Also be set up, of the record is past its useful life. check another stylus to see how it compares.

nashou
 
Yeah, misalignment's possible. I put the record on the other changer with the known-quantity stylus and it made it to level 4 of the sibilance test before there was anything noticeable.
I'm tracking the V15II at 1.5 grams, which is about the max.
 
Tried the Era III record and the old Shure stylus I'm testing was sibilant on the left channel of the Sergio Mendes thing right from the start.

Yeah, misalignment's possible.

Try adjusting the antiskate as that will make sibilants if not set right. You have old tables so disregard any numbered setting on the adjuster, try less and more to see if it goes away.
 
Try adjusting the antiskate as that will make sibilants if not set right. You have old tables so disregard any numbered setting on the adjuster, try less and more to see if it goes away.
Will do.
It's only on the left channel, so you might be on the right track. Pun intended.

Back in the day, the stereo shop I bought my gear from always recommended setting AS to zero. Their claim was that skating forces change from ingroove to outgroove and that none of the TT manufacturers of that era had decent AS anyway.
 
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4-2-7, took your suggestion, the sibilance is now on both channels! Seems like the proper AS setting for the 1019 is naught, but I probably should replace either the stylus or cartridge.
 
I'd look at another test record, the one I got helps with the setting of antiskate until sibilance disappears up to a certain point.

If the 1019 is cleaned properly, the as and vtf are pretty spot on. Both units I have are that way. Try deoxit if you haven't while turning them to get any gunk or dirt out.
 
Thing is, no idea how long that stylus has been on the cartridge--since 1968?--or how many hours it has on it of course. The TT came with the original V15II brochure, so the cart was TOTL for Shure when the cart was purchased.
Probably going to replace the stylus or cart anyway, but I'll keep at it and see what transpires.

By the way, those Telarc cannon shots blew one of the woofer cones out of the frame on a set of Advents I still have. OK, the foam was rotten...
 
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When you set A.S. to zero, and then float the arm, does the arm exhibit any propensity for swinging in either direction?
 
Then there is an outside chance that it will always be too high. Even so, I would look at alignment, as others have already suggested, because when you played with the adjustment, both channels distorted.
When I blast the 1812 on the Dual 1229Q, with the Micro Acoustics cartridge tracking at 3/4 grams, it tracks like a reel-to-reel tape.
 
And nuthin' tracks like a reel-to-reel! Almost nuthin' anyway.

Judging by the amount of slime the 1019 was covered in, probably hadn't been used since the Eighties. I'm surprised the stylus will still play records at all.
I did order one of those ridiculously expensive overhang checkers. Once it gets here, I'll check alignment. Though allegedly, the stylus tip should line up with the indentations on the sides of the sled.
 
They good for checking stylus wear? I've got the Era III and Era IV records. Tried the Era III record and the old Shure stylus I'm testing was sibilant on the left channel of the Sergio Mendes thing right from the start.
I won't cry if this stylus is shot, I'm expecting it.

The problem I see with using a test record to test a questionable stylus is that if the stylus is worn, won't it ruin the test record?
 
The problem I see with using a test record to test a questionable stylus is that if the stylus is worn, won't it ruin the test record?
Which is the quandary. Doesn't seem to be damaging records.
playing the Era III record on the other table with the good stylus, no Audible damage.
 
I use an Era III all the time and a few others. They all still seem to work just fine. Perhaps it was recommended to change them out often back when they were plentiful, but now they aren’t. Perhaps the advice to change them out a lot is kind of like the 3,000 mile motor oil change recommendation—liberally dusted with OCD good sense and overkill?

I can’t say.

In any case, the only one that I’m aware of that has a stylus wear test is the CBS STR-100, and it’s indirect. In any case, if you can only hear up to 12kHz in your right ear and 14k in your left ear, which the CBS STR-100 gracefully demonstrates to me, it’s of limited value for checking a cartridge up to 20kHz if using one’s ears. You’d need something graphical to accompany it. I can test up to 14kHz with both channels by turning my headphones around, though!!!

I don't really hear any wear, but rule of thumb is 1,000 hours tops for an elliptical stylus. I was leaning toward replacing the Shure with an AT7V cartridge but there's Ebay seller with OE Shure Type II Improved styli for sale. Less than the AT, and that way my dueling Duals will each have a different sonic signature.
 
The easiest, but not necessarily cheapest, way to check for stylus wear is to just replace it. If the new one immediately sounds better, then the old one was worn or damaged and should be discarded. If it doesn't, then put the old stylus back on and keep the new one as a spare until you actually do need it.
 
The easiest, but not necessarily cheapest, way to check for stylus wear is to just replace it. If the new one immediately sounds better, then the old one was worn or damaged and should be discarded. If it doesn't, then put the old stylus back on and keep the new one as a spare until you actually do need it.
And it's peace of mind, if I want to play good records on the 1019 and not just recordings of little value.
The third party styli I've used are decent to excellent but they change the cartridge's character. I can buy an OE, think I'm gonna do it.
 
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