• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Does a new stylus need to break in first?

operaman

operaman

Super Member
I posted earlier but this got no attention, so I'm chalking that up to expressing myself poorly - here's a second try!

Does a Stylus need to break in at first before it plays well? I replaced a stylus on my VR 15 iii and so far the sound is quite bright. At first it even made some nasty crackling sounds. It seems to be smoothing out. I just wondered if this was considered normal, or if I'm experiencing a lemon...
 
Register to hide this ad
The suspension can be stiff- the rubber ring around the stylus shaft- think about breaking in a new pair of shoes.

Some stylii seem to break in in 10-15 minutes, others claim longer.

Regarding the stylus, some folk claim up to 40 hours. Tough to believe a diamond can break in, but after 800 hours, they are worn out, so perhaps this is the case, and there's truth to it, eh?


What brand did you get?


By the way, crackling sounds odd...
 
thanks, Delihaus!
I got the ed saunders. I would have bought the Jico SAS but just didn't want to spend that amount, nor risk breaking/damaging such a thing, at this stage.

The stylus fit oddly loose in the cart at first. It stays in and does not seem to wiggle, though. The crackling/popping seems to have subsided.

Remember the cart was unused for years, and so it could be a result of having the old stylus pulled out and any residue/dust/aging that got stirred up, right?

I'm monitoring it closely! At least I'm enjoying greater, more vibrant highs now!
 
Might also be picking up dirt or dust or record wear the other stylus was unable to recognize due to wear.
 
G'day all, when I first installed the Jico SAS stylus on my M97xE it did some very strange things like that curious and alarming 'quivering', but it all settled down after a few plays. The breaking in of new shoes is an excellent analogy :yes: Regards, Felix aka catman.
 
Short Answer:
Yes; Compliance will change over time and mostly in the very first period, the break in period.

"dolph"
 
I don't know if this is the same thing but when I first installed a brand new Denon DL-160 it snapped and popped for much of the first album side. I thought I might have gotten a defective cartridge. It settled down nicely after the first side.
 
Quality of the aftermarket stylus

makes a big difference. This may account for the change in sound as well as a break in period.

In addition to stylus shape, and cantilever construction, damping, there is the way the diamond is mounted -- a bonded stylus vs. the more expensive higher quality nuded stylus.

A higher quality stylus can produce less noise and sound better.

Ed Saunders is a good guy, you might want to ask him about the noise you are experiencing.

all my best, Stephanie
 
It seems to have settled down completely now, and plays cleanly with no scratching or popping at this point.

I'm not completely satisfied with the sound, it is a tad too bright for my taste and perhaps lacking in lower frequencies, but maybe I should give it some time, and a trial run with a few more LPs before judging too harshly!
 
I for one believe there is a break-in time for new cartridges, and or styli. My very limited belief in this is with a couple of new cartridge's or styli purchases. One was with a new Shure M97Xe, the other was with a replacement stylus for a used ADC XLM MKII cartridge. It was so noticeable that the longer I played them the more I enjoyed them. All the time coming back periodically to a particular LP I was using as a reference as the hours were gathered on the cart or stylus.

There are some that subscribe to using a Burn-In record, one example being the Cardas Frequency Sweep and Burn-In Record, and even others using the run out grooves to break in a new cart/stylus. But I just like hearing the change (good or bad) in the slow lane. Plus it gives me another excuse to listen to more LP's, like I need one. Just my $0.02 worth on the subject.
 
operaman said:
It seems to have settled down completely now, and plays cleanly with no scratching or popping at this point.

I'm not completely satisfied with the sound, it is a tad too bright for my taste and perhaps lacking in lower frequencies, but maybe I should give it some time, and a trial run with a few more LPs before judging too harshly!
Click to expand...

Give it some time. It may fill out. I hated my AT-150mlx when I first used it, now I love it every time it goes back into the system. It was bright and hollow sounding at first, and now it's full and rich, for lack of better descriptors.
 
Check things like the VTA- changing this will affect the sound. Also try the tracking at different weights- just because one table may like 1.5 grams, another may like 1.25 or 1.7.

Experiment with tracking weight and VTA.
 
No. You need a wide range of amplitude and frequencies to really break in a stylus (especially the suspension). Just means you HAVE to listen to music - aw gee :D
 
I've heard 4 different carts. break-in over the last year. Some will sound good after only 10-20 hrs. Some take 40-50 hrs. I've heard the Rega "Exact" cart. and it sounded great right out of the box. Although now after about 10 hours. It is starting to sound even better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom