Does your Turntable stack records? Do you use this feature?

[biscuithead]

Stacking records is a pastime, and I like doing it now and then. I don't do it with 90% of my album collection. Probably half of my turntables are stackers because I am an idler nut, and it is fun to exercise the mechanisms, just to see if they need a little love. I feel like a clock repair guy that has wind-ups, kinetics, battery-power, and digital... Love them all!

 

[JimmyEJames]

As others have said, the raised lip and label prevented the grooves from coming in contact. I saw a lot of damage back in the day due to failure to sleeve records, or in discarding the inner sleeve, both of which probably did more damage than the stackers.

But radio stations even way back then typically did not play full album sides (the silence between tracks is called "dead air" and is to be avoided at all costs!). Waiting for a changer to cycle would be even worse.

Record changers are hard on records do what you want think what you like
Record changers are hard on records and nothing will ever change that
I probably have 2 or 3 hundred Lps that do NOT have raised lead ins mainly Blue Notes and I am not putting deep groove Blue Notes on a "stacker" them or any other Lp I care for sorry ; - (

As for radio station search and study AOR
JJ

 

[JimmyEJames]

My dad has stacked records since the fifties. He is old enough to be all of your dads. He still stacks them records. He never ever cleans them but they are in good shape anyway. Trust me. He still plays them on his old H-K "The Lute" with his 18" Wolverines or whatever gigantic diameter they are.

So what is point?

 

[dcmfan]

As for radio station search and study

Former music director and DJ from the early days of free format FM onward. Lived it. Loved it. If there was money in it I'd still be doing it!

 

[JimmyEJames]

Former music director and DJ from the early days of free format FM onward. Lived it. Loved it. If there was money in it I'd still be doing it!

So why that blanket statement on FM stations?
JJ

 

[dcmfan]

So why that blanket statement on FM stations?
JJ

Haha! Actually was providing specifics to counter this generalization:

No radio station or serious about sound quality user like BBC ever use changers

I never saw a changer in a radio station, but sound quality, snack breaks or bathroom breaks wasn't the reason. Album sides and even full albums would get played periodically, but the standard practice everywhere I worked was to mix song to song across the two turntables, and the goal was to blend the set as seamlessly as possible. A changer is about as far removed from this as you could get.

My tables have always been single play, but flipping records manually is part of the fun. I think the old mechanical changers are amazingly intricate machines, they're just not for me. And I don't think changers as a general rule destroy records. Remember, also, that the sound comes from within the grooves, not the surface. I've got some records with visible marks across tracks that play silently.

Reply if you like, but I suspect you and I are more in agreement than opposition on this.

 

[JimmyEJames]

Haha! Actually was providing specifics to counter this generalization:



I never saw a changer in a radio station, but sound quality, snack breaks or bathroom breaks wasn't the reason. Album sides and even full albums would get played periodically, but the standard practice everywhere I worked was to mix song to song across the two turntables, and the goal was to blend the set as seamlessly as possible. A changer is about as far removed from this as you could get.

My tables have always been single play, but flipping records manually is part of the fun. I think the old mechanical changers are amazingly intricate machines, they're just not for me. And I don't think changers as a general rule destroy records. Remember, also, that the sound comes from within the grooves, not the surface. I've got some records with visible marks across tracks that play silently.

Reply if you like, but I suspect you and I are more in agreement than opposition on this.

I don't agree with you on anything and I have absolutely NO IDEA why you even write word opposition
Opposition to what?
And now you talking about destroying records nobody said anything about destroy?
Have a nice evening
JJ

 

[dcmfan]

I don't agree with you on anything and I have absolutely NO IDEA why you even write word opposition
Opposition to what?
And now you talking about destroying records nobody said anything about destroy?
Have a nice evening
JJ

Yeah, you're clearly spoiling for a fight, and not just with me.

Not in the mood for it. See ya.

 

[jeffpaletz]

I don't understand how 60 is too young to know records from 60s?
I am younger than you!
Majority of changers from mid 60s through 70s also have swing over arms the side drop style is much older like Garrard Type A and was dropped by most cost too much swing arm easier and cheaper to build
Dual was unique with their design
Does not matter think what you want to be happy!
Stack your records! ; - )
JJ

I did not get my first stereo until 1972 when I was in high school. Until then I used my parent's system. In the 60s they had a Fisher stereo receiver, a Sony reel to reel tape deck, Wharfdale speakers and a Garrard turntable which could stack records. It had no swing over arm but did have a stacking spindle that some call an Umbrella style. The records were held up by three fingers that protruded from the spindle which retracted in order to drop one record, similar to what Technics uses. You seem to think that all changers in the 60s had swing over arms, but that is not true with higher quality equipment. I have some of my mom's records and they sound great, like new. Again, no damage from stacking with this type of spindle.

 

[JimmyEJames]

You seem to think that all changers in the 60s had swing over arms, but that is not true with higher quality equipment. I have some of my mom's records and they sound great, like new. Again, no damage from stacking with this type of spindle.

Absolutely NO idea why you say I think that that?
Stack away!
JJ

 

[eb2jim]

I have several stackers. My two favorite tts are stackers, a bic 980 and Technics 1350. I do stack 45's on occasion, and lips for fun once or twice a year. Doesn't do a dang bit of damage to vinyl. Old wives tale. Not the best audio playback messing with the vta but doesn't harm them. Unless you have a junk needle or you track like lead. Fun read.

 

[JimmyEJames]

Old wives tale.

Old wives tale about record changers and whether hurt records or not?
Are you sure about that?
Whose wives? Which wives? Were the hell did I die?
JJ

 

[audiojones]

Old wives tale about record changers and whether hurt records or not?
Are you sure about that?
Whose wives? Which wives? Were the hell did I die?
JJ

I guess you don't feel like we do

I've still got some Garrard changers around here that use overarms (SL-65 and the like) but the arms don't contact the record surface when swung into place. There's actually a pretty good amount of clearance between the arm and the record surface on the spindle, the arm fork only contacts the label area of the LP and you have to pull the arm way up to swing it over. Even with 45's it has a raised area that prevents it from scuffing the record surface.

Anyway, doesn't really matter. Changers are fun and kind of convenient, I use them occasionally but truthfully I wouldn't put my best pristine copies in a stack just on general principle. I do have lots of albums that i don't mind stacking and they don't seem to be getting any worse after all these years of occasional changer use.

 

[eb2jim]

Old wives tale about record changers and whether hurt records or not?
Are you sure about that?
Whose wives? Which wives? Were the hell did I die?
JJ

Now i don't recall stacking Comes Alive but I'm fairly certain between 50-80% of the original copies were. Many dropped on a Colaro GE Wildcat or Zenith Console, etc. if the needle was bad - or stylus if you will - you got a damaged disc. The physical evidence of the bazillion copies sold used suggests not. Or the mm orig copy of Midnight Blue I pulled out of an RCA console at a garage sale ($1) would as well. Otherwise if I were to buy into the idea that a spindle drop would damage the vinyl, or sitting on a copy of Grease would, then we all have to believe that physically putting an lp on any platter must damage the lp as well. I don't. You can.

 

[tube-a-lou]

I just voted and no I do not stack records!

 

[SSaxdude]

Even if stackers don't damage records, I would never play more than 2 LP sides without cleaning the stylus off. I clean my styli after every side.

 

[Son-of-Vere]

My BSR junker that's in the bedroom system does this, I only put crap records from GW on it thou.
Most stackers tended to run conical needles so VTA wasn't a big factor and that's what's on mine. My main collection will never see this table, stacked or not.

 

[getter365]

Look what stacking did to my Eagles album. I am returning this turntable for a full refund, plus the cost of replacing the album.



As I mentioned before, I do stack LP records on occasion (but 45s are more fun to stack). These days I mostly play one album at a time, but that is not because I am worried about record wear, but because that is the way I listen these days. It is fun to stack a bunch of Christmas albums or when listening to my Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet three album set, or similar, which is made for stacking three and then flipping three and they stay in the correct order. Some double albums are made like this too, where one lp is side 1 and 4 and one is side 2 and 3.

When an album drops onto another one, there is that momentary rubbing 'twixt the two 'til both attain the same speed, but the rubbing is not enough to generate any detrimental heat, so it is negligible. As far as basic damage due to mechanical forces, I feel albums are tough enough to not be damaged by this. And as one other person mention, the air pressure slows the drop. Of course dirty albums rubbing on dirty albums is not a good situation. I think I'd be more concerned with wearing out of the spindle holes than any actual damage to the grooves (of course, this being in an extreme case - one that I will never witness). Cheers !!

 

[tcdriver]

Look what stacking did to my Eagles album. I am returning this turntable for a full refund, plus the cost of replacing the album.

Now, that is one funny record.

 

[jeffpaletz]

Obviously the label is not centered on the record. Thanks for the picture. I had one record like that where the label was so far off that it was into the lead out grooves of the record as yours is too. Are you able to play the record all the way to the end? Is Garrard even still in business?