Stylus Microscopes

[absolon]

I've sorted out the software issue, turns out the Intel software really, really prefers to export bitmaps instead of jpegs. Here are a few more shots.

Three pictures of a Jico V15E with varying grades of illumination. Darkest is LEDs only, next is LEDs and built-in overhead microscope light, brightest is LEDs, overhead and supplemental light from bottom side of photo. Stylus has about 50-60 hours of use.

Last photo is the microscope and sidelight setup.

Right side of photos is inboard side of stylus, cantilever enters from top on all photos. I've eyeballed the stylus to perpendicular and sidelights are as close to 180 degrees apart on 90 degree axis as my eyes can make them. Due to shrouds on the microscope, I can't increase the sidelight angle above the horizontal plane any more than the 5 or so degrees I have. Moving the sidelights closer in brightens the picture. These were taken with lights at about 2" from stylus.

Resolution of the photos is 600x800 pixels, in theory the magnification is 200x or so the manufacturer claims. I measure approx. 5" across the end of the cantilever on the screen. 1/200th of that is .025", slightly less than 1/32", a dimension that seems not far off the actual width of the cantilever. Focus can't be adjusted much finer and pictures are a bit pixellated.

Centering the stylus is a piece of cake by moving through 10x, 60x and then 200x

 

[absolon]

I'm having difficulty uploading more photos, AK server doesn't like my slow dialup.

I will post a series of comparative pics of 5 different styli later when it might be more co-operative.

It's worth comparing the first shot of the Jico stylus in the preceeding post with the one of the Ortofon VMS20EO MkII I posted earlier. It was apparent from the wear on the TT it came from that it was a higher hour stylus and the photo seems to confirm that. That photo is the same size but cropped.

 

[doctorbongo]

Damn, Fred. I gotta tell you how much I appreciate your contributions. When everything gets skewed, there you are, just sticking to the topic, and ILLUMINATING the darkness. When the next "member of the year" (sorry, i think of you in higher terms than "member," but that's the title), I will be lobbying for you.

 

[absolon]

Some comparative shots with sidelights only

First is RXT6 with less than one hour.

Next is AT125LC followed by Pickering V15-AME, Stanton 500 spherical and ADC TS-1, all with unknown hours.

Conditions were as close to standardized as possible. All cartridges came from turntables in reasonably good condition except the Ortofon VMS20EO MKII in the first post which came from a TT obviously heavily used.

 

[the-real-mandak]

HI All,
A few months ago I started a thread concerning stylus microscopes. Since a real stylus microscope is a rare item and expensive many of you wrote that you were going to explore alternatives.

I've not heard anything about your experiences. How did they turn out? Did you find anything that was close to useful? The analog world needs to know.

Thanks, Sparky

After the pics I posted in the old thread a thousand things came in the way (as usually), but I am setting up a workshop where I can explore this and many other things.

The results I got were about the same as absolon, I still believe I need a 2x eyepiece to get real usable images.

If I would start again, I think a normal 300x microscope with a webcam or small security camera mounted will give the best results.

----EDIT----

Something like this: http://www.surveillance-video.com/w2bwminbulca.html

 

[goldear]

Some comparative shots with sidelights only

First is RXT6 with less than one hour.

Next is AT125LC followed by Pickering V15-AME, Stanton 500 spherical and ADC TS-1, all with unknown hours.

Conditions were as close to standardized as possible. All cartridges came from turntables in reasonably good condition except the Ortofon VMS20EO MKII in the first post which came from a TT obviously heavily used.

Great work absolon!

 

[absolon]

Thanks goldear. The results are less than ideal, but certainly more than adequate to judge the condition of a stylus. I'll find it a handy bit of equipment I think.

 

[soundseeker]

Some comparative shots with sidelights only

First is RXT6 with less than one hour.

Next is AT125LC followed by Pickering V15-AME, Stanton 500 spherical and ADC TS-1, all with unknown hours.

Conditions were as close to standardized as possible. All cartridges came from turntables in reasonably good condition except the Ortofon VMS20EO MKII in the first post which came from a TT obviously heavily used.

Going by those pictures,would the last 4 stylus(?) be considered worn out? Excellent pictures to illustrate what Karma16 has been talking about!Would this also show that some adjustment should be made to correct something?Thanks to you guys for sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

 

[Doug G.]

Hi soundseeker,

I don't know if you are aware that this thread is from over a year ago but it doesn't really matter anyway.

I love this stuff and I will stick my neck out and say I think that all of the styli are still useable. The wear patterns are fairly equal on both sides and if you compare to the first which has less than an hour on it, they don't look too bad.

The photos are fabulous and represent great work on absolon's part.

EDIT: I mean all of the styli in the last set of photos, of course.

Doug

 

[absolon]

Thanks Doug.

The first photo of the Ortofon I think shows a good deal of wear. The spots show up as elongated, almost crescent shaped and are uneven. The AT125LC (second of the five shots) shows not much wear but it is uneven. I used that stylus recently as a temporary fill-in until the new one for my AT152LP came in and it sounded and tracked fine so it is still playable. I acquired it used but think anti-skate must have been set incorrectly by whoever owned the turntable I acquired it with and same for the Ortofon.

 

[Koptapad]

You can really make a determination from those photos? How about these photos?

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=138956

 

[Daravon]

I could put my styluses in the SEM at work. I'm not sure how they ground the stylus to the stage, though.

 

[Koptapad]

I could put my styluses in the SEM at work. I'm not sure how they ground the stylus to the stage, though.

You're right. You have to basically ruin the cart to use a SEM.

 

[similost]

You can really make a determination from those photos? How about these photos?

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=138956

WOW.. those are some spectacular pictures.. SO.. that just goes to solve the question... We all need to get electron microscopes so we can tell when our stylus is dirty, and needs to be replaced.. the hell with hour meters and counters and all that.. you'll know instantly with just one look...

 

[Doug G.]

Thanks Doug.

The first photo of the Ortofon I think shows a good deal of wear. The spots show up as elongated, almost crescent shaped and are uneven. The AT125LC (second of the five shots) shows not much wear but it is uneven. I used that stylus recently as a temporary fill-in until the new one for my AT152LP came in and it sounded and tracked fine so it is still playable. I acquired it used but think anti-skate must have been set incorrectly by whoever owned the turntable I acquired it with and same for the Ortofon.

You're welcome.

I agree with your findings and also, the last photo shows a little more wear on the other side but I don't think it's enough to make it unuseable.

The smallness of the reflections (mostly just little pinpoints of light) indicates that the amount of wear is small even if they are not perfectly round. It is easy to see on the first photo of the Ortofon that it is approaching the end. :tears:

Doug

 

[Doug G.]

You can really make a determination from those photos? How about these photos?

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=138956

Your photos are astounding :thmbsp: and I do remember them but most of us don't have access to an electron microscope. Of course, photos of that clarity and magnification would be ideal.

I do think it is possible to make a determination of the suitability of a stylus, however, based on the sidelight reflections.

I have never liked the idea of just throwing a stylus out based on the number of hours without inspecting it. I do realize, of course, that that is the only recourse for many as they may not even have access to standard microscopes of sufficient magnification. :sigh:

Doug

 

[Koptapad]

Your ...

I do think it is possible to make a determination of the suitability of a stylus, however, based on the sidelight reflections....

Doug

I know, I just wanted to share the photos with you guys. The stylus in the photos was a super cheap one. Someday I will check my old OM-10, but it only had a 100 or so hours on it so I don't expect to see much.

 

[Doug G.]

I know, I just wanted to share the photos with you guys. The stylus in the photos was a super cheap one. Someday I will check my old OM-10, but it only had a 100 or so hours on it so I don't expect to see much.

I know that you know that I know that you know.

But, on a less serious note; What would be neat is to do the electron microscope thing on a stylus that is suspected of being really worn and have it borne out by the images. You know, with really big wear spots.

I might even be willing to contribute my old V15 Type III stylus from the seventies as a subject. It really doesn't sound very good at all and I suspect it is worn out and only inspected it once years ago and it was OK at that time. I haven't since had it looked at or looked at it myself.

Doug

 

[absolon]

I'd contribute the worn Ortofon stylus that was the subject of my first picture to a project like this. If interested, PM me an address and I'll mail it.

It would be very interesting to see the SEM pictures to compare.

 

[CUlater]

Cool thread...I vaguely remembered this discussion when I saw the Intel Play QX3 USB microscope yesterday at the thrift store. I picked it up for $3 and can't wait to play with it tonight!