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Fatman
05-16-2007, 08:02 AM
I recently bought a used Rega P3 with a Dynavector 10x5 cartridge. I’m having a blast spinning my vinyl that has been in storage since about 1987. I forgot that I have a fair collection of MFSL vinyl and a few Masterdiscs (?).

I was told that the table and cartridge only have a few hundred hours of use. Not having spun records for about 20 years, I’m a little freaked out by potentially not having everything setup properly. When I set up the table out of the box, the first thing I noticed was that the cartridge was way out of alignment according to the simple Rega protractor. Also, there was no spacer to accommodate the tall Dynavector cartridge. I fixed both those issues based on the wealth of info on this site.

Anyway, after reading a ton of posts, I cleaned the Dynavector stylus with a Magic Eraser (ME). My concern is that I was too aggressive, sweeping the ME back-to-front like a stylus brush. The next record I played was the Allman Brothers – Brothers and Sisters. I have no idea how this vinyl should sound, but it basically sucked. I went back to a reference disc (MFSL Grateful Dead American Beauty), and all seemed fine. However, I can’t help think I may have damaged the stylus tip. I’ve inspected the tip with a magnifying glass, but I don’t really know what it should look like – It does not seem to have much of a vertical point to it.

Hopefully I’m worrying over nothing and need to accept the fact that there is good vinyl and bad vinyl (much like there are good and bad CDs). Anyone have any clear close-up photos of a Dynavector 10x5 stylus tip?

Anthony

marcb
05-16-2007, 09:41 AM
Be careful with the ME. Read the follwing for info on it and it's proper use:

http://www.analoglovers.com/page18.html

My guess would be that if the MFSL Grateful Dead LP sounded okay after your cleaning "mishap", you probably didn't do any damage. It is quite possible that the Allmans LP simply sucks.

Jay F
05-16-2007, 09:47 AM
You'll find lots of people with Magic Eraser experience on vinyl asylum:

http://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/etv.pl?forum=vinyl

vinyl anachronist
05-16-2007, 11:28 AM
I've tried the ME, and basically I think the Onzow Zerodust is much safer for your cartridge, especially the cantilever!

KeninDC
05-16-2007, 11:31 AM
If it makes you feel any better, my Capricorn LP of ABB's "Brothers and Sisters" is not the best sounding LP out there. Distorted and muddy.

mikelakers
05-16-2007, 12:59 PM
I've spoke to Doug(who wrote the artical on ME) several times, and he says if the previous owner does not use ME, there may be an overloaded of vinyl molecule bonding to the stylus that is beyond ME cleaning.

BTW, I'm not impress with how original Allman's Bro & Sis pressing sounds either. If you like that album so much, try MFSL 200 gram Anadisc pressing.

Ian Lascell
05-16-2007, 01:06 PM
Brothers and Sisters is a poor recording. Extremely muddy. Even the best versions aren't all that great. Too bad, it's a great album. Definitely use something else to judge your cartridge with.

Frumaster
05-16-2007, 01:35 PM
Its also pretty much impossible to tell what the needle looks like without a microscope. I wouldnt worry about it. If you had really damaged the stylus, everything would sound bad.

Fatman
05-17-2007, 08:00 AM
Thanks for all the responses - I feel better already. The analoglovers article and audioasylum posts are what had me nervous - I read those before I bought the table, but forgot all the warnings about careful use of the ME.

I've also read warnings that you should not have the Dynavector re-tipped. What are the symptoms that would make you consider re-tipping or replacing a cartridge (I'm assuming the 10x5 stylus cannot be replaced)?

Anthony