stylus "break-in"

[Bran Kulez]

In another post, someone got instructions from a vendor to "break-in" a new stylus, more specifically, the suspension, for 20 hours to get rid of distortion.

It seems to me that there are a couple of problems with this advice:

1) if something needs breaking-in, it would continue to break-in and the performance would peak and then start to deteriorate.

2) if the suspension isn't working properly, either during the break-in period or after it starts to deteriorate, mistracking would occur and damage the record groove

I'm curious what others think about this...

[Ldg]

Yes, it's amazing that after all this time apparently we don't even know what is being broken in.......... If anything, I'd venture diamond lapping and the suspension elastomer settling under load seem most likely.

[mrow2]

I am thinking it is to a) work the suspension just a little b) apply a smooth patina on the stylus and also remove any debris stuck to it. I always inspect and clean them right away, too. On cheaper ones sometimes there is glue where it should not be. NOS aometimes has a bit of corrosion too. But the "settle in" notion is as good as any.

[Trackside]

IMO it's 100% the suspension elastomer that needs breaking in. This can be seen by the fact that in my experience new styli need higher then recommended VTF to track properly when new which can be gradually lowered to recommended levels after a certain length of time.

[Bran Kulez]

ld wrote:...I'd venture diamond lapping and the suspension elastomer settling under load seem most likely...

Trackside wrote:...IMO it's 100% the suspension elastomer that needs breaking in...

The diamond lapping part I can understand but settling of a seemingly homogenous material doesn't make sense, to me that is. I'm not an engineer but in my experience with older buildings, the ones built on sand seem to settle less than those built on soil. I'm guessing that this is because sand is homogenous (for lack of an engineering term), and soil can vary in density.

So if my assumption is reasonable and the elastomer does in fact "settle" then maybe it's poorly designed or poorly manufactured...

[Trackside]

So if the elastomer does in fact "settle" then maybe it's poorly designed or poorly manufactured...

- or you need better understanding of the mechanical properties of the materials used in cartridge suspensions

[Bran Kulez]

that was helpful...

[Bran Kulez]

Trackside... please share with us your "better understanding of the mechanical properties of the materials used in cartridge suspensions"

[HT Performance]

I guess you´re both right!

All parts may need some "break-in" to sound properly.

Maybe it´s similar when you rebuild an engine, and there´s a running period, so that parts get properly working all together.

Whether true or false, I felt that my AT120E performs much better after playing about 50 LP´s.

Cheers!

[steve195527]

I have always found this slightly odd:-why manufacture something that doesn't perform at its peak when new?this is going back to the days when you had to run in a car etc,surely the manufacturers choose the materials to perform at their best under the conditions they can control,ie when it is new:-how do they know what temp humidity etc a cartridge is going to be used in once the owner installs it,so to design something that sounds its best after a break in period under uncontrolled conditions seems strange:-I actually wonder whether the break in period is actually a break in period for the owner to get used to the characteristics of their new purchase?

[wordwizard]

Nahh.... it's just so you get used to the crappy sound over time.

You'll assume that when new it sounds like poop and will get better. After a while your ears get used to how it sounds and since you won't have a "before and after" method of comparing it, you'll go on your merry way thinking that what you're getting out of it is the best that it can do.

[Trackside]

Trackside... please share with us your "better understanding of the mechanical properties of the materials used in cartridge suspensions"

I don't have any better understanding other than hearing (and measuring via FFT frequency analysis and bias test records) the phenomenon. That's no worse than blaming manufacturing or design though when you think something should work 100% out of the box. I know why old cars needed running in BTW but it has nothing to do with elastomer material properties - of that I am sure. I could assume however that certain elastomers change their physical characteristics when subject to compression and expansion. If you stretch a balloon prior to blowing it up it's a lot easier for instance - this would indicate at least that some materials with elastic qualities do at least exhibit a similar quality.

[steve195527]

Nahh.... it's just so you get used to the crappy sound over time.

You'll assume that when new it sounds like poop and will get better. After a while your ears get used to how it sounds and since you won't have a "before and after" method of comparing it, you'll go on your merry way thinking that what you're getting out of it is the best that it can do.

see you a hitch-hikers fan as well!

[steve195527]

Trackside... please share with us your "better understanding of the mechanical properties of the materials used in cartridge suspensions"

I don't have any better understanding other than hearing (and measuring via FFT frequency analysis and bias test records) the phenomenon. That's no worse than blaming manufacturing or design though when you think something should work 100% out of the box. I know why old cars needed running in BTW but it has nothing to do with elastomer material properties - of that I am sure. I could assume however that certain elastomers change their physical characteristics when subject to compression and expansion. If you stretch a balloon prior to blowing it up it's a lot easier for instance - this would indicate at least that some materials with elastic qualities do at least exhibit a similar quality.

a 1p balloon is hardly a precision instrument as a cartridge is claimed to be!another analogy to cars is the suspension gets worse with age,including the hydrolastic/hydraulic types used in Citroen and old Leyland cars,I just don't understand how vendors can design a break in criteria in the suspension when they have no idea of the conditions the cartridge will be used in,I also know why old cars needed running in as well,was just using that as an example of something that didn't perform at its best when new(unless you bought an hight performance car with a blue-printed engine!),in fact Millers recommended not using their fancy synthetic oil to do so as it is too slippy