[Phono-L] Playing two minute wax records with an H or R

[Andrew Baron]

Thanks, Al for these thoughts and observations.

Andy Baron
Santa Fe

On Sep 10, 2008, at 4:34 AM, ClockworkHome at aol.com wrote:

> IMHO - My vote would be NO, NO, and NO.
>
> The effective pressure a stylus exerts on the record is a function  
> of contact
> area.  When a record has the correct diameter stylus riding in the  
> groove the
> weight is distributed evenly across the total contact.  To put a 4  
> minute
> stylus in the middle of a 2 minute groove raises the effective  
> contact pressure
> by having a smaller contact point.  It is the same weight but on a  
> much smaller
> area.  I have examined 2 minute records played with the wrong 4  
> minute stylus
> under a microscope and can see the new track cut into the wax and a  
> path of
> compression on a 2 minute celluloid which did handle the pressure  
> much better
> but was not completely unmarred.
>
> The Diamond B has a round point contact as opposed to the elliptical  
> contact
> area of the doorknob C and H styli.  The effective pressure per unit  
> area on
> the recording medium is thus higher than the elliptical.  I would  
> surmise that
> some deformation of the 2 minute groove occurs.  I may get out my  
> microscope
> and check at some future slack time.
>
> I have a number of Bacigalupi brown wax recordings that were not  
> done with a
> pantograph copier but were individual takes.  While not great they  
> are very
> presentable.  I took one that was not too hot and tried a Model C on  
> it.  The
> wax was deformed with peaks being worn.  The stylus ended up with a  
> wax build up
> on it.  When played with an Automatic the distortion was very  
> apparent up to
> the point I quit playing with the Model C.
>
> Occasionally one may find a 4 minute R that has been fitted with a 2  
> minute
> stylus by someone along the way.  It will play 2 minute records very  
> well as
> will an N with a 2 minute stylus.  The bugbear of the R and S is  
> that getting
> the swollen potmetal out of the adapter shoe is a pain when one  
> wants to put in
> new gaskets and service the diaphragm.  A rebuilt R with a tuned up  
> diaphragm
> and 2 minute stylus plays records very well.
>
> There is one more dimension to stylus pressure problems.  A sapphire  
> 4 minute
> stylus will flatten more quickly on celluloid than wax Amberols.   
> The flat
> spot will damage wax Amberols when it gets too wide.  Even the  
> diamond stylus
> will eventually become worn and thus increase wear on even the Blue  
> Amberols.
>
> There is a reason that "modern" LP turntables strove to get the  
> tracking
> weight down below 2 grams.  Less record wear was the goal.  Edison  
> was no doubt
> aware of the problem when the company trimmed the weights on the O  
> reproducers
> to a trowel shape.  Why they did not do all the O weights this way  
> consistently
> is a mystery with an answer sitting somewhere in the Edison Site  
> vault.
>
> Kindest Wishes to All,
>
> Al
>
>
>
>
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