A stylus should not be worn out after 100-150 hours of play. My cartridge was 7 years old before I had it repaired and that was only because I was clumsy and bent the cantilever when cleaning the stylus. I would check your tracking force, stylus overhang and if the height of the arm is adjustable, try different heights. Also I would try it without the mat and see if it makes a difference.
Ortofon 2m Bronze on a Pioneer PLX-1000
Hello, I currently have a Pioneer PLX-1000 turntable running an Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge on it. I'm at about roughly the 125-150 hour mark on the cartridge and the sound is starting to become thin. Lacking much mid-bass it appears. Highs are still clean for the most part but i can tell something is off from the sound I was originally getting from this cartridge.
I got the USB microscope out that I own to get a better look at the stylus. I'm aware that this is a nude fine line diamond stylus however I have no idea what one should look like after 100+ or so hours of use. I have several pictures I can display perhaps through a link? Is that how it works on this forum?
Here are some more details about my setup that could also be affecting this matter. I use a Funk Firm Achromat "mat" placed directly on the platter. It's rather thin. The Ortofon Bronze cartridge itself is 18mm high and the Pioneer PLX's lowest arm height setting is for cartridges 19mm and up. So perhaps Im not getting the proper angle due to that one mm? Or do I have that all wrong on how that works lol?
I play a combination of new and used vinyl of all thickness. Every one is wet cleaned with a basic spin clean record washer system before going into my collection.
I know this cartridge is overkill for this turntable and my other thought was that the PLX tonearm is just not delicate enough for the bronze cart?
Any help or suggestions of possibly a different cartridge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! -Chris
I got the USB microscope out that I own to get a better look at the stylus. I'm aware that this is a nude fine line diamond stylus however I have no idea what one should look like after 100+ or so hours of use. I have several pictures I can display perhaps through a link? Is that how it works on this forum?
Here are some more details about my setup that could also be affecting this matter. I use a Funk Firm Achromat "mat" placed directly on the platter. It's rather thin. The Ortofon Bronze cartridge itself is 18mm high and the Pioneer PLX's lowest arm height setting is for cartridges 19mm and up. So perhaps Im not getting the proper angle due to that one mm? Or do I have that all wrong on how that works lol?
I play a combination of new and used vinyl of all thickness. Every one is wet cleaned with a basic spin clean record washer system before going into my collection.
I know this cartridge is overkill for this turntable and my other thought was that the PLX tonearm is just not delicate enough for the bronze cart?
Any help or suggestions of possibly a different cartridge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! -Chris
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