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How do tell when my stylus is too much worn?

I have had my MC cartridge for about 5 years. I haven't kept a proper log but I would guess about 7-800 hrs. How can I tell BY LISTENING that it is worn enough to replace or retip? Does it get edgy or shrill or....?
I suspect that the change would be so gradual that it might be hard to tell, as the ear slowly accomodates.
Of course I should remove the cartridge and view under a microscope but un mounting and remounting is a perilous business that I would like to avoid.


rrm
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
another one of signs of warn stylus is it's not erect anymore and may fall down almost to the chassis under normal tracking weight.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

czarivey, You are obviously confused : ''erection problem'' is

called ''low riders'' , stylus wear may look as similar but is

totally different problem. The problem of this problem is ''anybody

guess'' as can be seen in this thread. From 500 till at least 2000

hours are opinion differences. Even worst are opinions about

''records vulnerability'' According to some real experts 5 g VTF

is no problem at all. I.e. 0,5 g is much more dangerous.

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rauliruegas
13,101 posts
 
Dear @don_c55 : "  I have old records played many times on cheap old MM cartridges from the early 70’s that sound "mint" with expensive properly setup MC cartridges of today. "

in those old times cartridge stylus tip was conical that let the deep information recorded in the grooves " untouchable " , so are as " new " and with line contact shapes that information comes alive for the very first time. Yes, LP surface is resistent to the stylus tip very hard friction. Now, that for whatever reasons we are not aware either the stylus tip wear levels or LP surface damages does not means is happening each time we use that cartridge and any LP.
My take is to try stay " always " in a safe umbral.

Btw, @boxer12, I listen both sourcves but a little more on analog. I own 100+ MM/MC cartridges and normally I don't stick with one of them but more rotating . I still own cartridges that I never tested yet.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
don_c55
1,025 posts
 
Raul

The MM cartridges that I referred to from the 70's were Shure M97 and were elliptical not conical!

It is more about the size of the diamond tip than shape.
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rauliruegas
13,101 posts
 
Dear @don_c55 : Yes,but M97 came with different stylus shape and inside the shape different dimension. They came: conical, two different ellipthical and hiperellipthical too.

Anyway, microridge or replicant or VDH2 goes deeper in the grooves and this helps in the quelity of listen levels. Of course that with today stylus shape the cartridge parameters for the set up has no " margin " to error if we want top quality performance levels.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
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