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Oh no, there's metal in your records!

IMO, this is completely out of left field. But, here’s the story. On Saturday, there was a "seminar" at the local stereo shop about why you should listen to high quality records. It turned out to be a 3 hour commercial for this dude who wants to market his services as a "HQ record shopper" of sorts. For a mere $240, you get an annual subscription to his services. You pick a title, and he will find the "best available" version of the record... so you can buy it. And, when he brings it to you, he’ll bring other similar records for you to buy. Most of these records are in the $50 to $100 range, so this "service" clearly not for me. Plus, I kind of like the hunt for a gem.

Anyway, the point of the post: One thing he said is that some older vinyl has metallic content embedded in the vinyl, and that it can interact with your cartridge’s magnet, causing distortion. Therefore, you should only buy the newest, most pristine (hence most expensive) vinyl records... from him, of course. I didn’t want to challenge him on the spot in front of others, but in my mind I’m thinking this is the most ridiculous claim I’ve ever heard. Even more ridiculous than gems you place on your speakers to change the way they sound... but, I digress. I understand he wants to show the true value of his "service"... but, seriously? Interesting business idea... but metal in the vinyl?

Just for fun, I did a little bit of google searching for metal in vinyl, and I found links to Metallica and Whitesnake records, but no stories about the metal embedded in the vinyl. So, can you prove me wrong, or just remind me that I’m not all that gullible. Please! Anyone have any information about such a wild claim?
128x128soundermn
moonglum
619 posts
 
Lewm,
Are you suggesting that the widespread and longstanding concerns over non-virgin vinyl are merely an Urban Myth?
Kind regards,
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

There are all kinds of particles neither of them should be

in the groove nor on the stylus.

soundermn's avatar
soundermn OP
344 posts
 
I don't believe that "hunks" of vinyl are randomly ground off the record and then stick to my cantilever.  If that were the case, over time, the cantilever would become larger and the records would be smooth and make no sound.  

I think the crap you see stuck to the cantilever is more likely dust and particles that were attracted to the album by static, and are now attracted to the stylus by static. 
lewm
13,087 posts
 
Moon, I guess I am suggesting that I don't know and don't much care about non-virgin vinyl.  I would not characterize the question as a "concern" that is "widespread and longstanding".  I would, however, be interested to know if anyone has a solid basis for believing that LPs contain magnetizable materials, just out of curiosity.  No one here seems to have such evidence.
moonglum
619 posts
 

The plot thickens…

According to one of the World’s top cartridge makers/builders/re-builders, acquired magnetic particulates inside the cartridge generator are not an occasional occurrence (as I would have thought and implied earlier) but a surprisingly COMMON occurrence…

Without wishing to replace one question with another we must look towards accessories or machinery which produce/”exhale” magnetic particulates such that the cartridge generator is in a position to “Hoover them up”. My opinion is that this could only happen easily if the source were proximal i.e. if the particulates were attached to or lying upon the vinyl surface whilst the cartridge passed over them.

I can’t see many turntable enthusiasts playing their vinyl with the lid off while someone uses a hammer drill on the wall above ;^)

Nor do I see anyone playing music whilst the vacuum cleaner flashes past the turntable, blasting hot air at it. ;^)

Turntable motors are generally shielded and highly magnetic inside, making it harder for magnetic particulates to escape (and then they would have to cover real distance to the cartridge).

Even accepting that the material might be conveniently located it isn’t THAT easy for the cart to absorb them because it is well encapsulated and there are barriers. The pull of the magnet IS powerful but there are obstacles.


Since the appearance of magnetic “crud” inside a cartridge is a confirmed FACT, where is this acquired material coming from?

The cartridge certainly isn’t spontaneously synthesizing it out of thin air otherwise cartridge builders would be seriously worried.

Answers/theories on a postcard please. ;^)

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