2. analog
  3. 1307158544

Can bad LPs damage good cartridges?

Just getting back into analog after an absence of many years. Got tired of seeing all those albums sitting on the shelves, plus my wife has a collection I've never heard. So I bought a Harman Kardon T-60 in like-new condition and a Forte FP1 phono stage, and now I have a Denon DL-110 cartridge on the way.

Then I started thinking ... should I use a brand new cartridge with worn, old records that were used with cheap needles and undoubtedly were slung onto the carpet, in stacks, at least a couple times?

I plan to ask for a Spin Clean Record Washer Mk II for Father's Day, so at least I'll have something to get some of the gunk out of the grooves.

But what about using the new cartridge with old LPs. Will I be risking damage?
paxpaul
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
I love my Spin Clean.

Twisted logic: Somewhere somebody (maybe even a Linn manual) suggested cleaning records with the STYLUS as it would supposedly do a better job than an LP cleaner...possibly my favorite LP comment EVER.
daverz
487 posts
 
@Wolf_garcia, that's from the Rega manual. Not the only wrongheaded idea from that company.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
Is the lack of easy VTA adjustment another one?
ltodd
14 posts
 
What about records with irregular grooves? I've bought used records that caused the needle to vibrate back and forth so erratically that it jumped. Cleaning had no effect, so I figured the grooves had warped over time and were rendered unplayable.
moonglum
619 posts
 
Ltodd..... I think the phenomenon you are referring to is induced cantilever resonance. This has nothing to do with whether the record is new or old. It has to do with "pinchwarps" (very fast warps) in the vinyl.

Also please note arm/cartridge matching had little relevance in my experience. I had a cart which measured/played almost perfectly (9.6 Hz) and still did this on selected records which I've owned from new.
Your best defence is to get another cart which doesn't react as badly.
More to discover