I purchased the EN (orange) last year which has been lovely and I plan on upgrading to the ML - sadly, I've recently been noticing some significant sibilance on records (and I'm fairly certain it's new / worse than before) which I need to solve. Ordered a digital microscope to inspect the stylus before moving forward.
I went from an nude elliptical stylus on an AT450 to an ML stylus on the VM95 on my GR and noticed that a few albums that exhibited sibilance no longer did. That was a stylus revelation! Those same albums played on my SL-QL1 with the AT450 exhibit their sibilance again.
Hmm.. yeah it could be me playing it up to be far worse than it is... I've recently been doing rips of some albums and monitoring via headphones which is how I really started to notice it. Re-checked my alignment, etc. Put on a brand new copy of Van Halen and Ice Cream Mean exhibits it a few times on the vocals, also a few parts of Pink Floyd's Brain Damage ("I'll see you on the dark side of the moon") on two different copies [compared to CD, there's something]. Only about 100 hours on the stylus so it's either damage, I'm an idiot with alignment/setup or I'm crazy
I’d just move on to the ML rather than trying to inspect an elliptical stylus that is likely just worn out, anyway.
Just cleaned my ML and put on the test tracks on the Hi-Fi news. If it doesn't sail through the third track it's done.
Curiosity got the better of me so I picked up the Shibata stylus to try out. Just slapped it on last night so it'll be a bit before I can draw any conclusions. Also pictured is the nude elliptical that came installed on my Sol (which I'll admit I've never actually listened to since I had the fully broken-in ML stylus I immediately installed.)
Being the cheapskate I am, I find the ML a better value with its longer lifespan but I've read a number of people say they feel the Shibata has a certain smoothness the ML doesn't. I'll be curious to read your take on it.
Yeah... maybe it is from wear.. I just figured 100 hours is a bit short. have it on a Technics SL-1900 Things sound good otherwise, loud or soft. I performed reset of the overhang and alignment this morning just to be certain. It also might not be as bad as I'm thinking it is, but I am hearing it :/
Ah, yes, 100 hours is less than I was assuming based on the statement that it was purchased last year. It shouldn’t be worn out at that point. Still, the ML, properly aligned, should eliminate any of that unless it’s on the records themselves.
Yeah.. I don't think it's the recordings - however, I think it's just how it is and I'm expecting these really hard S'es to not have any issues on vinyl, especially being physically past the half-way point where IGD/sibilance issues can happen easier. Took a rip of Ice Cream Man in case anyone wants to tell me it sounds fine and I'm nuts or yes, I've got some issue with me setup (still eyeing the ML but want to know I'm not going to wear it out prematurely with a poor setup)
Hi! Were you able to simply pull out the ML and put on the SH without removing the whole cartdridge? I tried it with the E and was not able to remove the ML. It was so tight that I have to detach the whole cartdridge to change the stylus. Bye Andrea
FWIW I move between the ML, SH and C styli with ease. I'm not sure if there's a "knack" to it, but I find once I pull in the right direction they move easily. I can't even remember which cartridge body I'm using, but I think it's the ML. Of course, I'm sure there's some random variation and you might be just unlucky.
It's quite a sibilant recording to start with, so I guess it may be just cut a little too hot. Compare: Are you using the stock alignment on your SL-1900? That would be the MKI version, right? The stock alignment on these keeps the distortion at the inner grooves very low. This allows for some aligment error, as distortion increases quite a bit more towards the end of the record if the offset angle is off. I guess this is why IGD is more of an issue towards the end of the record.
The fit was tight enough that I removed the tonearm to lay upside-down on the platter so I could hold it down and grip the stylus better. The unconstrained unipivot of the Sol arm is very "jiggly" and was tough to keep steady otherwise. It was a very quick process regardless, the arm just lifts off and then sits back on the pivot. I don't imagine it would have been an issue at all on my SL-1200 arm which is well anchored at the pivot/gimbal.
Ah, questions I'm not sure I have the answer to I assume I'm using stock alignment? I think there was just one SL-1900 model made All I have is a simple paper protractor that came with my Shure M97xE and an overhang gauge.
Ah, right. No MK2 for this model. Which did you use? The overhang gauge or the protractor? Hopefully not both, as they are most likely incompatible with each other.
Your setup seems/sounds to be fine, but of course I cannot tell for sure. I always blame the cut of the record - I think a record should play without sibilance with a normal elliptical, because that's the norm. I cannot be sure but I think the ML stylus will tame and probably eliminate the sibilance in a needledrop from that track on that record.
I initially set the overhang and then made any adjustments for alignment with the protractor. So... One thing I was 'cheating' on double checking was tracking force, just used a scale to confirm weight. To be absolutely sure I wasn't messing it up I zeroed out the counterweight and as I was letting it settle to its horizontal level, the tonearm started pulling back even though anti-skate is at 0 Perplexed - I checked the level of the table and it seems OK. So I took the tonearm, moved it above the platter and tilted the turntable on an angle (right side lifted up, tilting to the left side) only to watch the tonearm still pull back. I think my anti-skate is in need of repair :|
The protractor will give you a different overhang and offset angle than the overhang gauge. You really shouldn't use the two together. If you use a protractor for double checking, you have to make sure it's compatible. This arc protractor should be an exact match for the alignment with your gauge: Technics SL-1900 CUSTOM IEC arc protractor | AlignmentProtractor.com Have you ever used an arc protractor? You first set the overhang by placing the stylus on the arc and checking if it traces it over its entire length. Once the stylus follows the arc, the platter/protractor must not be moved anymore and you can set the zenith angle on either of the grids.
Thanks So I used this and it seems the stylus follows along the arc just right. Looked like very minor adjustments needed but the headshell/stylus seem to lineup in the grids just right as well (took some overhead pics to try and confirm alignment with 'alignment assistance' turned on to ensure camera wasn't at an angle) I do wonder tho... with my tonearm pulling back 0g on the counterweight and 0 on the anti-skate, even when tilted on an angle... maybe it's been pulling all this time and causing additional wear which is starting to become worse? Might be time to service this ~40 year old turntable...
That's good. Maybe have a look at the cantilever from a low angle (with the eye just above the platter) as well. For me this was the easiest way to see if it aligns with the center line. The other grid lines help to tell if you are looking straight on. Not sure, maybe it was designed to always apply a little bit of anti skating force? This one seems to be doing it as well:
Well good to see on that anti-skate... I just know that it doesn't sound right... and I'm not going to jump and spend $200 CAD on a new needle if I'm going to have the same issues. The sibilance/distortion just seems far worse than I've ever noticed... I've re-aligned the damn thing over and over again, it *seems* like it's not crazy out of whack, everything seems to line up every damn time... Got the digital microscope today... it's useless... but it doesn't appear like the stylus has extensive wear or damage.. I don't want to play anything until this is resolve but I'm also completely lost as to what to do next... or once again, I'm overreacting and the siblance/distortion is completely acceptable/normal... it's just so harsh, it doesn't seem right.
