Yikes - did I damage my cartridge ?

[marb67]

I am absolutley gutted because all the care I have taken with my new Audio technica 440 cartridge I slipped up, left the gaurd off and the needle hit the edge of the metal platter. Albums still sound good and play ok after so the question is have I trashed it or not ? Anyone done similar and got away with it ?

 

[MajorFubar]

Albums still sound good and play ok after so the question is have I trashed it or not ?

Doesn't sound ike it.

 

[Al ears]

I am absolutley gutted because all the care I have taken with my new Audio technica 440 cartridge I slipped up, left the gaurd off and the needle hit the edge of the metal platter. Albums still sound good and play ok after so the question is have I trashed it or not ? Anyone done similar and got away with it ?

Not enough info. If it looks ok and plays ok then I would say it is OK.

Some times you get lucky.

 

[marb67]

No, perhaps styluses are toughger than we give them credit. It certinly won't have done it any good though. I just hope it hasn't shortened it's life.

 

[keeper of the quays]

No, perhaps styluses are toughger than we give them credit. It certinly won't have done it any good though. I just hope it hasn't shortened it's life.

should be ok..but play a record then take it to a mate, and play it on his record player just to make sure it isn't damaging records! A chipped stylus is a terrible thing as it damages without you knowing about it! I have some rare recordings which look perfect..then when you play it? Sounds scrunched up! That's cart damage..

 

[Al ears]

No, perhaps styluses are toughger than we give them credit. It certinly won't have done it any good though. I just hope it hasn't shortened it's life.

should be ok..but play a record then take it to a mate, and play it on his record player just to make sure it isn't damaging records! A chipped stylus is a terrible thing as it damages without you knowing about it! I have some rare recordings which look perfect..then when you play it? Sounds scrunched up! That's cart damage..

I use a magnifying hand lens to check mine. If it's playing fine then it probably isn't chipped.

 

[keeper of the quays]

No, perhaps styluses are toughger than we give them credit. It certinly won't have done it any good though. I just hope it hasn't shortened it's life.

should be ok..but play a record then take it to a mate, and play it on his record player just to make sure it isn't damaging records! A chipped stylus is a terrible thing as it damages without you knowing about it! I have some rare recordings which look perfect..then when you play it? Sounds scrunched up! That's cart damage..

I use a magnifying hand lens to check mine. If it's playing fine then it probably isn't chipped. 

my eyes aren't good enough to see a slight chip! But playing a lp on the cart then playing same lp on another turntable seems a good way to test it? Your right..carts are tough..but I have a record which I had been after for ages..took it home and found it to be unplayable..it looked pristine..I recently got a box set of Emil Gilels playing Beethoven piano sonatas and the records were mouldy, stunk of damp..i cleaned them up they played lovely..world record club reissues of rca recordings..but they looked ruined initially..

 

[marb67]

Well no friends so to speak and certainly no other player to test but like mentioned already, surely if it sounds good it's ok.

 

[Gray]

The stylus fills the view, great way to check.

 

[marb67]

No microscope either *sad*

 

[Al ears]

No microscope either *sad*

A 10x or 20x hand lens, also called a jewellers loupe, is much cheaper and easier to use.