cutting heads

This is where record cutters raise questions about cutting, and trade wisdom and experiment results. We love Scully, Neumann, Presto, & Rek-O-Kut lathes and Wilcox-Gay Recordios (among others). We are excited by the various modern pro and semi-pro systems, too, in production and development. We use strange, extinct disc-based dictation machines. And other stuff, too.

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jessefreelance
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cutting heads

Post: # 90Unread post jessefreelance
Thu Sep 08, 2005 12:04 am

whats the difference between
crystal cutting heads and magnetic cutting heads

is one better
does one last longer??
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Steve E.
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Post: # 91Unread post Steve E.
Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:30 am

My Recordio has a crystal cutting head. I think it works by driving a current through quartz (?) crystal, which then vibrates. The stylus vibrates as the quartz does, and makes the cut. In a magnetic head, the oscillating magnetic current drives the vibration.

I am under the impression that magnetic heads can produce stronger signals and therefore louder records; I don't have first hand experience, however. Crystal heads also turn to powder after a while.
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Guest

Post: # 101Unread post Guest
Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:17 pm

Hmm. I just bought a Recordio on ebay. It resembles the IJ10 on the West-Tech Services website. There's only one arm on it, a skinny one. I hope the head hasn't crumbled!
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doug
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Post: # 102Unread post doug
Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:20 pm

Hmm. I just bought a Recordio on ebay. It resembles the IJ10 on the West-Tech Services website. There's only one arm on it, a skinny one. I hope the head hasn't crumbled!
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doug
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Post: # 103Unread post doug
Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:24 pm

I think the two-arm model would be great for delay, with acoustic feedback for regenration, just like you can do with a three head tape recorder.
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Steve E.
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Post: # 104Unread post Steve E.
Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:02 am

I've thought about that. It would require some rewiring. Sounds like a VERY cool project.

If your head has crumbled, West-Tech will fix it!! highly recommended.
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Guest

Post: # 105Unread post Guest
Fri Sep 23, 2005 5:21 pm

The rewiring I'm thinking of would involve drilling holes for tonearms, reducing or altering the power to the motor (to slow it down to 45 or 33 rpm), tweaking the amps. It's a "from-scratch" build idea. But I'm jumping ahead of what will be at hand pretty soon-- a Recordio 78 rpm. Should be fun! Hopefully West-Tech can help supply a cutter head if necessary. I can do the rewiring myself.

-doug
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ameisevinyl
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mm MC crystal

Post: # 184Unread post ameisevinyl
Sun Dec 25, 2005 4:35 pm

i think you all know:

piezo crystal heads are the worst sounding...

folowed by moving magnets like the grampian...

and state of the art:

moving coil...

crystals (like used in old telephones) and very old pickup systems
dont have an linear fequency response...

moving magnets are more stable, the coils can be bigger because they dont have to be moved...so they wont blew so easily...

moving coils are better sounding because the moving parts are not as heavy...you dont need so much power to drive them...so you got less distortion...
äh maybe someone with more insight can correct me?

peace
mart
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