Newbie question about Vinylrecorder cutterhead

[Midori]

Hi all,

I have been a lurker for some time but this is my first post (Somehow there seems to be a glitch on the site as it posted this three times).


I have been doing some PVC cuts with the Vinylrecorder system for a few months but I struggle to get decent sounding cuts.

All my cuts are lacking of a clear mid frequency range, I have attempted to compensate/correct it with EQ, I have also tried to bypass Souris RIAA section and use instead different RIAA units, I have also tried to get a reading of the cutterhead's frequency response and came up with a custom made EQ curve based on that reading, that has improved a bit but still far from getting a linear, flat response..

I understand that I won't ever get a true flat/linear response with this cutterhead and I accept that, it is just that all cuts sounds too Lofi and to my ears not acceptable.

I was wondering if any other Vinylrecorder users are getting good cuts with just the dynamic cutterhead. I would love to hear from your experiences with this system, perhaps you can point me into the right direction..also I was wondering if any of you know if the cutterhead feedback version that Souri offers makes a significan difference.

Many thanks

[MEGAMIKE]

Hi
i can help(maybe)
did you do practice with the man ?
what pvc is it?
are you looking at diamond in microscope?

mega

[Midori]

Hi there,

I use Souri's blanks and yes I have the mono microscope that came with the system, diamond doesn't seem to have any problem.


Yes, I did have a crash course with him, we covered the basic do's and don'ts but we didn't get too deep in any particular subject.

[opcode66]

The feedback head would help overcome issues with physical resonance. It would give you a more flat frequency response.

[MEGAMIKE]

Yes correct
However don't forget bad quality audio,this was my problem at first and it took me months to workout..
Try classical music from CDs ,or from a clear radio sorce this helped alot.. a multiband eq in the system, compressed limiter,desser ...
Don't give up it will come..also a constant even heat across the plate...
I had a trac to cut for a friend I could never quite get it sounding good so I gave up,months later he had a party and I went to his studio and audio streamed the song to my laptop ,cut it the next day and WOW..he played it in a club and was very happy.so the transfer or something I did was right instead of the burnt copy..I like to know what iam doing but I don't so it was the practice makes perfect theory ...

Like I said classical music or music you might think to be a challenge...

Biglovemega

[studiorp]

Could be the angle of cut wrong ?

[Midori]

Yes, could be that..I have it set so that the top of the cutter head is parallel with the blank..I use a spirit level to ensure that the blank and cutter head are flat, I wonder how you guys do it?

[Fela Borbone]

[Fela Borbone]

From newbie to newbie,

[Fela Borbone]

"The recording and reproduction of sound" is gone!
http://lathetrolls.pbworks.com/w/page/22975474/Scanned%20Manuals%20and%20Books

[Midori]

Ohh that attachment is very helpful, I would love to read the entire thing..

I was just told to keep top of cutter head parallel to the blank and that's what I think I have been doing..:s

[Midori]

Wasn't aware how critical angle of cutter-head is in order to get better sound/ avoid surface noise. I just wished I could have asked sooner... as nobody explained the importance of this to me in the first place.
So many diamonds badly used, what a shame...

I wonder how other Vinylrecorder users setup the angle for the cutter-head?



PS- Is there anyone kind enough to send me a link for this book?

[Midori]

Found the book.

[MEGAMIKE]

Yes
The sides of the diamond are more important.
So Any wrong angle of the made groove will affect your cut.
the vertical and the horizontal must be exact..

.

[Midori]

This is the book I have been missing since day one..

It says (as far as I understand it) that the stylus angle adjustment should be around 90 degrees (-/+3) , right?

There is no way that the diamond could have that angle if the top of the cutter head was to be paralel to the blank because of the inwards angle the diamond holder has got.

[studiorp]

But, is there a secure method for adjust the exact angle of cut ?

The system change for stereo and mono heads, or it's the same ?

[Midori]

I guess the best way is by looking at the reflection of the stylus on the blank, that way you can tell if it is straight or not?I also take a pic from the side and I zoom right in...

Sorry I am not too sure what you meant with the second question..This head is stereo, I don't think there is a mono one.

[studiorp]

About the second question I meant to say if the method for adjust the angle of cut is the same for both the stereo and mono heads, considering the type of building among these that is different...

[Midori]

Sorry but I wouldn't know

[Tremdall]

So to resurrect this topic, I have a question;

Did the correct angle of the dynamic cutterhead improved the flat frequency response?

What benefits can be expected from a feedback head vs a dynamic one?

I read somewhere that equalizing / limiting / compressing can be of help. But I can imagine this is the last resort you want to go since it changes the original music. Is there a step to step list / following-order to follow how to get perfect cuts?