Home recording with home recorders too much distortion help!

[Oscar the cat]

Hi, I just made my last recording on my Airline home record cutter, with a gramophone steel needle that I sharpened myself, (It doesn't sound much different than the special for cutting standard steel needle). I used a 1942 Audiodisc acetate, no scratches but I have better ones.

https://soundcloud.com/gang-wolf-lightnin/how-come-mama-blues-78rpm-test

I Think the main problem is the distortion,(I know it's not a professional cutter) but the extra saturated sound that comes out from the cutting head, I wonder if I can do something to make sure that the sound comes clear to the cutting head. I also thought that the cutting head distorts the sound. but (It was restored by Gib. at West Tech) a crystal cutting head like the Recordio cutters. (I heard home recordings that sounds a lot better than mine).

I know you guys told me about the laquers and stylus, I'm gonna get a decent sapphire styli, and fresh laquers soon. And it sure will improve the sound, but... if the distortion comes from the unit, or the head, I have to fix it first, you know ...a fresh laquer is expensive enough, I just can't use them to make only "tests".

If any of you members here knows how to help me, I will love to learn from the voice of the experience.

Thanks

Oscar

[tragwag]

does your cutter have a volume indicator?
I'm not super experienced with those cutters, but it sounds like you might have blown/weak output tube.
It also could definitely be the cutter head.
As far as your groove noise, I'd say it's pretty average for an old blank with a steel needle.
best of luck

[Angus McCarthy]

It could be a tube going, or it could be dry caps. Has the amplifier been overhauled as well?

[Oscar the cat]

I made some tests without cutting any disc, just connecting my ipod to the input, and listening to some recorded music wth my headphones. I also listened to the radio through the amp and there's a light hum background noise but it sounds pretty clear to me. I'm thinking more about the cutting head. like I said it was restored by Gib at west tech, but I don't know nothing about cutter heads or crystals, maybe it stills damaged¿? first I have test the tubes, line in signal,made a test with a fresh laquer and decent styli, and I'll know where's the problem. Thanks!

[tragwag]

I'm not totally sure, but the tubes (or the plates on the tubes)
used for the radio and other inputs, maybe not be the same that output to the cutting head.
Keep that in mind!