Transco Lacquers and Styli

[Greg Reierson]

4 hours to blow to see if a stylus is good?

[jjgolden]

The 4 hours were usable. Streaky but quiet.
The streaks started to lessen then go away at 4-5hrs.
happy to get 20 hours out of it.

[Greg Reierson]

How is the bottom of the groove?

[opcode66]

The ones I have that are cutting with streaks are mostly quiet. However, if you listen to unmodulated grooves, every so often, I hear a section that has hiss. There is intermittent static sound cut into the grooves. It is annoying. And, I don't feel comfortable cutting masters with these. You can hear the hiss over audio even.

[jjgolden]

How is the bottom of the groove?

at 20hrs, It's not perfect, but less than 1/2mil. Still sounds really good.
Used it on a well recorded rock track this morning with good results.
I shouldn't have started my sentence with "on a happier note"....
Merely making an observation today in the midst of poor quality styli.
Does anybody here own an electron microscope to look at and maybe photograph the tips and burnishing facets?

[gold]

The 4 hours were usable. Streaky but quiet.
The streaks started to lessen then go away at 4-5hrs.
happy to get 20 hours out of it.

When I put in a new stylus I run it without applying heat for half a side or so. It seems to burnish the stylus a little and helps with the streaks.

[jjgolden]

Thanks Paul,
Cool, I'll have to try it without heat on the nest one.
I think that's what's happening with these, the burnishing facets are not perfect and have to be broken in. But some just never do.
We've got some really old transcos (10+ year) and some pyral blanks from the 70's that are used for this "polishing" sometimes.
JJG

[Phinster]

I too had some old Transco's made in NJ and figured I'd try them to 'wear in ' a new recent vintage stylus.

Trouble was these were totally dried out and did slightly more than lap the burnishing facets!

It all got very grey, but eventually got quieter when using new lacquers. Initially thought I'd wrecked it.

Used normal heat settings btw. Used to run some new styli with no heat to 'burn' them in, guess I'll have

to try it again with the current bunch.

[dietrich10]

I tried the 'break in' theory on a new 320M A3060 that I was going to send back for streaky lines.

after a few hours it is good to go

[Greg Reierson]

Great news. You guys rock!

[gold]

I just got one of these troublesome styli. It took two sides at 450LPI with no heat to knock it into shape. 1.5 hours. I expect it to get better before it gets worse.

[concretecowboy71]

Newest issue, bad chip pick up Transco T14024. I know it is not my gear because other plates cut fine and the issue started with the first plate out of a new box.

Anybody else?

[Greg Reierson]

That's the reason I stopped using Transco styli last year. Apollo have been fine for chip pick-up.

[Bodyslam]

Greg, you're confusing me. Are you talking about Transco styli or lacquers?

[Greg Reierson]

I even confused myself! Scratch that comment completely. I was using Adamant styli until I started getting a pick-up problem and moved to Transco. Apollo lacquers all along..

Need more sleep...

[dietrich10]

nothing says fun like a bad batch of 14"!

photo.JPG

[Phinster]

what was wrong with them?

[dietrich10]

Vacuum hold down would not work on them. slightly lifting up...

[concretecowboy71]

Damn...Apollo or Transco?

For the most part I think they have been better lately. Less ripple, holes in center punched better.

[prof msg]

Hey,
Haven't seen a post here in a few months. Does that mean transco styli are more reliable these days? I've been on Adamant for a while and I'm just about to order a few transco. I'm wondering if it's good timing.

-Kevin