Test the condition of a VR head

[Chuan]

Hi, I’ve had a bit of a look around and haven’t found any good test method to determine the condition of a VR head. The reason I ask is because I have recently acquired a second VR and the head is suspect. When I cut a sine wave, it cuts fine up to about half the volume of my original VR and then suddenly distorts as level reaches a curtain volume.
My question is, is there a test that you can do on the head to see if this thing is damaged? My first thought is a multimeter. Measure resistance of each coil? What should they read? Any help would be appreciated.

[Chuan]

If this helps, I just tested all four channels and they all read 3.3 - 3.5 ohms.

[Chuan]

Well, I found the problem. Swapped out the stylus and all is fixed. Leads me to this question. Freshly sharpened stylus causing distortion. How is this so. Looks fine but is the shortest one I’ve seen so far. Doesn’t seem to rattle about looks and is unused. Strange. Tried to reseat it a few times but same symptoms each time. Tried a few others, perfect every time. Go figure.

[djnemesis]

Well, I found the problem. Swapped out the stylus and all is fixed. Leads me to this question. Freshly sharpened stylus causing distortion. How is this so. Looks fine but is the shortest one I’ve seen so far. Doesn’t seem to rattle about looks and is unused. Strange. Tried to reseat it a few times but same symptoms each time. Tried a few others, perfect every time. Go figure.

Last "new" stylus i bought from Souri im positive he sent a dud on poupose. the heating coil wire fell off on side and one channel just cut noise. It was brand new with no visible damage.

[djnemesis]

What vaccum / pump are you using if you dont mind sharing? as im after a new one

[Chuan]

I’m using one I got from a junk shop for $12

[Discomo]

Well, I found the problem. Swapped out the stylus and all is fixed. Leads me to this question. Freshly sharpened stylus causing distortion. How is this so. Looks fine but is the shortest one I’ve seen so far. Doesn’t seem to rattle about looks and is unused. Strange. Tried to reseat it a few times but same symptoms each time. Tried a few others, perfect every time. Go figure.

I'm interested in this as well. Had the same problem with two styli. New, but not a clean sound. Rumble or distortions.

Well, I found the problem. Swapped out the stylus and all is fixed. Leads me to this question. Freshly sharpened stylus causing distortion. How is this so. Looks fine but is the shortest one I’ve seen so far. Doesn’t seem to rattle about looks and is unused. Strange. Tried to reseat it a few times but same symptoms each time. Tried a few others, perfect every time. Go figure.

Last "new" stylus i bought from Souri im positive he sent a dud on poupose. the heating coil wire fell off on side and one channel just cut noise. It was brand new with no visible damage.

Why would Souri send you a bad stylus on purpose?? Do you have proof to state your accusation?
Are you certain you didn't made a mistake?
Be a bit more careful with accusing people especially on internet, unless you have direct proof. It's really very negative.

I personally never had a problem with the resharpenings of Souri.
In contrary, his resharpenings are always crystal-clear in sound and top quality.

The problem I had twice with new styli was both from the same (not Souri) supplier on different occasions. Maybe it's simply chance meeting, maybe his sharpenings are not always good, maybe I need to adjust something on my VR since my VR is callibrated with Souri styli (?).

So I always did my resharpenings at Souri and they were always best quality and clean.The only two times I had it resharpened elsewhere, there was a problem.

[djnemesis]

Well, I found the problem. Swapped out the stylus and all is fixed. Leads me to this question. Freshly sharpened stylus causing distortion. How is this so. Looks fine but is the shortest one I’ve seen so far. Doesn’t seem to rattle about looks and is unused. Strange. Tried to reseat it a few times but same symptoms each time. Tried a few others, perfect every time. Go figure.

I'm interested in this as well. Had the same problem with two styli. New, but not a clean sound. Rumble or distortions.

Well, I found the problem. Swapped out the stylus and all is fixed. Leads me to this question. Freshly sharpened stylus causing distortion. How is this so. Looks fine but is the shortest one I’ve seen so far. Doesn’t seem to rattle about looks and is unused. Strange. Tried to reseat it a few times but same symptoms each time. Tried a few others, perfect every time. Go figure.

Last "new" stylus i bought from Souri im positive he sent a dud on poupose. the heating coil wire fell off on side and one channel just cut noise. It was brand new with no visible damage.

Why would Souri send you a bad stylus on purpose?? Do you have proof to state your accusation?
Are you certain you didn't made a mistake?
Be a bit more careful with accusing people especially on internet, unless you have direct proof. It's really very negative.

I personally never had a problem with the resharpenings of Souri.
In contrary, his resharpenings are always crystal-clear in sound and top quality.

The problem I had twice with new styli was both from the same (not Souri) supplier on different occasions. Maybe it's simply chance meeting, maybe his sharpenings are not always good, maybe I need to adjust something on my VR since my VR is callibrated with Souri styli (?).

So I always did my resharpenings at Souri and they were always best quality and clean.The only two times I had it resharpened elsewhere, there was a problem.

I havent a clue. Maybe for the same reason he randomly tried to tell me that i didnt buy the machine from him when i did, i went to his wooden factory place in the middle of nowhere germany, and stayed at a hotel in a town that was like a ghost town.
Or the same reason even when i offered money for " re-schooling" he wouldnt help me get the machine back up and running after a few year break.
Or for some crazy reason i asked him for the price of some blanks, and one day they turn up at my door and he demands payment for them for a machine that doesnt work as he wont help, even when paid .
I have no idea why he does what he does. But i do know a brand new stylus came and the heating coil fell off straight away from removal of the packet and didnt work and it was a huge arse on of back n forth emails, he made me send the old one back, i waited a week sent him a email asking whats going on and he sent one back asking why i wanted to buy a stylus, which just made me think he was taking the piss. Then the 1 that came was a dud, a wire fell off. the previous dead ones wires dont fall off even when trying on poupose pull it with force. I have no idea, why hes done what hes done to me. after all if i cant " cut cut cut" then im not going to buy blanks and no moneys made

[Chuan]

So I just got 3 sharp stylus in the mail. The geometry on all 3 is quite out of whack and all 3 exhibit different playback issues.
the worst one has noise in one channel. I can manage to get to an almost passable level with heat but not quite good enough.
the other two just have upper mid distortion. if I put the blunts back on I get a nice sounding cut but with the hiss of a blunt stone.
This is a tricky job sometimes.