Hanoi Amator Project (HAP)

[jjwharris]

How much does your cutting head weigh?

I never considered the weight thing being an issue, I'm pretty sure its a standard groove cutting stylus, so the cuts are going to be noisy anyways.

You probably want to consider putting some fusing your drivers so they're protected and don't burn up.

[Hanoi]

How much does your cutting head weigh?

I never considered the weight thing being an issue, I'm pretty sure its a standard groove cutting stylus, so the cuts are going to be noisy anyways.

You probably want to consider putting some fusing your drivers so they're protected and don't burn up.

Hi John,
I have replaced both voice coils and did emboss test. Yes I will add fuse on the line into transducers to protect them as the pic bellow.

My cutting head is 390g weigh, is this too heavy? I got added the counterweight (included spring) to make 150g onto stylus on testing.
This is the head weigh

and the counterweight

New transducers also arrived, they are really small, so I will make new head in some days.

This is the last test from the old one, with head light, turtle wax, grooves still too shallow and noisy, sound is also too low.

Rgs,
Thang

[Hanoi]

I've got mistake when using sapphire to cut and emboss also (very noisy), so Im planing to change the needle. Any one can give me advice to choose the needle, which is better to emboss as bellow or any others (small budget)?
1 opt:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Record-lathe-cutter-presto-record-in-stylus-needle-styli-rek-o-kut-recorder/282085271275?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3D8ecdcf270f124a0596fea0afb299f076%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D282085273984&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
2 opt:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tungsten-needle-styli-stylus-presto-in-rek-o-kut-record-lathe-cutter-recorder/282085273984
thank you very much!

[jjwharris]

Hey, big improvement!

Some of that surface noise could be caused by leftover adhesive on the blank - I've had success with CRC to remove the adhesive then applying turtle wax, I believe other have used naphtha/lighter fluid(?)

I've only had experience is with tungsten cones, which seem to work really really well. So I'd suggest the second option.

You also may way to record some white noise, then record that back through you computer to put through a frequency analyser to build an EQ.

as Mark said though - you probably want to look at reducing your moving mass as much as possible to move that resonant peak up as high as possible.

[Hanoi]

Update something
New head with new drives (smaller), 3D printed cutting head (Tks John again), smaller aluminum tube, I also replace the steel bolts with aluminum bolts for transducers (the square one)







I also add fuse 500ma-250v to protect the coils, 2.2uf400v cap, 4.7ohm10w resistor on the line into coil (L, R).
I also try to use source through Wavelab software and plugin Fabfilter Pro Q2 and also DrCut from Todd, actually I dont know how to use them. Need to learn.....
I still use the sapphire needle for the new head by turning around 180degrees to emboss, I will replace with Tunsten one when it arrive, may be next week and lets see how it works.
I dont know how to use white noise or other noise, can anyone teach me (Im not shy to say what I dont know, 'cause Iam hungry to learn much from all of you...with poor English, Iam sorry for that)

Some my clips:

Result:

Plz give me some advices!
Best
Thank you!

[Hanoi]

This is the file I rip to Macbook (only have Mono jack input). Can anyone tell me whats going wrong...? Thank you so much!
Regards!
Thang

[Hanoi]

Hey, big improvement!

Some of that surface noise could be caused by leftover adhesive on the blank - I've had success with CRC to remove the adhesive then applying turtle wax, I believe other have used naphtha/lighter fluid(?)

I've only had experience is with tungsten cones, which seem to work really really well. So I'd suggest the second option.

You also may way to record some white noise, then record that back through you computer to put through a frequency analyser to build an EQ.

as Mark said though - you probably want to look at reducing your moving mass as much as possible to move that resonant peak up as high as possible.

Hi J,
What kind of CRC are you using because there are many kinds?
Do you mean try to emboss with white noise, then rip file, put into software and make an EQ to compare with the source one? I will try that way.

[jjwharris]

That print looks really nice! Much nicer than my print!

Im using CRC 5-56,

I've only been using FabFilter for my stuff, if you record white noise with iRIAA, then record that back through your stereo with an RIAA pre-amp, if you look at the recorded white noise in fabfilter it should give you the frequency response of your cutting head, you will need to build an EQ to counter whatever is happening there..

It'll also be worth while checking to make sure your audio isn't clipping anywhere, that could be the cause of some of the distortion you can hear.

[Hanoi]

I bought 2 TT Direct drive, I dont know which is better so I took both. I will rebuild the lathe base again to be fit with it and test again.


Vestax pdx 2000 seems ok with 2.7kg/cm torque.
I will try to test with RIAA tomorrow, but I still dont know how to rip stereo file to Macbook (2011) has just mono jack input, may need to find solution.

[jjwharris]

Keep in mind that if you're embossing, you're most likely only getting mono back, so a mono jack shouldn't be too much of an issue.

[Hanoi]

Keep in mind that if you're embossing, you're most likely only getting mono back, so a mono jack shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Yes John, today I make some tests on CD and Polycarbonate blank on Vestax turntable, speed ok so I get better result, still noise but Iam rather glad with this step.

[Hanoi]

I'd recorded white noise with iRiAA and rip to Macbook, then I make EQ by Fabfilter Q2 to compare with the original white noise. As the picture bellow, the small, white one is my record. Could some one please tell me what's going wrong, what I need to do now?
Thank you so much!

[markrob]

Hi,

Looks like you are good to go here. You just have to add EQ filters to match the playback spectrum to the reference. Be careful at not to overdo it at the extreme high frequencies. Once you make the EQ filter, save this and use it to process your program (along with the iRIAA) material before you cut. This should give you a good result. Note that Fab has an automatic spectral match function that you may find useful. Read the manual for more info on this.

Rather than using white or pink noise, you might better off using the program material you plan to cut. If you cut the source audio with iRIAA in place and capture the playback as you did with the noise, you can use the same spectral matching process that you used with the noise. The advantage using this approach is that you can hear the effect of the corrective EQ on the playback. This will help you to avoid trying to boost high frequencies that are not present in the cut. In the case of using a noise source, you can't differentiate between noise from the playback and the actual source cut.

Hope this makes sense.

Mark

[jjwharris]

Thanks for that Mark,

It clears up quite a bit I have been thinking about - is there a point where you no longer EQ, where it becomes essentially ineffective? I imagine this is the reason for a 17khz cut and I'm guessing when embossing it could be lower?

I've often struggled with the automatic spectral match due to noise, and from memory you cannot modify the eq once it is generated?

John.

[Hanoi]

Im really stuck of this step!

[jjwharris]

Sorry, I was wrong, you can edit a generated EQ.

[Hanoi]

Hi all,
Made EQ match between record rip and iRIAA source file (using Dr.Cut, just press turn on the iRIAA button), And I don't know how to do now to fix or change to get better result.
Plz can some one show me how??
Thank you!

[Hanoi]

A little update
make new head, use p320 and black blank from Myshank, I still dont have vacuum pump, so need to find one (can anyone help me to find the suitable one?)
Some noise caused of the GND cable of the turntable that I didn't connect to preamp when ripping. The "bip" sound is from the usb asio driver software of the sound card (I had uninstalled it). Sound is still bad, need to try more!


Red line is the source

I did a test here:
https://soundcloud.com/nguyendangthang/ricyclerec-test

Thang

[Hanoi]

I have just done one more test, used another EQ through proQ2, seems better than before!

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/365846954&amp

[Hanoi]

I bought this vacuum pump, rather small, a NOS with good price. Had anyone tried this?




Same one on ebay: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/4647-THOMAS-COMPRESSOR-VACUUM-PUMP-2107BGHI18-320B-/112072873319

When I test, it got low noise, and good suction power. However when I cut, it can not suck plastic line into the tube. So, How DISTANCE between tube and stylus is suitable and safe? plz plz