yet another stylus condition poll - Dynavector XX2

[Jonathan]

so - i just bought this Dynavector XX2 second hand - ostensibly with less than 300 hours on it.

I was trying to assess condition of stylus - at first (head on view) it looked quite asymmetrical (much more evident to the eye via microscope- these photos were shot through the eyepiece and so not as good) - but then i realized that it's likely only the bottom tenth (or less even) that is in contact with the groove.

the two lateral shots (left and right) were an attempt to capture what i thought was a 'wear patch' (the triangular highlit patch in the lower part of the stylus) but I think that's just part of the cut of the stylus by the manufacture.

Can anyone tell any more from these pics??

 

[deserter]

I'm very far from an expert but looks slightly more wear on one side than the other, maybe incorrect tracking force? But it should still work ok

 

[Tony L]

Very hard to tell from the pics, but a head-on view will tell you the most. With a fancy tip, such as I assume the DV is fitted, you need to make sure you really are looking exactly head-on and that the lighting is even. Look for an imbalance of wear, that is the best clue as anti-skate/bias is a very flawed and imprecise art so carts always wear faster on one side than the other.

 

[Jonathan]

I'm very far from an expert but looks slightly more wear on one side than the other, maybe incorrect tracking force? But it should still work ok

hi - like i already mentioned- yes it does seem rather asymmetrical but that's the ENTIRE stylus and not the bit that sits in the groove- as you can tell from the head on view (first pic above)... (unless?) - so i'm ASSUMING, if anything, it's a basic shape defect - which i will presume wouldnt affect tracking much as that's not on 'the business end' of things.

 

[Tony L]

Try and take a better head-on pic if you can, i.e. try to get it exactly centred in the frame with the cantilever straight, not offset to one side. You are within a degree or two, but that matters with this kind of profile. There is a very slight discrepency/irregularity to the right hand side that looks a bit off to me, but it may well just be the angle. Alternately if you are really concerned it may be worth sending it to Expert Stylus as he will assess a cart and write a report for about £30 IIRC. He's honest too, sent a unknown condition second hand cart back to a friend saying it was pretty much as good as new with loads of life left (i.e. he wasn't looking to flog a retip).

 

[Jonathan]

Try and take a better head-on pic if you can, i.e. try to get it exactly centred in the frame with the cantilever straight, not offset to one side. You are within a degree or two, but that matters with this kind of profile. There is a very slight discrepency/irregularity to the right hand side that looks a bit off to me, but it may well just be the angle. Alternately if you are really concerned it may be worth sending it to Expert Stylus as he will assess a cart and write a report for about £30 IIRC. He's honest too, sent a unknown condition second hand cart back to a friend saying it was pretty much as good as new with loads of life left (i.e. he wasn't looking to flog a retip).

Yes QUITE Tony... that's what i was referring to. There IS a rather sizeable bump. But BECAUSE it's a stereomicroscope - getting what appears to be a head-on alignment with the cantilever 'llined up' the geometry ends up being quite off centre...

at any rate - it seems to me the asymmetry of the 'bump area' wasn't really that significant because it's nowhere near the area where the stylus comes into contact with the vinyl groove... if you get what i'm saying...

I've done tons of shots of this from head on, behind and laterally - but these are the ones that tell the story best. They are - from what i've seen - comparable to the very best shots i've yet seen on the 'net. At least in terms of size and clarity... not to blow my own horn but more to be fair to myself.

 

[forester]

When I've worn out styli it has shown as flats at the contact points with the groove, easily seen at a greater magnification front on. If the stylus worked previously then any larger 'anomalies' probably don't matter.