So you want to understand Stylus Shapes? Try this!

Sticky?

 

Good stuff. Kinda overwhelming. There should be tasting party that starts with the conical and moves on up the food chain. Kinda like a wine, beer or whiskey event.

 

Agreed. I remember the first time I came across that thread. It cleared up a lot for me.

 

Great source. Thanks for posting.

 

Good stuff!

 

Many thanks!

 

What a great post. Thanks so much; I will be reconsidering an ancient AT 12SA (Shibata) for shure (sic).

 

Some good tips there (har har har - I just had to ....lol)

 

So what category does the AudioTechnica and others who use the Shibata Stylus?

 

Unable to understand the question, please elaborate.

 

From worst to good... how do you rank the stylus tips? Example: conical, elliptical, MicroLine contact, micro ridge, shibata, etc, etc.?

 

For accurate tracing of modern post CD-4 microgroove LPs, any of the line contact tips are preferable to spherical, elliptical, biradial tips.
However, horses for courses. Pre CD-4 era LPs may be optimal with biradial /elliptical or spherical tips. Dynagroove stereophonic records were specifically cut for optimal playback with spherical tip, but nothing else was available in the pre-stereophonic era.

 

Earl: I'd rather suggest to remove that chart, as it obviously contains quite a few bugs.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

As per your advise.

if you could suggest a substitute, it would be great.

 

Earl: AT's old chart in post #9 of Flavio's original thread over on VE looks pretty ok.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

New chart instead of the other one.

 

Earl: Yup, exactly that one.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

I don't get it: How can the contact patch of an elliptical be greater than that of a spherical with the same bearing radius? Is this a byproduct of the polishing?

 

No it's not true unless the stylus us press g harder on the vinyl and making as larger contact area with extra force due to the smaller profile.