Search

Recent Post

Recent Comments

Popular

Turntable hiss is stylus and or cartridge to blame?

October 27th, 2009 by admin

Found a really old Marantz automatic turntable TT185 and I’m getting alot of hiss off clean records. Is the old stylus and or cartridge to blame and could it actually be doing damage to my lps? I’m hesitant to play any original pressings but don’t know if to shell out cash for new equipment.

Hiss generally comes from the electronics parts that are unshielded from interference, such as the cartridge. Hiss is "white noise" which is randomly generated by the universe, a TV tuned to no station gets hiss in the audio channel and random black, white and colored dots in the video channel of the signals. This applies to ANALOG signals, NOT digital signals. Your best bet is to get BOTH a new stylus AND cartridge. Hiss can also come from the scraping of the stylus over the surface of the record, a worn stylus, making noise in much the same manner as the screech of fingernails on a chalkboard, which comes from a lack of lubrication. You want an unworn stylus and an undamaged cartridge and the only way to be sure is to replace both. Believe me, it will be worth it to be sure things are in as good a condition as can be so when you play your prized LP’s, you do as little damage as possible as you digitize them.

Posted by admin in turntable cartridges |
Print This Article or leave a response or trackback

One Response to “Turntable hiss is stylus and or cartridge to blame?”

  1. #1
    ?
    October 28th, 2009 3:40 am

    Hiss generally comes from the electronics parts that are unshielded from interference, such as the cartridge. Hiss is "white noise" which is randomly generated by the universe, a TV tuned to no station gets hiss in the audio channel and random black, white and colored dots in the video channel of the signals. This applies to ANALOG signals, NOT digital signals. Your best bet is to get BOTH a new stylus AND cartridge. Hiss can also come from the scraping of the stylus over the surface of the record, a worn stylus, making noise in much the same manner as the screech of fingernails on a chalkboard, which comes from a lack of lubrication. You want an unworn stylus and an undamaged cartridge and the only way to be sure is to replace both. Believe me, it will be worth it to be sure things are in as good a condition as can be so when you play your prized LP’s, you do as little damage as possible as you digitize them.
    References :

Leave a Reply