sgg5e@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Stephen G. Graber) (04/12/91)
Thought I'd add my thoughts on test records, maybe we'll all be able to identify some new ones/uses. For years I've gotten a fair amount of use out of a record distributed by Stereo Review of all people. It took several tries to get one that wasn't badly pinch warped but in the end its been worth the $5 or so it cost. Probably its best feature is that most of the tests it contains don't require an oscilloscope but instead rely on careful listening by the user. My favorite is the test for adjusting anti-skate. Basically it involves a test band which will eventually cause most any cartridge to mistrack, which is identified by a "buzzing" sound. When you hear the buzzing at the same time in both channels the anti skate force is balanced, ie. the stylus looses contact with both sides of the groove at the same time. This seems to give a consistently, though only slightly, higher setting than the old "blank" (grooveless) record test. I think the reason being that the grooveless record cannot account for the effects of friction due to the groove. Can't remember all the other tests but they include evaluations of high and low frequency tracking ability of cartridges, channel balance, phase, channel separation. Also included are reference tones from 16 hz to 20 or 22 kHz. (Its amazing what you can't hear!) Just recently I've learned of another test record specifically designed for setting up cartridges. Its manufactured by Dynavector and may be obtained by contacting a guy named Kevin at Muse electronics: Muse Electronics PO Box 2198 Garden Grove, CA 92642 phone: (714) 554-8200 I haven't gotten mine yet and don't remember the tests it contains though a number of them do require the use of a 'scope. Kevin and Muse have been very helpful with a number of issues and I have no connection with them other than as a very satisfied customer. So lets here from some folks with the Shure record etc.