Some records sound bad

[linuxrunner]

I must be missing something obvious here. I have a Wurlitzer 2600 I have been chasing poor audio quality for a while now. Starting with recap of the amp (and all other caps in the jukebox). Then replacing the wrong cartridge that was in it with a sonotone 8t and substantial recalibration of the arm.

After this I assumed it was just a matter of the records I had being worn. As I started to purchase new records (all vg+ or better) I noticed that some records sound amazing and others sound really bad (distorted like you were pushing the volume way too far). Upon close inspection the records that sound bad don't appear to be worn (one was nos still sealed).

Is there anything that would cause some records to sound bad and others good? As someone with little knowledge about records I feel like I must be missing something obvious.

[Ron Rich]

Check tone arm balance and needle pressure. Ron Rich

[cedric]

Hi,
Sometimes, it's just a bad quality of records. Exemple, I've got in my juke 9 to 5, Dolly Parton, and sound is poor and bad. A nightmare for ears.
Certain that it's just a prob with this records, I buy a second (VG+), in really good conditions, but it's exactly the same sound, poor and bad, limit of distortion, still a nightmare for ears.


Some records plays really really good, somes good, some bad...some really bad.
Cédric

[Startgroove]

Check whether the bad sounding record is mono or stereo. An earlier mono record has a larger groove dimension and a stereo needle will ride the bottom of the groove and not fit snugly to the side walls of the groove, causing abnormal noise and distortion. Choose stereo records only if using a stereo needle, and choose mono records if using a mono needle. Don't mix them. There could be other issues, but start here.

[Ron Rich]

Russie,
Not true IF -- The correct stereo/mono compatible OEM Seeburg/Pickering needle, is used in a 340, or 345 cartridge. See the needle post in the Seeburg section. Ron Rich

[Startgroove]

Ron, OP says he replaced the cartridge with a Sonotone 8T. What I said definitely applies, IF the needle is either a 2 mil (45 rpm mono) or a stereo needle (1 mil stereo, or .7 mil elliptical), then one or the other between mono and stereo recordings is going to sound distorted or noisy. Cheers, Russie

[Ron Rich]

Hi Russie,
A 2 mil needle has no business anywhere near an 45 RPM record ! Mono 45's need a 1 mill. Stereo 45's use a .07 mill. Usually a .07 will work just fine on a mono 45-- but not on all. This depends on the design of the cantilever. Ron Rich

[Startgroove]

Ron, 2 mil was the last 78 rpm groove size and the first 45 rpm groove size (up until about 1959). The 45 rpm groove size shrank often enough to cause quite a bit of confusion for us in recent years.

However, We could go back and forth on this subject discussing the nuances and contradictions (I've found several 'net sites that conflict with each other about stylus sizes and shapes), yet, I don't think linexrunner is getting much good advice with these contradictions.

Linexrunner, I still suggest that you choose either the records that sound best and put aside the distorted ones, or experiment with stylus' that give the best results with the records you want to hear. I stick by my claim that mono and stereo records mixed is a bad idea. It is not debateable that using the wrong stylus size on a record will prematurely wear the groove, or the stylus, or both and cause distorted or noisy sound.

Cheers, Russie

[Ron Rich]

Hi Russie,
Seeburg/Pickering never issued a 2 mill needle for 45 rpm use-- Their first and only size, on both of their 45 rpm carts., was 1 mill. Ron Rich

[Jake]

The needle on the Wurtlitzer 3200 I just bought is marked "ST20". I did a little googling and that looks like a needle for 78s? Should I replace it so it doesn't eat my records?

[jukenorman]

Hi Jake,
The ST20 is a BSR cartridge, you should be able to get a replacement 45rpm stylus OK. From the picture, that stylus does not look great although it may be just extremely dirty. According to the jukebox-world archive, a Sonotone cartridge was originally fitted.

Norman.

[Jake]

Thank you for the reply. The whole thing is pretty dirty! That's my first job, ha ha: to clean it up.

Is that BSR cartridge ok? Or would there be a reason to replace it with a a Sonotone cartridge?

If I can keep the BSR cartridge, can you recommend a good replacement 45rpm stylus for it?

[Ron Rich]

Jake,
From here, that appears to be a two sided needle-- IF so, one side may be for 45's, while the other is for 78's. If so, the cart is marked on the other side with something else, it probably is set-up correctly. That marking usually refers to the needle on the other side of the arm(s). Yes--"dirt" on a needle will cause poor sound. I see no reason to change the cartridge, if the tone arm is correctly set for that cart-needle combination. Ron Rich

[jukenorman]

Hi Jake,
I think you could just try cleaning up that stylus and give it a try to see if the cartridge is still serviceable! You can still get replacement ST20 stylii OK. Incidentally, I'm fairly sure these are not two sided.

Norman

[Jake]

This will come as no surprise to anybody but my jukebox sounds a lot better after I brushed the decades of guano off the stylus! Thanks again for your help. Sorry to be such a newb!