Stylus Wear Question

Dear @whart  : Years ago Ortofon made it its own research about and the results showed that a good stylus tip starts to have signs of playing degradation at early as 500 hours even that the lisrteners can't be aware of any single anomaly down there through the LP play, in that same research found out that close to 1K playing hours sympthoms  srarted listenable.

""  I think part of it may be stylus pressure- remember when the ultra light stylus force designs were all the rage? Maybe they had something there). ""

Not exactly because the VTF is determined by the overall cartridge designs where are involved the cartridge weigth, compliance and that coils been centered.

Some cartridges as the SPU needs high VTF figures ( not all models. ) but all is perfectly calculated by the designer not only in the SPU cartridges but in any cartridge for the playing hours the designer has as the cartridge design target about with out gone in detriment of accelerated stylus tip degradation or LP surface degradations.

Of course I can be wrong but that is what I remember and learned through reading designer point of views on that regards.

R.

Dear @stringreen  : In the last 2 months did you listen, on LP tracks that you know very well, some anomalies that you never listened before?

If not then you have not to worry about but by the contrary then the JC advise is the best one.

A microscope can serve to you as for just some fun and nothing more because you are not an expert for can say by sure that the stylus tip has something " wrong " but some cartridge anomalies not necessary could come because the stylus tip degradation but from the cartridge suspension too and this you can determine in any way.

The Windfeld is very good performer and maybe you can take advantage through Ortofon to own the Ti that's even better.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.