The variations such as Linear Contact, Special Line Contact, and Fine Line all represent further refinements of the principle, usually adjusting the shape of the shank and/or the width of the contact area. This is because the larger vertical area can now be modulated by previously untouched areas of the groove walls. Compared to Conical Styluses (that due to their rounded shape only touch the groove walls in one vertical spot, thus more easily wearing them out on that depth), Line Contact styluses can make slightly worn records (when worn as a result of the use with conical or elliptical styluses) sound almost pristine. This kind of stylus is almost always fitted with a nude diamond. Patented in 1978 in Japan by inventor Junshiro Ogura, the Line Contact stylus is shaped such that it allows maximum vertical contact with the groove walls whilst having a small front-to-back contact. The Line Contact stylus shape can be considered a later variation of the Stereohedron stylus (with its four slivers shaved off, it is sort of a double elliptical) as patented originally by Pickering in 1973. The cross-section of a Line Contact stylus can be regarded as an Ellipse taken to the extreme and with straight vertical edges (rather than round) for deeper groove contact, as illustrated below. Line Contact / Linear Contact / Special Line Contact / Fine Line Especially “Special Elliptical” types can lead to wonderful results. While a relatively simple measure, this results in considerably more accurate tracking than with a Conical-shaped stylus. The larger front radius rides in the center of the groove just like a conical stylus, while the smaller side radius has a narrower contact with the groove walls. The better Elliptical styluses (for instance Hyper-Ellipticals) are made with higher precision and are often closer to a Line Contact shape.Īny Elliptical stylus has two different radiuses – a larger diameter at the sides and a smaller diameter front-to-back. ![]() Invented in 1970 and patented by Grado, the Elliptical stylus, in its most basic form, is a Conical stylus with slivers shaved off on the front- and rear sides to make for slightly narrower contact surfaces on the sides. The cross-section of an Elliptical stylus is an Ellipse, which is a flattened circle, created by taking a Conical shape and shaving slivers off the front and rear, as illustrated below. But the wear factor is much higher for both the record and stylus.ĭenon DL103 is probably the best-known cartridge that uses this stylus shape and its popularity shows that not all music lovers are in search of the most detailed sound. Lower resolution and spitty S’ses aside, new records will still fare relatively well but especially older and more worn vinyl won’t sound very good with this kind of stylus.Ĭonicals statistically trace less of the surface area of the groove wall, so they can theoretically pick up less record damage (unless they trace an area where there HAS been lots of wear or damage) and can pick up fewer sonic bursts from defects or noise from dirt or other foreign objects in the groove. The spherical tip only touches the center of the record groove walls and its broad (large) contact area prevents it from making detailed contact with the fine modulations inside the groove walls leading to lower fidelity. While this shape can lead to highly engaging and subjectively musical results and often with remarkably powerful bass, this shape does not trace very precisely. The simplest of stylus shapes, easy to make and cheap to buy. ![]() The cross-section of a Conical/Spherical stylus is a perfect round circle, as illustrated below. ![]() Paratrace Stylus Shapes Conical / Spherical There are a couple of exotic shapes intended for the real connoisseurs that I will include for completeness but that, so far, I have no personal experience with and will not discuss for now. ![]() Further, I will explain the aspect of Contact Area, Bonded versus Nude diamonds, and the difference between a Round Shank and a Square Shank. Especially noteworthy are the VinylEngine and Lencoheaven fora.Īll of the familiar Stylus Shapes will be discussed in detail below. Thus, I decided to compile everything I know and all that I found into a single comprehensive article covering all the bases.īesides my own accumulated knowledge, sources include cartridge manufacturer websites, Wiki pages, and several fora. While much of the info below can be found elsewhere (after all, the techniques are all decades-old), it is scattered all over the internet. This article is born out of a desire for having a comprehensive source of all the relevant information pertaining to the various Phono Cartridge Stylus shapes, their differences, and overlap.
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