Test records

[CageyH]

After experiencing an issue with my cartridge set up, I am wondering if a test record will help me set my bias more accurately?
Traditionally I always set it about 0.5g less than my VTF, but this is not very scientific.

So, a test record may help, but which one?

The popular ones seem to be "HiFi News Analogue Test LP - The Producer's Cut" and "ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS THE ULTIMATE ANALOGUE TEST LP"

Any experience of them?
Are they useful, or a complete waste of money?

[worrasf]

After experiencing an issue with my cartridge set up, I am wondering if a test record will help me set my bias more accurately?
Traditionally I always set it about 0.5g less than my VTF, but this is not very scientific.

So, a test record may help, but which one?

The popular ones seem to be "HiFi News Analogue Test LP - The Producer's Cut" and "ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS THE ULTIMATE ANALOGUE TEST LP"

Any experience of them?
Are they useful, or a complete waste of money?

I have both the Hifi News and Shure discs but I don't think they are all that helpful for setting the bias.
After much searching the best approach I have come across is the one advocated by the Soundsmith guys. An explanation can be viewed here: https://www.sound-smith.com/faq/how-...g-my-cartridge

Soundsmith view of test discs is not very favourable. Basically the idea is to have the bias set so the arm slowly moves towards the spindle when "playing" a blank/smooth area of vinyl. There is just such a track on the HiFi disc between bands 5 & 6.



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[CageyH]

Thanks.
I suppose an old laser disc would be good for this?

[Mixc]

I just listen to a few tracks to set the VTF too much bass reduce the force, too much top end then add a bit.
For anti skate i use the HiFi news disc and "True RTA" osciloscpe freeware this give a great image of the sweet spot.
I only use a groovless record for initial setup, as aparantly when the stylus is in the groove of a record there is quite a bit of friction and this effects the bias.
As a final check the Paul Simon Graceland album first track has 4 beats of a drum which when the stylus is set correctly go from evenly from one side to the other.

[paulf-2007]

Hi fi news record is good for many things but have to agree not for bias in my experience.

[Barry]

Setting the bias so that the arm/cartridge does not move when resting on a blank uncut portion of a rotating test disc is unrepresentative of what happens when the stylus is tracking a groove. The vinyl/diamond interface is different in the two cases and thus so are the frictional forces.

IMO the best way to set the bias, having first set the correct azimuth by playing a mono record and checking with an oscilloscope that the two channels have equal output, is then to check that equal amplitude is maintained at the beginning, the middle and at the end of the record. Some listeners, with very good hearing, might be able to do this using headphones, but I doubt if they could hear a 1dB difference between the outputs, whereas it is clear to see on a scope.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

After experiencing an issue with my cartridge set up, I am wondering if a test record will help me set my bias more accurately?
Traditionally I always set it about 0.5g less than my VTF, but this is not very scientific.

So, a test record may help, but which one?

The popular ones seem to be "HiFi News Analogue Test LP - The Producer's Cut" and "ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS THE ULTIMATE ANALOGUE TEST LP"

Any experience of them?
Are they useful, or a complete waste of money?

Every audiophile with a turntable should have a test record, period.

I will put 1 in with your mingus do what you need to do then send it to whoever else wants to borrow it.

[CageyH]

My mingus? Can you get cream for that?

(Thanks for the kind offer by the way, but I think you have me mixed up with someone else).

[The Vinyl Adventure]

sorry boss mixed you up with rexton lol

[martinjohn308]

I’ve used the Hi Fi Sounds test record bought new in 1978 for the princely sum of £2 ! I mainly use it for channel identification. Setting up the Stiletto LP 12 was left to the late Derek Jenkins R.I.P who I knew since 1982. He once told me that the other person he’d recommend was a Phil March.

Regards,

Martin