Increased Depth During Lead-In

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Dr3d Sl3d
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Increased Depth During Lead-In

Post by Dr3d Sl3d »

The Lead-In spiral and the banding between songs are places on gramophone records where pickup cueing happens and, as such, some engineers apply increased depth so as to facilitate the catching of the groove by the end user's pickup stylus. It is not the norm, however, at least during the 1970's and '80's, when the gramophone technology of microgroove recording and playback was well developed. The following is a list of 11 records taken at random from our library of pressings. Only 36% of these popular records possess increased depth...

[Note: Depth = width across the top of the cut multiplied by 0.5. Numbers cited as width are rough estimates...]

Kiss_Dressed To Kill_1975_Columbia_3 mils base width (no increased depth for lead-in...)

Miles Davis_Water Babies_1976_Columbia_2.5 mils base width (no increased depth for lead-in...)

Seals and Crofts_Diamond Girl_1973_Warner Bros._2.5 mils base width (no increased depth for lead-in...)

Led Zeppelin_The Song Remains the Same_1976_Atlantic_2.5 mils base width (no increased depth for lead-in...)

Led Zeppelin_Led Zeppelin II_1969_Atlantic_2.5 mils base width (no increased depth for lead-in...)

Zapp_Zapp_1980_Warner Bros._2.5 mils base width (no increased depth for lead-in...)

Pink Floyd_Wish You Were Here_1975_Columbia_2.5 mils base width (no increased depth for lead-in...)

Kraftwerk_Computer World_1981_Warner Bros._2.5 mils base width (with 3 mils for lead-in)

Bob Welch_French Kiss_1977_Capitol_2.5 mils base width (with 3.5 mils for lead-in)

Werwolf_The Fourth Way_1970_Harvest/Capitol_3.5 mils base width (with 3.9 mils for lead-in)

Shalamar_Circumstantial Evidence (maxi-single)_1987_Solar_2.5 mils base width (with 3.9 mils for lead-in)

Apparently, not using increased depth during lead-in is quite adequate for popular appeal among end users. However, all good playing of records requires a good condition stylus and a well-balanced tone arm with not too much anti-skate and reasonable vertical tracking angle...

Saùde,
Dr3d Sl3d
Cappin' the Rap in the M&M's...
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