A month ago I got my first real DJ setup. And of course I went with vinyl (Although I did get a 4-channel mixer which I connected a MIDI-controlled Traktor to as well). This is by all means awesome. And I did get the Numark TT200's and they do work fine. Imagine my surprise...

However, I've got a problem. The needle on my left turntable seems to be collecting dust excessively (five syllable word, I had to google the spelling, but be impressed). To the extent that mid-mix I notice the sound suffers so much I have to quit to fust it of.

I use the Shure M44G's, and I use the little brush you get with the needles.

I'm also anal about dusting of my records, which I do using a antistatic brush especially designed to dust of records, even before I encountered this problem. And after the problem first occured I always brush them of before playing, but still it happens.

What I'm concerned about is why it only happens on one of the turntables, and never (ever) on the other. It happens in pretty much half of my mixing sessions, and it really is frustrating, since it means I have to start all over.

Anyone has the same problem? Could the needle be especially static and hence collects more dust than usual? How do I proceed?

Well, thanks anyways.

Also, I've read somewhere that if this happens you can spray water in the needles track. The idea is that the needle will run right past through the water but the dust will get stuck in it. Anyone knows if this acctually works? (I don't want to lose my needles to a petty water sprayer)

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as a rule of thumb for me...if an excessive amount of dust gets traped on the stylus,and no matter what you do it doesnt come off, time for a new needle.

how long have you had that pair?

I've only had them for a month or so. The dust do come of, but the it just builds up again during play. Much more so than the other needle does, and the other needle barely does it.

How long should a needle last?

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i think everybody has their own opinion on how long needles should last.

for me: heavy usage (3 months), medium usage (6 months), light usage (9 months)

but ive been guilty of not changing needles for a while just because im too lazy to go out and get them.

quote:

Originally posted by PutBoy I've only had them for a month or so. The dust do come of, but the it just builds up again during play. Much more so than the other needle does, and the other needle barely does it. How long should a needle last?

Hang on, dust has nothing to do with the age of your needle, or it's state of repair. Your records or room are too dusty.

You say you clean your records regularly? Do you use a cleaning spray as well as a cloth? If not you could just be moving the dust around.
(switch cleaner fluid works well if you can't get the real thing).

It could also be your room (no offense) with too much dust in it and the static that builds on the vinyl as it's played could be attracting just too much.

Try cleaning your records with fluid and an anti-static cloth (I find the brushes less effective than the cloths).

yup, give your room a good cleaning, top to bottom, clean everywhere, also look into your air circulation, that could be sending up dust, either cover the duct or look into getting it cleaned if the problem persists after a good room cleaning

do that and look into a set of new styli, couldn't hurt matters much, a lot of things can wear them out quicker than anticipated

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Maybe the headshell/plastic around the needle is slightly closer to the vinyl on one of the decks and hence more dust is sticking to it?

Otherwise, try switching the vinyl on both decks? If the other deck starts to pick up dust you know it's the vinyl, if not it's probably the needle.

nelly

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Morello yup, give your room a good cleaning, top to bottom, clean everywhere, also look into your air circulation, that could be sending up dust, either cover the duct or look into getting it cleaned if the problem persists after a good room cleaning do that and look into a set of new styli, couldn't hurt matters much, a lot of things can wear them out quicker than anticipated

Yeah.. the gap on the door between the room and whats outside gathers a lot of dust for me, especially since i have an exhaust fan in my room. Get that infomercial door cover air draft thing.

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Alright then, will clean my apartment and see if that helps. And see what's different about the needle setup on my decks. Thanks for the input.

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Keep you're kit covered though, seems obvious but I know a lot of people that don't.

I'd switch the carts if one was building up more than the other. But to be 100% is quite confusing. I say properly not just brush over but deep clean your records.

I used to put them on the deck with it off and push my t-shirt hard into it and spin it. Prob not meant to do that but the amount of shit that came out was unreal.

End of the day the dust is coming from somewhere and it's not jumping down record sleeves. So is either the cleaning of the records (prob unlikely). Or something to do with the room.

Sure that the deck that is "collecting more dust" doesn't just have less weight on the tone arm? (even then still must be mucky records/room)

Not meaning to be funny about this but a logical troubleshooting procedure is all that's called for.

You have a problem: dust is collecting under only one of your needles.

It cannot be the vinyl since it only ever happens on one deck. You have three possible causes:

1) The needle
2) The position of the deck
3) The tonearm/deck (ie how it's set up)


Take these steps to ascertain which cause is to blame:

1) Swap the cart from one deck to the other. Does the problem travel to the new deck? If yes, the problem is with your needle - get a new one. If not proceed to step 2.

2) With everything it it's original place when you started, swap the decks from left to right. Does the problem travel with the deck? If yes the cause must be cause 3 (if you've ruled out cause 1) and you should read up on how to adjust your tonearm correctly. If no, then you have an issue with dust hitting that part of the room - address it accordingly.

Jarv