Rek-o-kut embossing, first attempt

[Davevr]

So, here’s my first attempt of embossing with my Rek-o-kut Challenger.

https://youtu.be/0m3FtoHnNjA

I ordered some polycarbonate discs at PIAPTK’s, plus a new embossing stylus.

This is my first attempt of “cutting” a record with them. Although I do get something on the disc, it’s very quiet. In playback I have to set the volume to the maximum to hear what I’ve recorded. Very far away the music can be heard. Neverteless, I do think it ‘cuts’ like it should. The needle makes a nice groove and also there not much noise. Only thing is that I have to crank the recording level up too much to get something on the disc, and so there’s distortion. I could go for lower recording levels, but then the recording will be hardly audible.

I’m starting to think that something might be broken in the cutting head. The amp has been completely overhauled, so that should work fine. The monitor level when recording is also loud and clear.

Still happy with at least making a recording, now onto the next step. Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

[Jccc]

it could be that the inside damping material inside your cutting head have dried up and needs replacement.

from the video it looks like your sending a good signal and the playback needle seems to track well.

Also i noticed that when playing back a embossed record and it sounds a bit distorted or muffled that the play back needle isnt fully seated into the groove so you gotta give it a little nudge to have it correctly seated

[timinbovey]

Have you tried playing back on a different player? The issue could be in your playback cartridge, etc. I have just begun embossing with a Rek-O-Kut as well and am getting very nice results (I have a link to a youtube video playing a test disc posted around here someplace). I had to run my levels a bit hotter than you are when recording but no distortion. From what I saw I'm suspecting a playback issue.

Tim in Bovey

[timinbovey]

BTW, is that a black polycarbonate blank? I looks like a lacquer!

[Angus McCarthy]

Nice! But, btw, the videos are marked as "for kids" so YT restricts commenting and other things. Might want to change that. I noticed during your cutting attempt that there's a lot of squealing from the stylus. That will only translate into noise in the groove. It could easily be that the angle of the stylus is not correct, or the cutting stylus is dull. Also, there is a clicking, ringing noise that sounds like something striking the rim of the platter as it spins. Everything should be as silent and smooth as possible when running, otherwise unwanted noise will find its way into the groove. Keep it up!

[Angus McCarthy]

...Also i noticed that when playing back a embossed record and it sounds a bit distorted or muffled that the play back needle isnt fully seated into the groove so you gotta give it a little nudge to have it correctly seated

Very much this. Definitely sounds like it's not fully seated in the groove. I find I have to add a penny to the head of my tone arm when playing my embossings.

[Davevr]

Thanks for your replies.

I had the head repaired overseas, by a guy who knows these heads like his pockets.

Turns out the damping material had completely dried out, and the two screws inside that keeps the head together were missing, so it was all loose and the needle had no way to move whatsoever.

Now waiting upon its return, and go for round 2.

[Davevr]

I had the head overhauled by Gib, and as a result this attempt of embossing turned out pretty good!

Still a little low in volume, sorting out how to get more volume on the disc.

https://youtu.be/dn1v2yrgWS0

[farmersplow]

That sounds great! I don't hear any significant background noise. Congratulations

[jjwharris]

If you want more volume, you can pull the stylus out of the holder a little more - I tend to measure how far the tip of the stylus is protruding, I sit at around 8mm, from the flat of the pole piece.

There is a tradeoff though - The longer the shank protruding the louder the cut will be, but you will lose HF and gain LF. So ideally you want it pulled out enough that you can get a flat response, no clipping and a trackable groove.

I did this first by cutting white noise so I can see what I am cutting to disc, then I pull the stylus out more and more until I see the HF drop off, I consider that to be my max stylus length.

Next I cut some test tracks and see if the groove is still tracking, if it isn't, I can push the stylus back in, or turn down the amplifier (or the LF side of my EQ).

It's a delicate balance.

It helps to have a verified white noise record 20-20khz to see what your playback cartridge is getting too. I fell into a bit of a hole where my playback stylus was dropping off at 12-14khz, and I was trying to make up for it on the recording side.