How to definitely fix off centered records : the solution

[zonard]

I always being annoyed by getting a record that is off centered, unfortunately like so much JA records (mostly represses tho, but we all have at least a killer OG record like this !)
The wow is particularly noticeable on organs or horns (steady tones), when the needle goes left and right all the time.
The off-center wow is worst at the end of the side, but when a record is damaged like this you don’t even bother listening the whole side !
I did some calculations of the result of the bad centering on the run-in groove of a 7 inches 45rpm record.

Exemples of resulting pitch variations according to a given centering error (as a reminder, the pitch correction of a standard SL1200 is ±8%) :

1 mm = ±0.6 % (starts to be really audible)
2 mm = ±1.2% (starts to be totally unplayable)
4 mm = ±2.3%
6 mm = ±3.5% (maximum value I’ve seen so far, on a Creation Stepper 7 inches)

I found like many of you that such a record can be fixed by stopping the record when it’s at its maximum oscillation, remove the adapter and push slightly the record perpendicularly to the needle.
This is quite trick to achieve but after a few trials it works. Then I marked on the record the new outer position for the adapter to be able to get the correct centering faster when I play it.
The problem is that this does not work at 100% and it’s virtually impossible to set up live as it’s tricky and takes too much time.

For years I’ve thought to a solution that would be simple to find and even easier to set up live and finally I thought to an off-centered adapter.
Thanks to my brother, he machined the adapter last week on a CNC machine and I have to say I’m astonished by the efficiency of this trick !!

Here it how it works :

It consists in a batch of different adapters, respectively 1, 2 and 4mm off centered, all 3 featuring a pointer for the correction direction.
Check the amplitude of the off-centering to decide the appropriate correction (it’s easy after a few trials and you can do the process several times if needed)
Stop the record when the needle is in its outer position
Exchange the normal adapter with the off-centered one (until then it’s the same process than usually)
Just turn the adapter to get the pointer facing the needle and that’s it !

To “save” the correction for future uses you just have to mark a small line on the record label + the adapter # and once you want to play the record you just have to take the appropriate adapter, put the pointer in front of the mark and the problem is fixed !
It takes only 1-2 seconds to retrieve the correct centering !!
I knew it would work but it’s even simpler to use than I expected.

As I can’t do a different adapter for each millimetre I choose to do 1, 2 and 4mm. I already want to produce a 3mm as some records would need it.

As it works so gooood, I’m considering doing a small production (20 sets) of a 5 pieces adapter set (for vinyl trainspotters like me !) that would feature :

• One centered adapter and the others 1,2,3,4 mm off centered (or 2 centered for 2 decks + 3 off centered… cause a 6 pieces suit would be too much it think !)
• Raw material : POM plastic which is “auto lubricant” to get the records sliding smoothly to the platter
• Cone shape studied to get the maximum of records caught when you throw them on the turntable (better than the half sphere)
• All edges rounded to get smooth transitions and prevent from damaging the record if you need to push on it
• Outer Ø just a bit smaller than the requirement to get most of the bad cutted centers fitting easily
• Flat surface on the back to prevent from putting the adapter into wrong position (those crappy molded plastic cones made me mad because of this !)
• Big chamfer to get a quicker positioning of the adapter on the turntable axis.
• Cylindrical shape on the bottom to put 2 records one on the other
• Smooth surface to prevent from damaging the record when thrown at the turntable.

Prior doing this I’m asking you to know if you would be interested in such a trick to fix otherwise unplayable records.
I would like to provide a short video showing how it works but I’ve no idea how to do it at the moment…

If you have suggestions on the different values of centering (including custom values), number of adapter in the set or anything else, feel free to contact me while we still have time to modify the design !!!
Of course I have to think to the price of the set, all adapters will be CNC machined with high precision on a very limited quantity so it has a cost, would probably be around €50 the lot (unless hundreds of you want it !)

Any input, request & pre-orders welcome !
Thanks for taking the time to read all this.
Big up to all vinyl heads out there !!

Zonard Echotone

[AnorakTrev]

So simple it beggars belief !!! Another engineer at R.A. (tu) Thanks sooo much for the excellent explanation , Zonard .

[vtov]

Sometimes LP or 12" single with a regular small hole will have one or both sides pressed 'off-centre' making the needle go side to side in the same way.

Your system could help these if we're willing to punch a larger hole in the 12" record.

[zonard]

Yeah, thanks to both of you for the comments.
Vtov, of course these adapters will only fix the large holes records. For the others there's still the old method of using a knife to enlarge the hole in the direction of the defect... but risky...

[vtov]

I'm saying if the centre of the small hole record is carved out to same size as a large, then your system can be used.

Especially on 12" or LPs where one side plays off-centre but the other is fine.

[zonard]

That's right but as a bit of a vinyl fetishist it's impossible for me to drill such a hole into a record !!

[zonard]

I just added 4 videos on youtube to show how these adapters work (details are in the "more info" button in youtube).
Sorry for the low sound level, I didn't notice that when I shot the videos...

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYItxmSc ... re=channel

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhoECPZ7I5g

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQPMSoh9 ... re=related

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZlUO0j5 ... re=related

Check it !
_________________

[zonard]

Adapters Now Available @ echotone.

BIG UP

[CoopZ]

Good invention!

any idea how to fix this with conventional vinyl that has small holes ?

Not sure if its hole thats off centre, or if when being made the vinyl has been pulled/put on a spindle at an angle causing the same needle movement problem

[zonard]

For those who wanted to check the efficiency of these adapters, I just added a MP3 demo.
The sample features 4 tunes, respectively 4, 3, 2 & 1mm off-centered, first without correction, then corrected.
Download @ echotone