Groovy Picture

This whole video is totally worth watching, but if you can’t wait to see a stylus tracing a groove, fast forward to 4:25.

Electron microscope slow-motion video of vinyl LP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuCdsyCWmt8

That is not an actual slow-motion video of a stylus playing a groove.  That was made by stop action photography of static placement of the needle in the groove.  It is an animation.

Yep, as explained in the video.

This is how the modern high-end styli look

Judging from your posts, Chakster, you know quite a bit about ’vintage’ cartridges; at risk of making you blush, I’d say you’re an expert (I know I’ve learned from you). Just wondering, how do we define "modern"? Many of the "advanced" styli shown in those beautiful Lucite models have been with us quite awhile. IIRC, the Stereohedron was introduced for Quadrophonic —late-1960s-early ’70s? I saw one in 1971: close to half a century.

And bravo for that shot of the Replicant-100, damn good for ’homebrew’. Ortofon’s shot is beautiful, but took hours to set up; just the lighting to show the facets so dramatically took time, professional lighting/photographer. I’d imagine you spent less time, with maybe one back-light for the see-through effect, one in front for detail? And of course cleaned it immaculately — and got a shot nearly as good.

Care to share any photography tips? E.g. lens: you say Macro, but which one, what camera, what rez? Any extra close-up attachment? I can’t get nearly such fine results.

Just wondering, how do we define "modern"? Many of the "advanced" styli shown in those beautiful Lucite models have been with us quite awhile. IIRC, the Stereohedron was introduced for Quadrophonic —late-1960s-early ’70s? I saw one in 1971: close to half a century.

@bimasta You’re right, i think 70s-80s is a golden age of analog. For a cartridge design it was very important era. Some of the top cartridges from that era still unbeatable. The profiles of the styli envented in that era are still the best. Stylus invented for Quadraphonic was the JVC Shibata and Shibata is actually a surename of the Japanese engineer who invented this stylus. Many companies patented their own design, but they can’t copy previously patented design and name, so ve have variations.

The oldschool stylus is Conical/Spherical, compared to this stylus any LineContact variations are "modern".

The high-end styli are nude, square shank
While the cheap styli are bonded round shank spherical or elliptical

What was the last stylus patended? I think S.A.S. by Jico which is close to the MicroRidge and Audio-Technica’s MicroLine

And bravo for that shot of the Replicant-100, damn good for ’homebrew’.

Thanks

Care to share any photography tips? E.g. lens: you say Macro, but which one, what camera, what rez? Any extra close-up attachment? I can’t get nearly such fine results.

Believe it or not, but i use just iPhone with a few different kit of external lenses, they are all cheap as chips and made in China. Actually i got both for free from a friend. The better one is an old one, not available anymore. I took all of the pictures (you can find on audiogon) with it. However, both kits are just Fisheye/Macro combo, they are screwed together, to take a close up of the stylus i use only Macro (the lens is super small). It has a magnet and metal ring to stick on iPhone. This is how it works. As for the lighting it must be daylight at sunny day. One additional light on the stylus from the side (not always necessary). But that ortofon Replicant stylus is just BIG, for example the Audio-Technica Micro-Line stylus is super small, look here. Dynavector MicroReach stylus is also relatively small. This is just Grace elliptical. Images looks cooler when there is something colorfull on the background.