Gramophone needle shootout

[audioengr]

I performed this shootout with one record, Cocoanut Groove, which is an electric recording and quite loud depending on the needle. I use my Victor II that has been extensively modded and with a HMV #4 reproducer, recently rebuilt.

Here are the needles that I used:

Forgot the Victor soft, so here is that for comparison:

Results:

Walt Sommers Soft Tone:
- fairly loud when fully in, but better pulled out a bit
- good frequency response
- good dynamics
- no "fluff" on needle at all

Victor Soft Tone:
- Nice level for a small/medium room or up close
- loses a bit of dynamics over the Walt Sommers soft tone
- loses some bass over the Walt Sommer soft tone
- very small "fluff" on the needle

Laubscher Salon OR:
- quite loud
- good clarity and detail
- excellent frequency extension
- good liveness factor
- small "fluff" on needle

Cat & Angel gold-plated loud:
- listenable when pulled out a bit
- too loud for most rooms
- a bit shouty at high frequencies
- very small "fluff" on the needle

Troubador Silver:
- similar sound to Cat & Angel
- better when pulled out a bit
- very small "fluff" on the needle

Trek De-Lux Gold:
- pulled-out, it's almost as good as Laubscher Salon OR
- a bit shouty on top
- not the bass that the Laubscher Salon OR gets
- Almost too loud for rooms
- small "fluff" on the needle

Chamberlain Siren Spearpoint:
- Even used in "soft" orientation is it excruciatingly loud - hurt my ears
- decent balance across frequencies
- good for outdoor venues or large halls
- small "fluff" on the needle

Conclusions:

For room playing, I rate them as follows:

1) Laubscher Salon OR pulled-out
2) Walt Sommers Soft Tone
3) Victor Soft Tone
4) Trek De-Lux Gold pulled-out
5) Cat & Angel Gold
6) Troubador Silver
7) Chamberlain Siren Spearpoint

These conclusions are based on the efficiency of my tweaked gramophone and HMV #4 reproducer. It's pretty loud even with soft needles. I highly recommend the Walt Sommers Soft Tone because of the reproduction quality given the cost and the minimal record wear. I have found a few bent ones that would ruin a record, so I recommend to examine each one with an eye-loupe before using.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/383406140741?V ... 3406140741

YMMV

[Daithi]

Very interesting. I would love to get your comparison of fiber needles.