Test Record Tracks Wishlist

[SeriousSeri]

Hey guys,

Are you tired of searching for "that" specific test record you need for "this" one test you want to conduct? Does going desperately through your pile of test LPs get you weird looks from your friends and family? Have you always dreamed of having that "one" test record that would finally put an end to all that misery?

If you had the opportunity to create the "perfect" test record (as far as vinyl goes) for enthusiast or professional use, which tracks would you include? What would you use them for? Would you prefer them at the outer, middle, or inner part of the LP? Do you have any special technical requirements for the tracks (like -20dB, only two constants RIAA EQ, or whatever comes to your mind)? You could even create more than one LP if the requirements demand it. This the chance to let your thoughts flow, and maybe...

As an example:

-20dB Frequency Sweep, 50s, 0-40kHz, with a 2s 1kHz Pilot Tone at the start, positioned at the outer or middle part of the record. Used for measuring the frequency response of cartridges.

 

[Balle Clorin]

Not sure how wishing hjelps, who is going to make it?

 

[Watire]

I'd add channel separation tracks : 1 Khz hard Left and 1 Khz hard Right, with the classic 2 channels 3150 Hz track to measure W&F and speed accuracy. That makes it 3 more mandatory tracks IMHO. I use them constantly with the 1 Khz signal to fix levels and check basic bad alignment related artifacts. The set allows to verify the actual running state of a cartridge or of a particular stylus.

 

[DVDdoug]

I had a test record back in the vinyl days. I think it was from Radio Shack so who knows how good/accurate it was. It would have been OK for comparative measurements but I didn't have any proper equipment to use with it. I don't remember what happened to it. It seems to have disappeared by the time I gave-away the last of my records.

Ortofon makes cartridges and a test record so I guess that should be the standard for their cartridges (at least for frequency response). I don't know how other manufacturers test & specify their cartridges.

Now that we have digital, IMO it's not worth being obsessed with "perfecting" your vinyl setup because no matter how good it is, it's going to be technically-inferior to anything modern. (It's OK with me that some people enjoy, or even prefer, the sound of vinyl but technically it's inferior.)

 

[MaxwellsEq]

This is a very interesting and fun thread:

Fun with vinyl measurements

I think Vinyl people in other forums do not want to know about turntable and cartridge measurements as they may get disappointed. I like accuracy and good design but that does not prevent me from listening to vinyl or measuring it. Measuring is a way to learn,understand and improve. Let us...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[SeriousSeri]

This is a very interesting and fun thread:

Fun with vinyl measurements

I think Vinyl people in other forums do not want to know about turntable and cartridge measurements as they may get disappointed. I like accuracy and good design but that does not prevent me from listening to vinyl or measuring it. Measuring is a way to learn,understand and improve. Let us...

audiosciencereview.com

This is exactly like going through a pile of Test-Records You are working (labouriously) with what is given, but this is about what you could have
Which is why i thought a well put-together list of tracks and their uses could simplify the matter in the future.

 

[Balle Clorin]

Side 1
Track1&2: frequency sweep 20-20k like Clearaudio TRS-1007, preferably JVC TRS-1007 quality and EQ ( no riaa in treble)

Track 3: 3150hz mono wow and flutter track. 2 channel NO RIAA. If placed at 120.9 mm it could be used to set Zenith by channel phase difference too.
Track4&5 : azimuth Crosstalk 1khz L and R track. (Single channels). No RIAA. Ref Ortofon test record.
Track 6 : Tracking 50-60-70-80-90-100 um 315hz ,ref Ortofon test record.
Track 7&8: arm-cart resonance test vertical and horizontal.
Track 9: low frequency sweep 3-100 hz ( like som Denon test records) XG-7001

Side 2
track 1 . Vertical modulation and Intermodulation distortion test for VTA , ref CBS 112.
Track 2 At 120.9mm IMD test for HTA/ zenith test. Minimum IMD when aligned correctly.
Track 3: VTA test 14-18-22-26-30 VTA engraved as Din 45 542 record.
Track 4: Azimuth test engraved with 85-95 degrees as Hungarian Merolemez test record, Left and Right.
Track 5 Pink noise stereo, and mono in phase, mono out of phase.RIAA
Track 6: pink noise as above but not RIAA
Track 7 : 1khz lateral mono
Track 8 : 1khz vertical modulation

and maybe a music high modulation test track like Shure obstacle courses. 4 levels

 

[SeriousSeri]

That is the grade of sophistication i was talking about, thank you for the effort!

 

[USER]

Side 1
Track1&2: frequency sweep 20-20k like Clearaudio TRS-1007, preferably JVC TRS-1007 quality and EQ ( no riaa in treble)

Track 3: 3150hz mono wow and flutter track. 2 channel NO RIAA. If placed at 120.9 mm it could be used to set Zenith by channel phase difference too.
Track4&5 : azimuth Crosstalk 1khz L and R track. (Single channels). No RIAA. Ref Ortofon test record.
Track 6 : Tracking 50-60-70-80-90-100 um 315hz ,ref Ortofon test record.
Track 7&8: arm-cart resonance test vertical and horizontal.
Track 9: low frequency sweep 3-100 hz ( like som Denon test records) XG-7001

Side 2
track 1 . Vertical modulation and Intermodulation distortion test for VTA , ref CBS 112.
Track 2 At 120.9mm IMD test for HTA/ zenith test. Minimum IMD when aligned correctly.
Track 3: VTA test 14-18-22-26-30 VTA engraved as Din 45 542 record.
Track 4: Azimuth test engraved with 85-95 degrees as Hungarian Merolemez test record, Left and Right.
Track 5 Pink noise stereo, and mono in phase, mono out of phase.RIAA
Track 6: pink noise as above but not RIAA
Track 7 : 1khz lateral mono
Track 8 : 1khz vertical modulation

and maybe a music high modulation test track like Shure obstacle courses. 4 levels

Great list. But you are missing the most important thing: another 20-20kHz frequency sweep at the end of the side so we can finally have FR, distortion, and crosstalk by the inner groove! That is the major thing we are missing.

 

[morillon]

Great list. But you are missing the most important thing: another 20-20kHz frequency sweep at the end of the side so we can finally have FR, distortion, and crosstalk by the inner groove! That is the major thing we are missing.

but there is such a reduction in linear speed, fr etc etc etc.. does that still make sense?

 

[USER]

but there is such a reduction in linear speed, fr etc etc etc.. does that still make sense?

Oh, I'm not saying there aren't issues to circumvent. But part of my wish is that someone else figures that out!

 

[Balle Clorin]

Agree , that it would be nice to have too , is space allows. Thought about it, but probably not space for it ?. Anyway not much to do about inner grove distortion and high frequency loss, but the difference between Microline and others will show with that inner track. I run always Microline anyway …

A silent track could also be included
And square wave ( not RIAA but triangle modulation)

 

[Watire]

And square wave ( not RIAA but triangle modulation)

What are the purpose of square waves in phono measurements ? Is this for cartridge, preamp, both ? It is to be monitor on a oscilloscope screen or on a distorsion bench ? A which frequencies square wave tracks are useful in that context ?

 

[Balle Clorin]

It is a standard test used a lot when vinyl was the main medium.
Some square waves have a 3:7 duty cycle to check the absolute phase ( CBS and Ortofon)
Others CBS test records have square wave to look at stylus ringing/overshoot and mechanical impedance whatever that means. Square wave reproduction is an easy way to check the frequency response of a step up transformer ( want minimal ringing)
The problem
Is to know if it is the cutter or your cartridge you see the results from. And your ADC will filter and affect the results a lot. I have an fully analog oscilloscope I can use…

1khz is ok

 

[Watire]

I happen to have a 100Hz square wave track at the end of a side of a 52 years old CBS produced record. The signal is on both channels. What can it be good for ?

 

[Balle Clorin]

RiAA has to be off, What does the record info say?

Check the details and record cover imagehere

https://www.discogs.com/release/8058356-CBS-Laboratories-Professional-Test-Record-Square-Wave-Tracking-And-Intermodulation-Tests

 

[Watire]

What a fascinating technical sheet ! Thanks a lot.
I do not have a switchable RIAA correction feature. So I will try another capture directly from the turntable output in the future, as a experiment.
The record is a promotional LP distributed with the first Pioneer turntables coming in Europe in the early 70s. Obscure enough not to be listed on discogs, and devoid of any liner notes, it is referenced "CBS SPECIAL PRODUCTS SPR 954".

 

[Balle Clorin]

Yes, audio advertising in the 70s provided facts and documentation, not the bullshit we get today.Today charlatans has taken over, we all know who they are…

Regarding Non RIAA recordings; not easy to find an audio interface with correct loading for a cartridge, capacitance is too high or resistance too low. If one can get/make an inverse RIAA calibration in REW one could use REW recording from RIAA output. But the ADC should be 192k or more to measure square waves and step up transformers .

I have Parks Audio Puffin , and use 96k , the puffing can record without RIAA and has a bunch of useful features. Love it!

To be honest I think cartridge measurements are best done with flat setting or the setting according to the test record.

 

[SeriousSeri]

Others CBS test records have square wave to look at stylus ringing/overshoot and mechanical impedance whatever that means.

Mechanical Impedances are the counterforces seen by the cantilever (depending on the construction...) due to bearing stiffness. When these (mechanical) resistances are low, the compliance is high and the stylus can follow complex modulations. Simplified =)

It is basically like a spring/damper system on a car suspension where the square wave is the bump in the road, and you see how much the suspension is able to follow without unwanted behaviour like jumping or swinging.