Eli5: Why does dj-ing not wreck the record they’re scratching on?
In: 40
It slowly wrecks it, because “scratching” plays the same area over and over. It is an effect called “cue burn”, a fuzzy sound.
Playing the record backwards will also cause more wear. Only a common spherical/conical stylus tip has the same profile forward to backwards. An ellipical stylus will have been thinned out more, and often have a facet cut that is more aggressive in the “wrong” direction.
Additionally, tonearms use anti-skate, pulling outwards with a spring to balance a naturally occurring force pulling inward, arising from the geometry. Going backwards gives the opposite force, pushing both the self-generated and the anti force against the same outer groove wall. DJs will often turn antiskate down or off to avoid skips, but then you still get the wrong correction in both directions.
Then instead of pulling the cantilever through the groove like a rake, you are pushing it like a shovel. This makes any deflection forces not naturally self-correcting.
DJs and radio stations used ruggedized cartridges (the best not being made any more). They use higher tracking weights, which also promotes premature wear.
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