Styli over substance: Analysis of stylus size choices in transcription discs

It is widely known that stylus choice can significantly alter the extracted sound from a disc, but guidance on selection remains somewhat vague. AES document AES-16id-2010 on stylus dimensions and selection states: "It is a widely adopted rule that the best sounding stylus is also the correct one. In most cases, the judgment will be made aurally by the engineer who makes the transfer." Using data from an NEH-funded project transferring hundreds of transcription discs, we will analyze stylus choices, plot them over year of recording, and compare the data with another large project involving commercial discs.