Empire 698: Is it repairable

[dorr]

Has anyone seen this before?

Crazy glue may hold the plastic piece back in place. I thought maybe a piece of copper from a circuit board may wedge back in place while trying to glue it or is it impossible to repair.

Any ideas? I got it this way so I do not know how it happened. There may be other damage.

It's also missing the cables to check it out if it is repairable.

 

[LesE]

As you have discovered, the plastic headshell mount is the weak link in the Empire 698 tonearm design. Normally, the plastic mount will break off but in your case, it looks like center plastic piece was pulled out of place. Someone most likely over tightened the collar that holds the headshell to the tonearm. Unfortunately, it appears that one of the contact strips have been broken off in the process. If it was intact, it may have been possible to glue the center plastic piece back in place. Most of the repairs I've seen involves removing the original plastic mount and wiring the cartridge directly to the tonearm wiring. Here is an example of one such repair that was posted in the Empire history thread:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=278075&page=35

This is what it's supposed to look like when it's in one piece.

As for the missing cables, if you are referring to cable assembly that connects to the base of the tonearm, there are reproductions that appear on eBay fairly regularly.

Les.

 

[dorr]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Ken Boyd]

Such a shame I love the Empires.

 

[LesE]

On a related subject, I've been working on a 3D model for the 698 mount hoping that it may be useful in the event that my headshell mount were to break. I'm not sure of how well it would turn out when printed since there are some fine details that may be problematic. I expect that it will involve a lot of trial and error to get it to fit properly. Unfortunately, this won't help you with your problem but your photos were helpful in determining some of the details required for the model so thanks for posting. If you have any more detailed photos, they'd be most helpful.

Thanks.

Les.

 

[orthophonic]

Someone on here changed the mount to use a standard headshell, it was a few years ago, maybe it is in the archives.

 

[dorr]

I'll gladly take any photos that would help you. Let me know what you would like.

 

[Pio1980]

Superglue tends to be brittle with poor shear resistance.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[LesE]

I'll gladly take any photos that would help you. Let me know what you would like.

Some additional pics of the plastic piece that pulled out of the arm would really help. Perhaps one shot from directly above and then some profile shots of the sides. That should allow for dimensions to be determined. A closeup of the end of the arm wouldn't hurt either. No rush on this. Whenever you have the time would be great.

About that broken contact, is there enough of it remaining to work with and is there any slack on the tonearm wire for that contact? I was thinking that perhaps a strip of gold plated brass could be made into a contact. Possibly even a cartridge connection clip that would be flattened out and bent into the correct shape and then soldered onto what's remaining of the broken contact. Just a thought.

Les.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Easiest solution would be to install a Rek-O-Kut/Jelco tonearm with their mounting adapter and enjoy being able to use standard headshells. And it's a superb tonearm. The kit is available separate if you want to buy the Jelco elsewhere.

 

[dorr]

Here are a few more pictures. Hope they help you.

 

[LesE]

That's great. Thanks for taking the time.

I tore apart an old Amphenol ribbon connector that I had on hand to get at the contact strips. Perhaps this approach can be used to repair your broken connection. If something like this can be soldered to the end of the broken connection, then it may be possible to reattach the mount using a small amount of epoxy.

 

[reister211]

I would be interested in purchasing the headshell if you decide to replace your tone arm.
PM me if interested
Thanks

 

[setevik1983]

Hi

Somebody already has made the 3D model?

 

[setevik1983]

I made a standart SME connector for Empire 698 tonearm. But the increased weight of the tonearm by a shell. I machined a new counterweight. Now it works, but the tonearm system now has a lot of weight.

Have anyone have finished 3D model for 3D printing? I am ready to discuss terms

P.S. Sorry for my english...

 

[audio-ed]

I bought a 698 and had the same problem. I put an 4 pin headshell mount on the tone arm very simular to the one in the above post. I used the original tone arm weight just adjusted out and it's worked fine . I have the 698 headshell and would like to come up with and idea to graft a 4pin plug on to it . No other headshell looks like a 698 headshell . Did the same thing with the tone arm on my acoustic research arxb . It has a similular bad design on its headshell mount also.

 

[setevik1983]

I used counterweight because:
1. Heavy head Empire 880
2. Not original heavy shell

I have another problem. Mechanism lifts tonearm with problem, because it has big weight.

 

[setevik1983]

Hi all.

I spent a lot of time and made three often breakable parts.

I'll do a test print on a 3D printer, soon.

 

[jchrist]

Someone on here changed the mount to use a standard headshell, it was a few years ago, maybe it is in the archives.

That was me, I'm pretty sure. I did mine about 7 years or so ago.

 

[setevik1983]

I printed test samples of parts Empire 698. Tested two materials.