malden
Addicted Member
That N44 stylus looks like another generic cheapie
Should I upgrade my table or replace it?
- Thread starter AceTechHD
- Start date
That N44 stylus looks like another generic cheapie
AceTechHD
Active Member
Words can't describe my face right now. lol I'll buy your godly JICO stylus, but if It doesn't eliminate all distortion they'll be no arguments left.
It's probably an EVG sold as 'made by Jico'.
I think while Joe Jackson, in that time period, was often labeled as 'pop' he always had too much jazz, classical and even big-band influences in his music to be truly just 'pop' ... but maybe I'm alone in that opinion. Night and Day has been one of my favourite Jackson albums .... and I've owned it since 1984 when it came as a freebie with my Akai AP-Q41 turntable.
I was thinking about n55e vs n44e ... I forgot that the Jicos for both are probably the same. For example, we've had confirmation direct from Jico that the n91ed an n91e are exactly the same stylus ... but the 'ed' version sells for $56 and the 'e' sells for $33. I bet the 55's and 44's are exactly the same. So perhaps the $33 n55e would do the trick: https://www.jico-stylus.com/product_info.php?products_id=1014.
But it's probably time to start looking for a decent table ... are you near Detroit? ... Detroit craigslist (including nearby areas):
Technics SL-1700 $180
Technics SL-1200m3d $300
Technics SL-1200m3d $435
Pioneer PL-71 $450
Pioneer PL-610 $200
Sony PS-X55 $200
Denon DP-60L $799
I think while Joe Jackson, in that time period, was often labeled as 'pop' he always had too much jazz, classical and even big-band influences in his music to be truly just 'pop' ... but maybe I'm alone in that opinion. Night and Day has been one of my favourite Jackson albums .... and I've owned it since 1984 when it came as a freebie with my Akai AP-Q41 turntable.
I was thinking about n55e vs n44e ... I forgot that the Jicos for both are probably the same. For example, we've had confirmation direct from Jico that the n91ed an n91e are exactly the same stylus ... but the 'ed' version sells for $56 and the 'e' sells for $33. I bet the 55's and 44's are exactly the same. So perhaps the $33 n55e would do the trick: https://www.jico-stylus.com/product_info.php?products_id=1014.
But it's probably time to start looking for a decent table ... are you near Detroit? ... Detroit craigslist (including nearby areas):
Technics SL-1700 $180
Technics SL-1200m3d $300
Technics SL-1200m3d $435
Pioneer PL-71 $450
Pioneer PL-610 $200
Sony PS-X55 $200
Denon DP-60L $799
AceTechHD
Active Member
I am near Detroit and I never really thought of checking their craigslist. Thanks for the heads up man. I was mostly checking the bay. 33 bones definitely doesn't hurt but honestly this M44E situation is incredibly silly. Distorts if it's not using some almighty stylus from one manufacturer (hell even the original stylus distorts). Sounds a little hard to believe.
malden
Addicted Member
Yes, the JICO N91E and N91ED are the same, only difference is the color of the stylus grip. But the N55E and N44E are not the same, they have different tracking force ranges. The N55E, as I recall, is .75 to 2 grams and the N44E is 1.5 to 4 grams. The N44E also has a higher output than the N55E.
malden
Addicted Member
Last edited:
AceTechHD
Active Member
I believe your problems lay beyond the stylus...
Let's say my problem is indeed my cheap SL 1200 replica, that certainly wasn't the case for the YouTube video was it? You're putting a lot of stock in this JICO stylus. Are you suggesting anyone who doesn't use this stylus will experience distortion? Sounds like a major design flaw in the cart that JICO found the solution to, not my turntable.
malden
Addicted Member
I wasn't referring specifically to the turntable...the spinning I'm thinking of are your wheels...
AceTechHD
Active Member
I wasn't referring specifically to the turntable...the spinning I'm thinking of are your wheels...
At this point I'm very curious as to what exactly is the source of the distortion. So naturally I'll be very interested in finding out how to fix it. If you have somthing to add to the discussion then by all means do, but so far all you've done is claim one specific stylus will fix all of my problems and with no explanation.
Yes I know better tables exist, and I'm sure the M44E can sound much better than what I've heard, but what is shocking is how much praise you give this cartridge. How much would you say one is worth? 50 bucks maybe?
AceTechHD
Active Member
I'll likely get the Technics Sl 1200 and if I find an SL 1800 for a really good price I'd settle for that. The reason I'm a little afraid to put the Nagaoka on my current table is because the tonearm lock is broken and the arm dropping mechanism makes the stylus hit the album too hard, resulting in some albums skpping at the very beginning. Overall just way too cheap of a table to put such a nice cartridge on.
justjed2
Super Member
If you can find an SL-1800, or similar Technics deck, in good condition for a reasonable price, you should probably jump on it. I did, about a month ago, found an SL-1800 Mk1 for $175, and it's much better than my old deck. But if you just want the AT-LP5, then get one!. And be sure to let us know how it works for you.
shelly_d
Not An Audiophool
I've been following this thread and have a suggestion to make:
You started off trying to replace the turntable, went to a new stylus and have not fixed the issue. I listened to that recording to Guilty and did not hear the distortion. Not surprising given my retirement age hearing. Clearly though you are hearing it clearly enough to spoil your enjoyment of the music. On the bay right now are several examples of a turntable that flies beneath the radar of most people, the Pioneer PL7. This one is a light table so it will need a vibration free mounting, like a wall shelf affixed to the studs of the wall. Once mounted it is a fully automatic that delivers the performance of a Technics SL 1200, rumble down at -78 dB and wow and flutter down at .025%. See Here:
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pl-7.shtml
It has a low mass arm that will take a high compliance cartridge and perform beautifully with it. The bite out of your budget is relatively low, getting purchased shipped to you for in the neighborhood of $100 ~ 150 (make sure the seller packs it well for shipping). I have one that I am very happy with. There is a member here that does restorations on them (Beej I think) who can tell you a lot more about their performance and provide assistance for fixing any issues. The only down side I found on mine is that it is easy to get the cartridge misaligned. Mine was skewed at the wrong angle till I downloaded a protractor and used that to line it up correctly.
Shelly_D
You started off trying to replace the turntable, went to a new stylus and have not fixed the issue. I listened to that recording to Guilty and did not hear the distortion. Not surprising given my retirement age hearing. Clearly though you are hearing it clearly enough to spoil your enjoyment of the music. On the bay right now are several examples of a turntable that flies beneath the radar of most people, the Pioneer PL7. This one is a light table so it will need a vibration free mounting, like a wall shelf affixed to the studs of the wall. Once mounted it is a fully automatic that delivers the performance of a Technics SL 1200, rumble down at -78 dB and wow and flutter down at .025%. See Here:
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pl-7.shtml
It has a low mass arm that will take a high compliance cartridge and perform beautifully with it. The bite out of your budget is relatively low, getting purchased shipped to you for in the neighborhood of $100 ~ 150 (make sure the seller packs it well for shipping). I have one that I am very happy with. There is a member here that does restorations on them (Beej I think) who can tell you a lot more about their performance and provide assistance for fixing any issues. The only down side I found on mine is that it is easy to get the cartridge misaligned. Mine was skewed at the wrong angle till I downloaded a protractor and used that to line it up correctly.
Shelly_D
OP time to ditch that cheap knockoff table and move on to something better and I wouldn't suggest another Hanpin made table (AT-LP5) no matter how pretty it looks. Your wasting your time and money with a new stylus or cartridge for that table, nothing is going to change the horrible sound quality.
AceTechHD
Active Member
Got a bit of the money saved up already. Gonna nab a Technics.
justjed2
Super Member
I'm sure the built-in Onkyo is OK, but you might also look at a stand-alone phono-pre. You'd be surprised how much better they can make an already good table/cartridge combination sound. The TEC TC-750 is a pretty decent pre for around $50, tho I would recommend getting it with a regulated power supply. The longer it's plugged in, the better it sounds. No, it's not the last word in anything, but it's surprisingly competent for those of us on a limited budget.
Just a thought...
Just a thought...
sqlsavior
Lunatic Member
Maybe it's the camera, with a wide-angle lens, distorting the picture, but your headshell and cartridge seem tilted, toward the rim of the platter, rather than vertical. You may want to get a headshell with azimuth adjustment capability....
beat_truck
Addicted Member
The SL D202 is a pretty good TT. How much do they want for it?
