AR XA headshell contacts not meeting

The problem with the Pat's AR headshell (beside the rough texture) is it isn't very durable. The nubs on mine are already getting chewed up. I do like their Dual 1019 headshells a lot, they are far superior to OEM.

The Best AR headshells sure do look close to the originals, and being injection-molded, they should be stronger.

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I just made an offer on one of the Best Audio injection ones. I'll let you all know how it works when it arrives.

C
depending upon the length of the spring loaded pins, if you still have trouble with a channel cutting out, it may be due to the solid pin headshell pushing the pins in the socket back. If this headshell does as the AR ones do, which is the wires move forward into the shell as it's being tightened up, you should see that movement, and all should be good.
 
I bought one of the ones from Best Audio and it works fine.

I purchased two from Best Audio with very good results. The pins are spring loaded and long enough to make good contact. The nut inserts for the cartridge mounting are good quality as well, I try not to overtighten them. The nubs on the mount looks to be good quality and seem to be holding up despite the numerous time I have dismounted the head shell. I just make sure to not tighten the collar until the headshell is properly making full contact. Personally I have no experience with Pats Audio 3D printed version, so can’t say much on that.
 
I purchased two from Best Audio with very good results. The pins are spring loaded and long enough to make good contact. The nut inserts for the cartridge mounting are good quality as well, I try not to overtighten them. The nubs on the mount looks to be good quality and seem to be holding up despite the numerous time I have dismounted the head shell. I just make sure to not tighten the collar until the headshell is properly making full contact. Personally I have no experience with Pats Audio 3D printed version, so can’t say much on that.

Actually, I ordered my Best Audio headshell in August and I think that was before they switched to the injection molding version, as mine is textured/rough.

But still good quality and I can sand my plinth with it if needed! ;)
 
Actually, I ordered my Best Audio headshell in August and I think that was before they switched to the injection molding version, as mine is textured/rough.

But still good quality and I can sand my plinth with it if needed! ;)

I should clarify that the two I ordered are the injection molded versions. Smooth texture and close to original.
 
As promised. Report on the Best Audio injection molded head shells.

Works great. Looks almost identical to the original. Like that the lead wires are fully insulated. Only issue i'm seeing is the spring loaded contact pins are a tad longer than the originals and I can't get the head shell to fully seat into the arm. Maybe 1mm gap. It might fit all the way, i'm just afraid to crank down on the nut. It's solid though. No play etc.

First pic is the Best Audio (with Gap) Second is my Stock head shell. Now I can swap between my Pickering XV-15 and my Ortofon FF 15 XE and finally try to figure out which one I prefer more.

Best audio parts headshell
IMG_1646_1.jpg



Stock headshell.
IMG_1645_1.jpg
 
How far do the pins stick out when compressed? If I were in that situation I'd be tempted to dress them on a file and then a stone if I had enough room to play, just to make it perfect.
 
Possible, but they don't look solid like the ones on the AR stock. They are rounded. See that photo someone posted above a few posts. They might be hollow.
 
Do not "crank down on the nut." It's not designed to pull the headshell in. Press the headshell as far into the socket as you can and then tighten, and that's all you get.
 
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I’d like to know how you adapt the Tonearm to accommodate a standard headshell?

I’d think that would be a better sounding solution no?

Thanks

Eric
 
I’d like to know how you adapt the Tonearm to accommodate a standard headshell?

I’d think that would be a better sounding solution no?

Thanks

Eric
you replace the armtube with one that has the "sme" type mounting. "better sounding" can come from better alignment options.
 
As promised. Report on the Best Audio injection molded head shells.

Works great. Looks almost identical to the original. Like that the lead wires are fully insulated. Only issue i'm seeing is the spring loaded contact pins are a tad longer than the originals and I can't get the head shell to fully seat into the arm. Maybe 1mm gap. It might fit all the way, i'm just afraid to crank down on the nut. It's solid though. No play etc.

First pic is the Best Audio (with Gap) Second is my Stock head shell. Now I can swap between my Pickering XV-15 and my Ortofon FF 15 XE and finally try to figure out which one I prefer more.

Best audio parts headshell
IMG_1646_1.jpg



Stock headshell.
IMG_1645_1.jpg

measure the width of the final square lug piece of the new vs the old. it may be a touch wider. The other "original" aftermarket ones, I've had to trim a few thousandths off the sides (both) of the lugs to get them to seat.
 
How far do the pins stick out when compressed? If I were in that situation I'd be tempted to dress them on a file and then a stone if I had enough room to play, just to make it perfect.
Hello - don't file the pins, you risk damaging the extremely tight tolerance between the pin, and the body.
 
I've got one of the injection molded ones coming. Hope it's a lot better than the 3D printed one I bought a couple of years ago. I'm a bit dismayed about the report that the molded one doesn't seat all the way. That changes the overhang and the chance that the head shell isn't square on the arm. Marc's suggestion sounds worthy. I'll check that when I get mine. I have 3 originals that won't seat any more but there's enough left of the nubs to measure.
 
Spending all this money on these ill fitting shells, I would think doing a wand replacement and using a standard SME type shell would be a much better way to go.
 
Spending all this money on these ill fitting shells, I would think doing a wand replacement and using a standard SME type shell would be a much better way to go.
Yes, it probably is. But, if you want to keep your table as stock as possible then I don't know of any other way to go. I will only run one cartridge on this table, experience has taught me the more times you remove and reinstall a plastic head shell the sooner the nubs are gone.
 
You can keep it stock looking while upgrading the wand, modifying one of the many broken headshells with a SME bayonet is one way.
9UMNnRw.jpg
 
You can keep it stock looking while upgrading the wand, modifying one of the many broken headshells with a SME bayonet is one way.
9UMNnRw.jpg
Maybe I should hang on to those original head shells with the bads nibs? Can you buy those bayonet mounts or do you disassemble them from other head shells?
 
Following up. The nut lugs on my injection molded one were a tad wider than the original. I just did what was suggested and shaved them a bit with an exacto, that allowed them to seat further in on the arm. Everything else looks and fits great. No play on the head shell, contacts are nice. Insulated leads are nice.
 
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