TEAC TN-300 Cartridge upgrade...need help!

[p1s1s1]

Hello all,
I have been running a stock Teac TN-300, with the original audio technica cartridge, for a while now. Perfectly adequate for my needs (running thru a Sansui AU-777A, into ELAC Debut B6 speakers), but I am looking to upgrade the cartridge, to see what I can get out of this set up.

Picked up a Shure M91ED, already mounted to an unidentifed (Sansui?) headshell. Per the previous owner, cartridge and stylus are in good condition.

So, my question is ... what do I need to do to use this cartridge? I leveled and zeroed out the weight, and set the tracking force ( tried between 1.25 g, and 2.0 g ) but it doesn't sound very good to me. I was hoping for screw in, and plug and play performance, but maybe that was naïve. I don't really know anything about using protractors, or other devices to set alignment.

Any advice for me, would be very much appreciated! The total weight of the cartridge and headshell, is about 16 g, and the length of the head shell is about 6.5 cm.

THANKS

 

[Balifly]

Hello all,
I have been running a stock Teac TN-300, with the original audio technica cartridge, for a while now. Perfectly adequate for my needs (running thru a Sansui AU-777A, into ELAC Debut B6 speakers), but I am looking to upgrade the cartridge, to see what I can get out of this set up.

Picked up a Shure M91ED, already mounted to an unidentifed (Sansui?) headshell. Per the previous owner, cartridge and stylus are in good condition.

So, my question is ... what do I need to do to use this cartridge? I leveled and zeroed out the weight, and set the tracking force ( tried between 1.25 g, and 2.0 g ) but it doesn't sound very good to me. I was hoping for screw in, and plug and play performance, but maybe that was naïve. I don't really know anything about using protractors, or other devices to set alignment.

Any advice for me, would be very much appreciated! The total weight of the cartridge and headshell, is about 16 g, and the length of the head shell is about 6.5 cm.

THANKS

The Sansui headshell design is probably quite different than the headshell of your turn table.

Use the same proprietary Teac TN 300 headshell for the Shure M 91 ED cartridge and align it following the instruction in the owner's manual.
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/teac/tn-300.shtml

 

[jwest1197]

Check the alignment of your cartridge using an alignment protractor. You should be able to get one online for free and just print it out. That should let you know if it can be aligned properly with your head shell.

I also just looked up your cartridge. I can't find a whole lot about it, aside from it being discontinued. It also seems like this could be configured best for 78 rpm shellac records depending on what kind of stylus is mounted in the actual cartridge. If your using this kind of stylus on an LP, it won't sound very good and you could also risk breaking the stylus since it's too big for the grooves. Be sure you have the yellow stylus and not the green stylus. Here's the manual I found on that.

http://pubs.shure.com/guide/Model-M91ED/en-US.pdf

If it turns out that your cartridge is well aligned and that you do have the right stylus for it, I'd just recommend getting a new cartridge.

 

[p1s1s1]

Hi guys, thanks very much for your assistance. I'll be trying the shure on the stock headshell, and after alignment, I'll see what I get.

Thanks again...

 

[Van_Isle]

I very much doubt you're going to be able to get that aligned. You'd have to twist the cartridge severely in the headshell. The Teac has a straight tonearm with the offset angle built into the proprietary headshell ... whereas that Sansui (or similar) headshell will have been made for a S-shaped arm. If you want to keep the other cartridge mounted, then either a Teac or a Denon DP-300F headshell is needed.

https://www.amazon.com/TEAC-TA-HS3-Headshell-TN-300-turntable/dp/B01HFN451O
https://www.lpgear.com/product/DEPCL310BK.html

With the proper headshell, I'd just use the instructions in the manual to align it and not worry with a protractor. Also a Shure m91ed should be set to track at 0.75 to 1.5g. Mid-range of this is generally recommended.

 

[Montycat]

^Peter's right. You need a headshell with the right shape. Otherwise you will not have the range in the slots to get proper alignment.

 

[Jbl Joe]

Hello all,
I have been running a stock Teac TN-300, with the original audio technica cartridge, for a while now. Perfectly adequate for my needs (running thru a Sansui AU-777A, into ELAC Debut B6 speakers), but I am looking to upgrade the cartridge, to see what I can get out of this set up.

Picked up a Shure M91ED, already mounted to an unidentifed (Sansui?) headshell. Per the previous owner, cartridge and stylus are in good condition.

So, my question is ... what do I need to do to use this cartridge? I leveled and zeroed out the weight, and set the tracking force ( tried between 1.25 g, and 2.0 g ) but it doesn't sound very good to me. I was hoping for screw in, and plug and play performance, but maybe that was naïve. I don't really know anything about using protractors, or other devices to set alignment.

Any advice for me, would be very much appreciated! The total weight of the cartridge and headshell, is about 16 g, and the length of the head shell is about 6.5 cm.

THANKS

If you still have the at95e cart that came with the TN 300 simply replace the stock elliptical stylus with either a hyperelliptical or Shibata both available from Turntable Needles. Both significantly provide sound superior to the Shure and Ortofon carts. Imo..l've used both and am happy. Check out Michael Fremers analog planet 9 cartridge revire

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Unless your tonearm has VTA/SRA adjustment, forgo the idea of a Shibata. And unless you can really get a proper alignment to correct geometry, the HE is less finicky but still demands good alignment practices.

 

[Jbl Joe]

Unless your tonearm has VTA/SRA adjustment, forgo the idea of a Shibata. And unless you can really get a proper alignment to correct geometry, the HE is less finicky but still demands good alignment practices.[/QU
Sra is way overhyped these days imo. If you must sra can be adjusted using platter mats of various thicknesses

 

[Jbl Joe]

QUOTE="KentTeffeteller, post: 11462001, member: 13294"]Unless your tonearm has VTA/SRA adjustment, forgo the idea of a Shibata. And unless you can really get a proper alignment to correct geometry, the HE is less finicky but still demands good alignment practices.[/QUOTE]
S

 

[Jbl Joe]

Shibatas came out in the 70's when not many tables were adjustable.

 

[Decibel_116]

Shibatas came out in the 70's when not many tables were adjustable.

Yes that is true, but that fact does not invalidate the requirement and importance of proper VTA - especially when using complex stylus shapes. Other methods can be used to adjust for proper VTA such as headshell shims and/or platter mat thickness where there is no adjustment on the tonearm.

 

[majick47]

Best to consider your turntables limitations as Kent said and not over spend on a stylus or cartridge that wont garner significantly better results. Some tables no matter how much you throw at them are severely restricted by their design and build quality and this is one of them.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

SRA is not overhyped if you use a Shibata, Micro Ridge, Fine Line, Fritz Gyger, StereoHedron, QuadraHedron, Linear Contact, or other similar type line contact stylus. With those tip shapes, SRA is a key part to getting optimum performance out of them. Less critical for conical and elliptical tips. With your turntable, find a nice elliptical tip of moderate cost and enjoy what you have, there's nothing wrong with that. Most of the time I play my records on a workaday Shure M 44-G or M 44-7 or Shure M 75 EJ, and they perform just fine for most of my record playback needs, though I have higher end options for records which need them.

 

[Decibel_116]

Have you seen the LP GEAR CARBON FIDELITY CFN95SE STYLUS? It's a new .3 x .7 mil upgrade stylus for the AT95E featuring a carbon fiber stylus.

 

[Jbl Joe]

SRA is not overhyped if you use a Shibata, Micro Ridge, Fine Line, Fritz Gyger, StereoHedron, QuadraHedron, Linear Contact, or other similar type line contact stylus. With those tip shapes, SRA is a key part to getting optimum performance out of them. Less critical for conical and elliptical tips. With your turntable, find a nice elliptical tip of moderate cost and enjoy what you have, there's nothing wrong with that. Most of the time I play my records on a workaday Shure M 44-G or M 44-7 or Shure M 75 EJ, and they perform just fine for most of my record playback needs, though I have higher end options for records which need them.

Where did our hobby go so wrong? As long as your cart is properly aligned and vta set correctly the table will petform admirably . The TN 300 while not up to the standards of my Linn LP 12 is a decent table. It's wow and flutter had been measured at .06 much better than Teacs stated .2. Linn, Rega Simon York, Roksan etc do not think sra is very important. And all their top carts have exotic profile styluses.l think they know what they're doing.

 

[Jbl Joe]

Have you seen the LP GEAR CARBON FIDELITY CFN95SE STYLUS? It's a new .3 x .7 mil upgrade stylus for the AT95E featuring a carbon fiber stylus.

Not much of a upgrade from stock AT95 stylus. I live in Henderson where LP Gear is located and l refuse to patronize their business. Enough on them. Upgrading to the HE stylus from Turntable Needles will yeild noticeable improvement in sound quality

 

[Jbl Joe]

Have you seen the LP GEAR CARBON FIDELITY CFN95SE STYLUS? It's a new .3 x .7 mil upgrade stylus for the AT95E featuring a carbon fiber stylus.

Carbon cantilevers not stylus

 

[hi*ball]

Where did our hobby go so wrong? As long as your cart is properly aligned and vta set correctly the table will petform admirably . The TN 300 while not up to the standards of my Linn LP 12 is a decent table. It's wow and flutter had been measured at .06 much better than Teacs stated .2. Linn, Rega Simon York, Roksan etc do not think sra is very important. And all their top carts have exotic profile styluses.l think they know what they're doing.

 

[Decibel_116]

.....anyway, back to the OP's original request. If you would like to experiment with other cartridges, as many of us here at AK do, you will need to acquire at least one or more additional headshells of the type that originally came with your Teac table. This is to ensure proper geometry and give the best chance of being able to perform an alignment successfully. I would try the Shure M91ED again on the correct headshell and see if it sounds more to your liking. But, don't say I didn't warn you. Cartridge swapping can turn into an obsession.