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Bought a Sumiko Pearl today!

Yep.

Haven't touched 'em, yet. For several reasons. I just got the 'table set up recently, the cartridge is still breaking in, and it's sounding so good to me now that I've just been enjoying it. Plus, I need to get my ear's calibrated to where I'm at now before changing, else I couldn't be very sure of the change etymology, so to speak.
 
Im considering buying the Pearl to mount on a Thoren TD-11 tonearm. I wished I had a second arm wand for it. My question is in regards to hardware, does the pearl come with hardware. Or do I have to seek out the exact thorens hardware? Or will cheaper cartirdge mounting hardware work?
 
Im curious if I can get these at the hardware store? Is this a kit or actual oem thorens parts?

"14 stainless steel M2 slotted cheese-head machine screws

In the following lengths:

16mm x 2
12mm x 2
10mm x 2
8mm x 2
6mm x 2
5mm x 2
4mm x 2 "
 
Couldn't at my hardware store. Nor a bolt and screw place I went to either. I ordered a set at the link I sent above.
 
I went to 2 hardware stores today...

the big box orange one and they didnt have anything remotely close but they were giving away free hotdogs and hot choclate in the parking lot.

I then went to the local mom and pop hardware store and found metric cheese head miniature machine screws that fit the Thorens tonearm lift headshell mount perfect. They had various sizes.

19 cents a piece and I assume this is the same stock that those 20 dollar kits are made up from.

WIth that said, I hope I set the Sumiko Pearl up correctly and I look forward to giving it a listen this weekend.
 
Your hardware store is better than mine; they wouldn't even order them, or check to see if they could. The size is 2M as you know, and the smallest they had was 3M. Nice find.
 
Well after close to 200hrs with this cart I thought I would update my thoughts.

The Pearl originally a bit of an impluse buy, I was originally going to buy another Grado to replace the one that was ruined durring a move, but I saw this for a killer price at the NeedleDoctor.com (was a take off cart unused with no packing). I was looking for a cart that would track a bit better than the lower end Grado's, but would still retain a good midrange, which I require in a cart.

The Pearl ended up living up to my expectations, after fully breaking in it has a wonderful midrange, that rivals a Grado, a good bottom end, that is not boomy, and a topend that is very smooth and not harsh, though it may be a bit rolled off, but only slightly so, I mean it does only retail for 95bux!

My only complaint with this cart is the soundstage, its not that its terrible and sounds like listening to your amp with the mono switch on, its just a bit congested and not wide open and airy. Its a bit like being in a bar rather than a symphony hall. I think it is a very minor complaint for a 100 dollar cart, very minor.

My favorite things about this cart are, 1. guitars, any kind, but mostly distorted ones! It reproduces them so extreamly well, I just love listening to DSOTM with this cart for that very reason. 2. Brass instruments are to die for, they sound so, so very good with the Pearl. 3. Its tracking ability is very good
no innergrove distortion here:D

In the end its a cart that suited my needs/wants very well, though I believe upgradeitis will soon hit......I'm sure of it!
 
Thanks for the update on the Pearl. You've had me curious about it ever since you first mentioned it.

Too bad about the soundstage isn't better but you're right, for $100 you can't expect everything.
 
Trower said:
Well after close to 200hrs with this cart I thought I would update my thoughts.

The Pearl originally a bit of an impluse buy, I was originally going to buy another Grado to replace the one that was ruined durring a move, but I saw this for a killer price at the NeedleDoctor.com (was a take off cart unused with no packing). I was looking for a cart that would track a bit better than the lower end Grado's, but would still retain a good midrange, which I require in a cart.

The Pearl ended up living up to my expectations, after fully breaking in it has a wonderful midrange, that rivals a Grado, a good bottom end, that is not boomy, and a topend that is very smooth and not harsh, though it may be a bit rolled off, but only slightly so, I mean it does only retail for 95bux!

My only complaint with this cart is the soundstage, its not that its terrible and sounds like listening to your amp with the mono switch on, its just a bit congested and not wide open and airy. Its a bit like being in a bar rather than a symphony hall. I think it is a very minor complaint for a 100 dollar cart, very minor.

My favorite things about this cart are, 1. guitars, any kind, but mostly distorted ones! It reproduces them so extreamly well, I just love listening to DSOTM with this cart for that very reason. 2. Brass instruments are to die for, they sound so, so very good with the Pearl. 3. Its tracking ability is very good
no innergrove distortion here:D

In the end its a cart that suited my needs/wants very well, though I believe upgradeitis will soon hit......I'm sure of it!
Click to expand...

You know, given its price, the strengths you've listed are actually pretty impressive. IME only the higher-end cartridges I've used did brass instruments well enough that I'd use the phrase "to die for," and to have no inner-groove tracking at all is also very nice. So it sounds like this is a real winner.
 
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