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Cartridge compatibility with Technics SL-1410MK2

F

fbrooms

New Member
Hi,
Recently I purchased a Technics SL-1410Mk2 and want to upgrade the cartridge and headshell. I’m looking at the AT-VM540ML but after doing some research I am struggling to find if it will be a good fit for the standard tonearm. The spec says the effective mass is 22g with a 6.5g cartridge and 1.25g tracking force plus the standard headshell is 9.5g. The 540 weighs in at 6.4g so there’s hardly a difference and I would replace the headshell possibly for a AT-MG10 which is 10g with azimuth adjustment. I’m struggling understanding the frequency resonance of my setup as I’m not sure what my effective mass is and whether it should include tracking force and the cartridge mass when putting it into the calculator on vinyl engine - is it 22g or 14.25g? This makes me uncertain whether the compliance of the 540 at 10hz is a good match if it’s not in the 8-12hz range and I should just get a different cartridge? Any help would be greatly appreciated…I’m really struggling here!!!

Thanks,
 
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fbrooms said:
Hi,
Recently I purchased a Technics SL-1410Mk2 and want to upgrade the cartridge and headshell. I’m looking at the AT-VM540ML but after doing some research I am struggling to find if it will be a good fit for the standard tonearm. The spec says the effective mass is 22g with a 6.5g cartridge and 1.25g tracking force plus the standard headshell is 9.5g. The 540 weighs in at 6.4g so there’s hardly a difference and I would replace the headshell possibly for a AT-MG10 which is 10g with azimuth adjustment. I’m struggling understanding the frequency resonance of my setup as I’m not sure what my effective mass is and whether it should include tracking force and the cartridge mass when putting it into the calculator on vinyl engine - is it 22g or 14.25g? This makes me uncertain whether the compliance of the 540 at 10hz is a good match if it’s not in the 8-12hz range and I should just get a different cartridge? Any help would be greatly appreciated…I’m really struggling here!!!

Thanks,
Click to expand...
the 540 will be fine. odd that the manual for the 1400mk2 gives the effective mass with a cartridge installed. its usually listed without. for all the other technics with that arm, the manuals list the ef as 12 grams. do you have the original headshell? a lot of these have been replaced with the more common technics headshell that you see knock offs of on ebay. that model is a couple grams lighter.

the 540 is a great cart and it would probably be safe on most common arms out there.
 
narud said:
the 540 will be fine. odd that the manual for the 1400mk2 gives the effective mass with a cartridge installed. its usually listed without. for all the other technics with that arm, the manuals list the ef as 12 grams. do you have the original headshell? a lot of these have been replaced with the more common technics headshell that you see knock offs of on ebay. that model is a couple grams lighter.

the 540 is a great cart and it would probably be safe on most common ar
Click to expand...

narud said:
the 540 will be fine. odd that the manual for the 1400mk2 gives the effective mass with a cartridge installed. its usually listed without. for all the other technics with that arm, the manuals list the ef as 12 grams. do you have the original headshell? a lot of these have been replaced with the more common technics headshell that you see knock offs of on ebay. that model is a couple grams lighter.

the 540 is a great cart and it would probably be safe on most common arms out there.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response, the original headshell for the 1400mk2 is 9.5g which I know is 2 grams heavier than for the 1200 series so the effective mass is around 14g I think. I’m not sure if it is the original headset or not but it needs replacing anyways. Would it be better to get a lower mass headshell - maybe 7.5 grams as that increases the resonant frequency from 8hz to 9hz which is safer? Thanks,
 
As stated above, your VM540ML will be fine on that and most tonearms. There is no need to worry too much about the exact mass and resonance. I can tell you that using a Shure test record the tested resonance of my SL-1600 is 9 Hz with a slightly lighter but similar AT-VM95SH. That tonearm and turntable are very forgiving. I have never had a turntable/cartridge combination with a resonance problem. I suspect that kind of mismatch happens with much more exotic equipment more often or only.
 
DO NOT GET THE AT VM540ML - There is the new VM740Xml series for cheaper and with the upgraded metal body.
 
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