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Just bought a technics SL-7 In apparently good condition, expectations?

ClayTune said:
I do have a Audio technica AT92ECD which is basically brand new. I will likely install that one onto the turntable.

With regard to another question I had. I heard some vinyl cannot be played on linear tracking turntables due to being "Off center"??? What exactly does this mean? And also, how many vinyl should I expect to have difficulty with on this table?
Click to expand...

Linear tracking tone arms have a sensor which notices when the tonearm angle is less than 90 degrees, and then moves the arm to correct it using a servo circuit.

The problem with off center holes, is the arm can usually only move toward the center, but not back. If the hole is way off center, the arm moves in and then cannot move back out, which in an extreme case could cause skipping. Such records are rare though and IMHO junk.

Some higher end linear trackers like the pioneer pl-l800, pl-l1000, Yamaha px-3, etc have two sensors, and will move the tonearm in both directions and track an off center record just fine. Only the simple cheaper ones will only move one way.

Practically this is not an issue. Off center records which will throw off a linear tracker are not only rare, but will also exhibit intolerable wow, and sound bad on any record player.
 
MCM_Fan said:
Congrats! I have an SL-5 that I ALMOST sold, but decided to keep as my secondary table. It's a surprising great sounding table, with a decent cartridge installed. The S-7 should be even better! Plus it looks cool. Post some photos when you have a chance. Did it come with a cartridge? If not, I suggest the Audio Technica AT450 that is available NOS on eBay. It's a heck of a deal. One step up, but at 2x the cost for the stylus alone, is an AT132EP. I have both plus a few lesser AT P-Mount carts/styli (even they sound pretty good on my SL-5).

As far as maintenance goes, it really depends on the unit's current condition. In the 11 months I've had my SL-5, I've re-calibrated the speeds once, and that's it. I also got a set of feet off eBay (mine was missing 3 when I got it) and I am using a pair of Acoustic Research Pro Series Directional Balanced Line Audio Cable interconnects in place of the flimsy, poorly shielded interconnect cables that came with mine.

I plan on keeping my SL-5 long term. Unless, of course, an SL-7 happens to come my way at a price that's too good to pass up!
Click to expand...

I'm confused. When I search for the Cart you mention the AT85e comes up. I do own a AT92ECD which someone gave me about 3 years ago but I never used because it was a P-Mount. From what I understand, it's one of the best P-mounts available?
 
An SL-5 was my first turntable and I loved it.

I'm mainly a digital-source person but I recently decided to get a turntable again and picked up a serviced SL-7 off eBay.

The Technics linear-trackers from the early '80s are well-regarded, and for good reason. They are not super high-end units but they are very solid performers and several cuts above mass-market junk.

The SL-7 has two main advantages over the SL-5: It's a lot heaver, with a 15-lb cast aluminum base; and its motor is quartz-controlled for better speed accuracy.
 
ClayTune said:
I'm confused. When I search for the Cart you mention the AT85e comes up. I do own a AT92ECD which someone gave me about 3 years ago but I never used because it was a P-Mount. From what I understand, it's one of the best P-mounts available?
Click to expand...

I mentioned more than one cartridge (AT450 and AT132EP). They are both better than the AT92ECD you have. It's a good cartridge, but not one of the best P-Mount cartridges available. Perhaps it was one of the best in current production at the time you purchased it. The "best" P-Mount cartridges available are no longer in production

Here's a complete word for word copy of a post I made recently about some of the "best buys" currently available in P-Mount cartridges. Note, these have all been discontinued, but continue to be available as NOS on eBay.

Although the AT450 from the eBay seller is the highest quality P-Mount cartridge/stylus currently available at an affordable price, there are other bargains to be had in the same AT P-Mount family. Keep in mind that same style of AT cartridge has been around since the advent of the P-Mount standard and sold under probably > 100 different model numbers (if you include all AT variations, plus all the ones they OEMed for various turntable manufacturers like Sanyo, Sharp and Sony - and that's just the ones that start with "S").

I only have one P-Mount table, a tiny little Technics SL-5, that is a surprisingly good performer with a nice cartridge/stylus on it. It came with a very excellent AT132EP cartridge on it with the original stylus in excellent condition. I have been running this table in my office system where it gets little use, but am considering running it as the secondary table in my home system for playing thrift store vinyl. Plus, sometimes it's fun to just close the lid, hit play and let the turntable do the rest. The replacement stylus for the AT132EP has gotten rather expensive. So, I have stocked up on a lifetime supply of "lesser" Audio Technica P-Mount cartridges and genuine Audio Technica replacement styli:

Audio-Technica-P-Mount-Cartridges.jpg


Top left is the universally loved AT450. Top right is an AT320, which comes with the 03 x 0.7 mil "Special Elliptical" stylus (ATN3472SE = 213-SE). Center are two AT3472L cartridges with 0.6 mil conical styli (ATN3472 = 213-D6C) and at the bottom is an ATN3472SE "Special Elliptical" replacement stylus. I have a third AT3472L currently on the SL-5 turntable and another AT3472 (213-D6C) on the way that I picked up for $10.44 shipped this morning. Other than the ATN3472SE replacement stylus, everything in the photo came from that same eBay seller, and in my opinion all were screaming good deals for anyone with a P-Mount table.

Even the "lowly" 213-D6C conical sounds very nice on my SL-5 turntable. Each step up, from the conical to the special elliptical to the nude elliptical buys you a little more refinement, detail and separation, while retaining the same basic sonic signature. I always prefer to have two tables at my disposal: one with a low mass tonearm (Harman Kardon T60) for my vintage high compliance cartridges, and in the past, I've always had a Japanese direct drive table with a medium mass arm (most recently an MCS 6700) for playing my less than pristine vinyl. I accumulated a number of headshells so I could easily swap cartridges on that table as my mood and the quality of the vinyl dictated. Well, guess what, it's even easier (by a lot) to swap cartridges on a P-Mount table. Yes, the options are more limited, but for a back up table, with a combination of conical, special elliptical and nude elliptical cartridges and stylii, I'm good.

By all means, encourage your friend to get another AT450 while they are still available, but if he's in this for the long haul and plays a lot of records he may want to also pick up a couple cheap conicals (AT3472L) and a special elliptical or two (AT320) while he's at it.

Here's the manufacturer's specs on each, so you can see, in numbers, what you get as you move up the food chain:

AT3472L:
Stylus Profile = 0.6 mil conical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 20 - 20,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 26 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 16 dB
Channel Balance = 1.25 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

AT320:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 15 - 27,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 29 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 18 dB
Channel Balance = 1.25 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

AT450:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil nude elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 10 - 27,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 29 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 20 dB
Channel Balance = 1.0 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

And just for completeness...

AT132EP:
Stylus Profile = 0.2 x 0.7 mil nude elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 10 - 30,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 30 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 20 dB
Channel Balance = 0.75 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 0.8 - 1.8g

For comparison, here's the specs on your AT92ECD:

AT92ECD:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 15 - 27,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 3.5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 29 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 18 dB
Channel Balance = 1.25 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

Assuming you still have the original stylus, it's basically a lower output version of the AT320 listed above. Again, not a bad cartridge, not bad at all, but the the AT450 and AT132EP are both better, both in specs and to my ears (compared to the AT320). The AT132EP is in short supply,hard to find and relatively expensive compared to the others. The AT450 is almost as good and available on eBay from seller wolfsbigbadgarage at a VERY reasonable price - for now.

Your AT92ECD is a very decent, inexpensive cartridge I highly recommend you use it and enjoy it, but if you think you are going P-Mount for the long haul, definitely get one of the AT450 cartridges while you can. You won't regret it. Not for one second.
 
Last edited:
MCM_Fan said:
I mentioned more than one cartridge (AT450 and AT132EP). They are both better than the AT92ECD you have. It's a good cartridge, but not one of the best P-Mount cartridges available. Perhaps it was one of the best in current production at the time you purchased it. The "best" P-Mount cartridges available are no longer in production

Here's a complete word for word copy of a post I made recently about some of the "best buys" currently available in P-Mount cartridges. Note, these have all been discontinued, but continue to be available as NOS on eBay.

Although the AT450 from the eBay seller is the highest quality P-Mount cartridge/stylus currently available at an affordable price, there are other bargains to be had in the same AT P-Mount family. Keep in mind that same style of AT cartridge has been around since the advent of the P-Mount standard and sold under probably > 100 different model numbers (if you include all AT variations, plus all the ones they OEMed for various turntable manufacturers like Sanyo, Sharp and Sony - and that's just the ones that start with "S").

I only have one P-Mount table, a tiny little Technics SL-5, that is a surprisingly good performer with a nice cartridge/stylus on it. It came with a very excellent AT132EP cartridge on it with the original stylus in excellent condition. I have been running this table in my office system where it gets little use, but am considering running it as the secondary table in my home system for playing thrift store vinyl. Plus, sometimes it's fun to just close the lid, hit play and let the turntable do the rest. The replacement stylus for the AT132EP has gotten rather expensive. So, I have stocked up on a lifetime supply of "lesser" Audio Technica P-Mount cartridges and genuine Audio Technica replacement styli:

Audio-Technica-P-Mount-Cartridges.jpg


Top left is the universally loved AT450. Top right is an AT320, which comes with the 03 x 0.7 mil "Special Elliptical" stylus (ATN3472SE = 213-SE). Center are two AT3472L cartridges with 0.6 mil conical styli (ATN3472 = 213-D6C) and at the bottom is an ATN3472SE "Special Elliptical" replacement stylus. I have a third AT3472L currently on the SL-5 turntable and another AT3472 (213-D6C) on the way that I picked up for $10.44 shipped this morning. Other than the ATN3472SE replacement stylus, everything in the photo came from that same eBay seller, and in my opinion all were screaming good deals for anyone with a P-Mount table.

Even the "lowly" 213-D6C conical sounds very nice on my SL-5 turntable. Each step up, from the conical to the special elliptical to the nude elliptical buys you a little more refinement, detail and separation, while retaining the same basic sonic signature. I always prefer to have two tables at my disposal: one with a low mass tonearm (Harman Kardon T60) for my vintage high compliance cartridges, and in the past, I've always had a Japanese direct drive table with a medium mass arm (most recently an MCS 6700) for playing my less than pristine vinyl. I accumulated a number of headshells so I could easily swap cartridges on that table as my mood and the quality of the vinyl dictated. Well, guess what, it's even easier (by a lot) to swap cartridges on a P-Mount table. Yes, the options are more limited, but for a back up table, with a combination of conical, special elliptical and nude elliptical cartridges and stylii, I'm good.

By all means, encourage your friend to get another AT450 while they are still available, but if he's in this for the long haul and plays a lot of records he may want to also pick up a couple cheap conicals (AT3472L) and a special elliptical or two (AT320) while he's at it.

Here's the manufacturer's specs on each, so you can see, in numbers, what you get as you move up the food chain:

AT3472L:
Stylus Profile = 0.6 mil conical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 20 - 20,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 26 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 16 dB
Channel Balance = 1.25 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

AT320:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 15 - 27,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 29 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 18 dB
Channel Balance = 1.25 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

AT450:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil nude elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 10 - 27,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 29 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 20 dB
Channel Balance = 1.0 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

And just for completeness...

AT132EP:
Stylus Profile = 0.2 x 0.7 mil nude elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 10 - 30,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 30 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 20 dB
Channel Balance = 0.75 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 0.8 - 1.8g

For comparison, here's the specs on your AT92ECD:

AT92ECD:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 15 - 27,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 3.5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 29 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 18 dB
Channel Balance = 1.25 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

Assuming you still have the original stylus, it's basically a lower output version of the AT320 listed above. Again, not a bad cartridge, not bad at all, but the the AT450 and AT132EP are both better, both in specs and to my ears (compared to the AT320). The AT132EP is in short supply,hard to find and relatively expensive compared to the others. The AT450 is almost as good and available on eBay from seller wolfsbigbadgarage at a VERY reasonable price - for now.

Your AT92ECD is a very decent, inexpensive cartridge I highly recommend you use it and enjoy it, but if you think you are going P-Mount for the long haul, definitely get one of the AT450 cartridges while you can. You won't regret it. Not for one second.
Click to expand...

That was a great post and a lot to digest.

When I search for the AT450 the results I get are for a microphone, Searching ebay avails me of nothing. When I do search ebay for P-mount cartridges my results are mostly styli needles.

Is this the cart? And is it easy to install on my new (to me) Sl-7? How does it handle rock music and vocals?

https://www.lpgear.com/product/AT450.html
 
ClayTune said:
That was a great post and a lot to digest.

When I search for the AT450 the results I get are for a microphone, Searching ebay avails me of nothing. When I do search ebay for P-mount cartridges my results are mostly styli needles.

Is this the cart? And is it easy to install on my new (to me) Sl-7? How does it handle rock music and vocals?

https://www.lpgear.com/product/AT450.html
Click to expand...

That's weird, when I do an eBay search on Audio Technica AT450, I get exactly two results. The first is the listing for the cartridge from seller wolfsbigbadgarage and the second is for a Pioneer turntable with this cartridge installed.

Yes, that's the same cartridge listed at LP Gear (but for a tiny smidge more, with no free shipping).

It's as easy to install as any other P-Mount cartridge - no tools required.

It's a great sounding cartridge that sounds wonderfully full, rich and detailed regardless of musical genre.
 
MCM_Fan said:
That's weird, when I do an eBay search on Audio Technica AT450, I get exactly two results. The first is the listing for the cartridge from seller wolfsbigbadgarage and the second is for a Pioneer turntable with this cartridge installed.

Yes, that's the same cartridge listed at LP Gear (but for a tiny smidge more, with no free shipping).

It's as easy to install as any other P-Mount cartridge - no tools required.

It's a great sounding cartridge that sounds wonderfully full, rich and detailed regardless of musical genre.
Click to expand...

Might I safely purchase from LPgear?
 
ClayTune said:
Might I safely purchase from LPgear?
Click to expand...

Sure, it will cost you a little more, due to shipping cost. You can also safely order from that eBay seller. I have bought from him multiple times. The items always arrive faster than expected.
 
ClayTune said:
Cool. I heard it's a newer version of the at92ecd and slightly lower quality?
Click to expand...

AT92ECD:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 15 - 27,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 3.5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 29 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = 18 dB
Channel Balance = 1.25 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g

AT85EP:
Stylus Profile = 0.3 x 0.7 mil bonded elliptical
Freq. Response (Hz) = 20 - 20,000
Output at 1kHZ, 5cm/sec = 3.5mV
Channel Separation at 1kHz = 20 dB
Channel Separation at 10kHz = not listed
Channel Balance = 2.0 dB
Vertical Tracking Force = 1.0 - 1.5g
 
OP, bottom line, the AT92ECD is fine. Just remember that carts usually do not sound their best right out of the box, as they need some time to "break in". And if working properly, the SL7 will smoke your Numark. It's a fine table. I have an SL10 and a Thorens TD125 MkII. The SL10 is my daily driver, with an older version of the AT92 cart, an Akai-rebranded one and I have no complaints. Don't worry about "extremely off-center" LPs. They are rare. Just relax and enjoy the sound that these Technics linear TT's are capable of producing, whichever one you choose, either the SL5 or the SL7. If you don't like it, you can sell it to someone who will.
Cheers.
 
Guys,

Another concern of mine, albeit not a major concern, is that I heard some Linear Tracing turntables have difficulty tracking colored or thicker vinyl, such as the newer 180g or 200g reissues?

Can anyone comment on this phenom?
 
You sure have a lot of questions. Have you ordered the cartridge yet? My SL 10 has no issues with thick records. Color can be an issue. Optical sensors for size can be fooled if enough light comes through. Simply add a sheet of paper under the record and you are good to go.
Now, quit worrying and start enjoying the music.
 
ClayTune said:
I'm confused. When I search for the Cart you mention the AT85e comes up. I do own a AT92ECD which someone gave me about 3 years ago but I never used because it was a P-Mount. From what I understand, it's one of the best P-mounts available?
Click to expand...
One of the better new ones, elliptical tip and fully T4-P compliant.
 
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