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Just ordered a repro AR-XA headshell

beatcomber

beatcomber

AK Member
My OEM AR headshell is starting to get a little dodgy (some intermittent hum, I probably need to re-solder the leads), so I decided it would be a wise move to have a solid back-up on hand. Besides, I'd love to be able to use my Grado Gold1 on the AR (I loved the way the loaner Grados from Marc Morin sounded on it), but I'm not anxious to kick my Shure M91ED/JICO SAS out of the bed.

The $45 repro headshell on eBay looks like a good investment. After reading ddarch's positive review of the headshell here, I decided to pull the trigger. I'm expecting to receive it Saturday or Monday. Stay tuned for my review!

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I didn't realize there was a repro out there. If it is decent the price seems right. Even if it is more than twice what I paid for my XA.:D
I'm looking forward to your review.
 
Here is ddarch's review from August:
http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=49521



Review: AR XA/XB Replica Headshell

Postby ddarch » 02 Aug 2012 12:44
This is a review of the replica AR XA XB headshell being sold on eBay by patsaudioparts.

The good news is it works!

The not-so-good news:

1. The solder points on both the headshell clips and the pins seem delicate. I have a lot of experience installing cartridges, so I have a delicate touch and the right tools. My fear is that if the solder points on all of these are the same as my example, someone with less finesse is going to break off a clip or a whole wire.

2. The fit of the headshell into the tonearm was very tight, so much so that I was worried about both the nubs on the headshell and the threads on the collar. To be clear, it did fit and it did remove, but there was some force involved that is above what I use with a normal AR headshell.

Having purchased some products from patsaudioparts before, the good news is that they often refine their products over time. For example, when they first came out with a replacement armrest, they worked on that design until they had one that was very satisfying. I notice now that they are selling a headshell that is black, (mine was cream) so perhaps they have already begun the refinement process. If I were going to buy another one from eBay, I would e-mail the seller first and ask if the solder points have been improved and whether the tightness issue has been addressed.

Overall, I DO feel this is good news, especially for people who have no place to go. And the price is reasonable... I bought mine for $40 with free shipping; the cost is now $45 and it appears you pick up the shipping now. By the way, the small screw kit that is included is a nice touch(Four sizes in pairs and a couple of plastic washers) but please note they ARE magnetic.

Dave
David Archambault, Exeter, NH

http://www.vinylnirvana.com
http://www.vintagethorens.com
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I keep looking at that too.

I don't need one now.....but you never know when.

Think I'll pick one up just in case.

John
 
I'm really interested in these developments. Are the locking ribs still made of plastic?
 
beatcomber said:
Yes: "The headshell was manufactured from a strong and flexible copolymer."
Click to expand...

If the thread stand-offs in the headshell are the same height as the stock ones, I'll send you some pieces I have to support the cart body. The 8MZ had a "damping" piece between the headshell and cart. The stock headshell will not hold a Grado cart body still.
 
marcmorin said:
If the thread stand-offs in the headshell are the same height as the stock ones, I'll send you some pieces I have to support the cart body. The 8MZ had a "damping" piece between the headshell and cart. The stock headshell will not hold a Grado cart body still.
Click to expand...

That would be appreciated, Marc! I did notice that you had placed something between the 8MZ and the headshell, and had assumed it was a just a riser to correct VTA.
 
I just bought an original spare from another AK member but am curious to hear how you like this one. Great price if it's any good.
 
It arrived!

First of all, it was a bit of a struggle getting the Grado Gold1 mounted on it. I think that part of the problem was there is very little clearance between the screw heads and the sides of the cart, so it took a little finagling to get everything in place, but finally the cart was screwed in place. I imagine that other carts might mount easier.

Just like ddarch's review above, the fit to the tonearm is very tight, but I see that as a positive. The material used to make these seems a lot more rugged and more flexible than the brittle plastic used for the originals, so I am not as worried about wearing down the threads.

The four leads seem to be of decent quality and I am not concerned about the integrity of the soldering. The clips are a bit oversized vs. the pins on my Grado cart, so the connections to the cart are a bit loose; this is an easy fix. Initially I was getting excessive hum, which I blamed on the Grado, but after consulting with our resident AR/Grado expert Marc Morin I reseated the clips and the hum all but disappeared. (A very slight - and I mean very slight - hum is to be expected from Grados on this table.)

I can recommend these new headshells. They seem to be better made than the originals, cost about the same as the originals, and aside from the textured finish, they look identical.
 
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Thanks beatcomber for you nice review.

I just received mine the other day.

Haven't had a chance to test it out but it does look good.

I'll get back with my impression once I get it installed.

John
 
beatcomber said:
It arrived!

First of all, it was a bit of a struggle getting the Grado Gold1 mounted on it. I think that part of the problem was there is very little clearance between the screw heads and the sides of the cart, The clips are a bit oversized vs. the pins on my Grado cart, so the connections to the cart are a bit loose; this is an easy fix. Initially I was getting excessive hum, which I blamed on the Grado, but after consulting with our resident AR/Grado expert Marc Morin I reseated the clips and the hum all but disappeared. (A very slight - and I mean very slight - hum is to be expected from Grados on this table.)
Click to expand...

Judging from the photos, the heads on the mounting bolts look a bit big in diameter. If you can find the exact thread pitch, I should have an assortment of bolts that will work better. I can send the bolts along with the mounting plate for that headshell just as soon as I know the thread size.
Glad to hear the (hum) issue was simply a connection issue.
(personal rant) Blaming the Grado.....is like shooting the messenger :yes: :D

Marc
 
marcmorin said:
Judging from the photos, the heads on the mounting bolts look a bit big in diameter. If you can find the exact thread pitch, I should have an assortment of bolts that will work better. I can send the bolts along with the mounting plate for that headshell just as soon as I know the thread size.
Click to expand...

Many thanks, Marc! That is exactly what the problem was.

Glad to hear the (hum) issue was simply a connection issue.
(personal rant) Blaming the Grado.....is like shooting the messenger :yes: :D
Click to expand...

Yup, you definitely pointed me in the right direction (as usual!) to fixing the hum issue.

One thing is for certain, Grados sound terrific when optimized, but you gotta work for it!
 
Slight update: The remaining slight hum that I mentioned turned out to be related to the phono stage in the aging amplifier I am using while my main amp is out for servicing! I swapped in my good phono preamp and the hum disappeared!
 
Just thought I'd refresh the thread with another big thumbs up for the aftermarket headhsell. When I knew my XA was to be delivered this week I ordered one. Good thing I did. After a couple of times of taking out the original, it seems it is now stripped. The collar won't tighten around it so I assume that means that the raised part of the shell is stripped? In any case, it tightens perfectly around the new shell. I also find it much easier to install carts in the new one then I did the original. I've gone ahead and ordered a second one, and may just get a third. Whatever issues they had a couple years ago seem fixed. I'm quite pleased.
 
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