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Magnesium ADC-type Headshells?

kaysersoze

kaysersoze

New Member
Hi all! As the thread title states, I'm looking for information on magnesium headshells, specifically of the ADC-type (4-pin female, circular connector) variety.

I just recently picked up an Onkyo Integra CP-1055F II for a stupidly cheap price at a thrift store, but it did not come with a headshell (or cartridge). I stupidly ordered one online without realizing that I needed an angled ADC-type headshell, and not an SME straight headshell as I ordered.

Do any of you have a suggestion as to what (preferably magnesium) headhsell might be good for this turntable? For that matter, any cartridge suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
 
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Thanks @ctjetta! I appreciate the welcome. I've lurked for a while off and on throughout the years, but I'm finally getting serious about vinyl, so here I am.

@Stanton681EEES - yes, that's the type of headshell/connector combo I'm looking for, *BUT*...I have no idea what material that's made out of. I've looked at a ton of eCommerce places that carry those, and the genuine vintage ADCs that they are cloned from, and I have yet to find one that lists what material it's made from. I've also been looking at eBay quite a bit, and did have the seller reply and let me know it was plastic (which I'd like to avoid for breakability reasons, among others).
 
kaysersoze said:
Thanks @ctjetta! I appreciate the welcome. I've lurked for a while off and on throughout the years, but I'm finally getting serious about vinyl, so here I am.

@Stanton681EEES - yes, that's the type of headshell/connector combo I'm looking for, *BUT*...I have no idea what material that's made out of. I've looked at a ton of eCommerce places that carry those, and the genuine vintage ADCs that they are cloned from, and I have yet to find one that lists what material it's made from. I've also been looking at eBay quite a bit, and did have the seller reply and let me know it was plastic (which I'd like to avoid for breakability reasons, among others).
Click to expand...

You can find carbon fiber ones quite easily.
 
kaysersoze said:
Hi all! As the thread title states, I'm looking for information on magnesium headshells, specifically of the ADC-type (4-pin female, circular connector) variety.

Do any of you have a suggestion as to what (preferably magnesium) headhsell might be good for this turntable? For that matter, any cartridge suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

As a stop gap, try the following. :music:
https://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=PTS008
 
I would not be concerned about Magnesium as a headshell material. I happen to own a Pioneer PL-630 that was factory equipped with one. The fact is, it’s heavier than the generic Technics style headshells I also use.

Might be that a heavier headshell could benefit certain cartridges but I know of no reason that would make magnesium a preferred material for headshells.

In the case of mine, it’s not even overly attractive.
 
Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

@beat_truck and @Balifly - I was wondering about those, and figured they would be my fallback plan if I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for (at least for now). The Voice of Music is probably what I'll go with as they're super-cheap! Thanks!

@kirk57 - I've seen that mentioned a few times in some eBay auctions, particularly, but I was pretty skeptical about them, it being eBay and all, and "carbon fiber" being an ominpresent buzzword. Do you have any recommendations in the carbon fiber realm?

@62vauxhall - Thanks for the input. I thought that magnesium was stiffer and lighter (I've also heard less resonant) compared to cast or CNC'd aluminum? I don't know how it would compare to the typical plastics used or any other exotic materials. My main concern about plastic is breakability in general, particularly paired with vintage examples (might be brittle with age), and my particular environment (very, very sunny, and very very dry).
 
Magnesium alloy headshells came in a variety of weights, but should theoretically be lighter than a an aluminium alloy headshell, if the same amount (thickness etc) of material is used, simply because the atomic number of magnesium is slightly lower (12 versus 13), assuming that the other metals in the alloy are identical, which you probably can’t. So what they weighed was entirely up to the manufacturer, and some manufacturers, including AT, Denon and Nagaoka, had (or still have) several different weights of magnesium alloy headshell.

One of the lightest standard (Ortofon-type) magnesium alloy headshells was the 6g Denon PCL-5 for s- or j-shaped tonearms, and like most magnesium alloy headshells, one of its main claims to fame was that it was very non-resonant compared to aluminium alloy ones, something I can certainly confirm, as the owner of several.

However, I don’t know whether there were any corresponding magnesium-alloy ADC-type headshells of very low mass. For what it’s worth, the first ADC-type (angled) headshell for straight tonearms appeared on the ADC LMF-2 tonearm in 1978, and it was made of carbon fibre, because that’s what the tonearm was made of! There was also an LMF-1 tonearm, which was slightly lighter, because it had a non-removable (carbon fibre) headshell. The ADC 1700DD turntable (by BSR, with Technics DD motor!) appeared the next year, with a similar aluminium alloy tonearm to the LMF-2, but it also used a carbon fibre headshell.
 
I ended up taking the advice of @Balifly and @beat_truck, and ordered the headhsell from The Voice of Music. I'll report back when I have it installed.

@ETI_5000 - Thanks for the interesting detail. As you mentioned, it was my understanding that the allure of magnesium was the weight and resonance properties compared to other materials. I had seen some headshells listed as being carbon fiber, which I was a bit skeptical about, since I believed it to have been a more modern material. I happened to find an EMpire carbon fiber headshell on eBay for very cheap, so I got that and will also give it a try.

Any particular cartridge recommendations for a lightweight headshell and my particular turntable (Onkyo CP-1055FII)? I'm not looking for anything in the "crazy expensive" range, but just something that would suit what we listen to most - jazz, world, 70s/80s.

Thanks for your input so far everyone!
 
kaysersoze said:
Any particular cartridge recommendations for a lightweight headshell and my particular turntable (Onkyo CP-1055FII)? I'm not looking for anything in the "crazy expensive" range, but just something that would suit what we listen to most - jazz, world, 70s/80s.

Thanks for your input so far everyone!
Click to expand...

Try a Ortofon OM 10
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Or...244610?hash=item25f53d9882:g:1-YAAOSwhOVXfIYu

Or the Vessel A3SE
https://www.lpgear.com/product/THEVESSELA3SE.html

Enjoy! :)
 
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