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Min & Max headshell/cartridge mass for your TT?

bobbyrae

bobbyrae

The Audiophile Farmer
I only recently came to realize that there is a range that my TT requires for the combination of headshell and cartridge. It's pretty narrow - 14.5g - 17.5g. Luckily, I have always been within this range, but is it seems like dumb luck when I start looking around at different headshell and cartridge combinations.

For instance, one website has a no-name headshell they refer to as the "audiophile" headshell and it weighs 14.5g. It looks just like the Sumiko, but is heavier. If I add a cartridge that has the normal mass of 6.5g, I'm at 21g, way out of range for my tonearm. And then I found a Technics headshell that has a mass of 5.7g; if I were to mount on that the Denon MC cart (4.6g) I was thinking about, I would be at 10.3g, again way out of range, but on the low side.

I see so little discussion of this here, or at the sites that sell this stuff. Is my TT just unusually restrictive?
 
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My Technics SL-1700Mk2 was sold with an auxiliary weight to fit on the back of the arm, for use with cartridges of 10g or more (according to the manual). It also came with an extra spacer/weight for the headshell to be used with cartridges of less than 6g (again, according to the manual). Assuming a headshell total weight (including wires and mounting screws) of around 8g for the standard Technics headshell, that would give a range of around 14g to 18g for total headshell/cartridge weight, which is a gram "wider" than the range for your turntable (the Technics SL-220 in your signature?). Of course, the extra weights that came with the SL-1700Mk2 extend the range even wider.

Personally, I've built up a collection of headshells over the years (lots of minimum bids on eBay) and now have a good selection. I am now able to match cartridges to headshells for total weight and for other factors, such as "will I be able to adjust the VTA at the base of the tonearm to match the height of the stylus" or "will the cartridge physically fit in the headshell".
 
SA-708 said:
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Of course, the extra weights that came with the SL-1700Mk2 extend the range even wider.
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Personally, I've built up a collection of headshells over the years (lots of minimum bids on eBay) and now have a good selection.
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Click to expand...

I WAS wondering about optional weights that might be available. You think it likely that those weights could be purchased anywhere?

I also like your idea of collecting extra headshells off eBay. Sounds like they can be had rather cheaply.
 
speaking of headshells...

Seems like a good time to mention this. I bought the headshell below and it has an obvious problem with the alignment pin. One commercial website I visited later indicated that they had quit carrying this specific unit due to quality issues. No surprise! So for those that are not aware, this is a headshell to avoid. I see a lot of them for sale on eBay.
 

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Been buying extra shells for years. The weight game comes in two flavors. The preferred weight total for the arm. And, the preferred weight total for the cartridge cantilever compliance. They may not be the same and the cantilever comes first.

Usually it is not a big deal. As you said, for one reason or another, we luck out and fit withing the range the TT MFG wants. Sometimes we need to step outside that range. Running a MC cartridge with a stiff compliance or an old mono like a Decca with a stiff compliance will mean running quite heavy to set the thing to work and track. That is why there are 18 gram cast shells around. Stepping outside the MFG recommended range is OK as long as you factor in all the needs including extra counter weight and all.

On the other hand, for best tracking dynamics, you want to keep the moments of inertia as low as possible. That means going light and keeping the counterweight tucked in as close as possible to the gimbal. All this is getting outside the envelope the MFG expects their basic customer to use. But we may not be basic customers :)
 
Buy the Stanton HS-1 headshell. It's 8g and comes with a 2g and 4g weight that just screws into the top of the headshell. You're covered for every scenario. Guitar Center carries them, but you can find them at DJ sites on the web--inexpensive, too.
 
hakaplan said:
Buy the Stanton HS-1 headshell. It's 8g and comes with a 2g and 4g weight that just screws into the top of the headshell. You're covered for every scenario. Guitar Center carries them, but you can find them at DJ sites on the web--inexpensive, too.
Click to expand...

Ive got several of these Stanton headshells (for different cart setups), good quality and there only ten bucks at Guitar Center!
 
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