Mounting a Cartridge to a stock AR XA Headshell

[johnnytheg]

I have had an original AR XA table for about a year with it's original arm and headshell. It came with an Audio Technica AT13ea which sounds great, but it is old. I am thinking about buying a NOS Shure M97xE which is a favorite amongst AR XA and XB owners. My question is, does this mount straight to the headshell without the use of any shims? Can I use the screws that are used to mount the AT cart? Or should I use what comes with the Shure?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Sgt Shultz]

I have had an original AR XA table for about a year with it's original arm and headshell. It came with an Audio Technica AT13ea which sounds great, but it is old. I am thinking about buying a NOS Shure M97xE which is a favorite amongst AR XA and XB owners. My question is, does this mount straight to the headshell without the use of any shims? Can I use the screws that are used to mount the AT cart? Or should I use what comes with the Shure?
Any help would be appreciated.

Whatever is long enough without being too long, then shim to taste if necessary. Tail up a bit more forward, tail down more laid back.

 

[MisterDK]

I think that you’ll need shorter screws to mount the Shure; don’t know. Chances are whatever screws you get with the Shure will be a metric thread and not usable. I don’t remember but suspect that the required screw thread may be 3-48. You won’t know the length ‘till you have the new cartridge.
BTW - your AT 13Ea is a good cartridge.

 

[dosmalo]

And be aware some XA head shells have screw inserts and some don’t.

 

[johnnytheg]

I think that you’ll need shorter screws to mount the Shure; don’t know. Chances are whatever screws you get with the Shure will be a metric thread and not usable. I don’t remember but suspect that the required screw thread may be 3-48. You won’t know the length ‘till you have the new cartridge.
BTW - your AT 13Ea is a good cartridge.

Yes, I agree with you, but it is difficult to find a replacement stylus for the AT 13ea. LP Gear has one, but not sure it will sound as good as the AT original.

 

[johnnytheg]

I was hunting through the things that came with my table when I bought it and it turns out I have the original cart mounting screws kit. That's a relief.

 

[ronaldw441]

I have the original cart mounting screws kit

You're lucky. #3 screws aren't very common these days although they were supplied with many vintage American cartridges. If you go with the M97xe you'll need much shorter screws and probably spacers. The photo below shows an Audio Technica AT-14Sa (same body as the 13ea) and a Shure M97xe. Both show the second shortest screw supplied with AR XA/XB turntables and headshells. I've attached a pdf drawing showing the hardware included with the old AR's.

 

[johnnytheg]

You're lucky. #3 screws aren't very common these days although they were supplied with many vintage American cartridges. If you go with the M97xe you'll need much shorter screws and probably spacers. The photo below shows an Audio Technica AT-14Sa (same body as the 13ea) and a Shure M97xe. Both show the second shortest screw supplied with AR XA/XB turntables and headshells. I've attached a pdf drawing showing the hardware included with the old AR's.
View attachment 3055538

Wow, this was super helpful. Thanks!

 

[ronaldw441]

You're welcome. Here's something else you may find useful. Headshell wiring for universal (SME type) and AR XA/XB headshells. You'll note that the wire colors vary.

 

[johnnytheg]

You're welcome. Here's something else you may find useful. Headshell wiring for universal (SME type) and AR XA/XB headshells. You'll note that the wire colors vary.View attachment 3056200

This is also really helpful! I decided to go with a MIB M97xe with a Best Audio repro headshell. I am going to keep my AT 13ea in the original headshell as a back up. I may try to hook up the new cart on my own, but I am wondering if most people use spacers or shims with the M97xe? Or is it just screw on and go?

 

[ronaldw441]

You'll probably need spacers, but I'm not familiar with the Best Audio Headshell. Even if it uses #3 screws, like the original, the shortest screw supplied by AR was 0.183" (4.65 mm) long. The mounting flange on a M97xe is 0.050" (1.27 mm) thick. Typically, on an AR headshell, you'll only get about 3 threads before the screw bottoms out. This amounts to somewhere around 0.062" (1.58 mm). Adding these together, you get 0.112" (2.85 mm). Quite a bit less than the shortest AR supplied screw. I would guess that the Best Audio Headshell uses the more common M2.5 screw. Do this.... take the longest screw that fits the new headshell & screw it in until it bottoms. Mark the screw on one side and applying slight upward pressure unscrew the fastener noting how many turns it takes to release. Using the chart that I'll attach, calculate how deep the headshell thread is. Add the cartridge flange thickness and you'll get the screw length needed. I'm sure you'll find that it's less than any screw you have. Using the data from above and from the chart you'll be able to calculate the thickness of the required spacer. Hope this helps.