Mounting Shure RM910E w/metal clip

[Donal64]

Just acquired a Shure RM910E with metal clip, and it has an unopened accessory packet. Came in what looks to be the original box and looks brand new. No stylus. I have a Pickering cartridge that I had to mount with rubber isolation tabs. Am I going to have to figure out some kind of isolation thing to mount this cart with the metal clip? The accessory packet has two short screws that seem like they may be brass, but no matching nuts. In fact, I don't think there are any nuts in the pack. There are a couple pieces that I thought were nuts, but they don't appear to have threads inside. They are silver in appearance. There are also two silver looking screws that are longer than the ones that appear to be brass. If need be, I have a packet of nylon mounting screws/ nuts that I can maybe use. Any advice on mounting this thing?

 

[marcmorin]

Hi, I have mounted them to thin birch ply, soaked in superglue and then sanded back smooth/flat. drilled the 1/2" mounting holes and then glued the metal clip to that. Needlestein has one I sent him for his M91. I think the clip/wood mounting system sounds better than the plastic mounting body of the later model.

 

[Donal64]

I mounted the cartridge. Just did a straight up mount. Didn't use any washers when mounting, and think I should have. The way this metal clip is made, it was kinda hard to tighten the screws and prevent the clip/cartridge from moving . The washers , I think would make it more stable and easier to adjust, tighten, etc. So , I'll probably redo it. Threw an aftermarket 768-DE from another cartridge on it and listened to one record of Linda Ronstadt's "Retrospective" double record album. Sounded pretty good. Then played John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High" album. Sounded really good. I mean, really good. I the changed headshells and played Rocky Mountain High with the Pickering V-15 Micro IV. Sounded good, but I don't think it sounded as good as the Shure. The Shure seemed to have a lot more presence or something. I was concerned about the metal clip causing a problem with hum. There was no hum at all. All is well.

 

[Fishead]

The way this metal clip is made, it was kinda hard to tighten the screws and prevent the clip/cartridge from moving .

Boy, that is exactly what my experience was and how one gets anything close to a well-aligned setup is beyond me.....Just as you say, when trying to tighten the screws, the thing has a tendency to "walk" on you! Marcmorin, do you have any pictures that would show what you do? How "thin" is your birch ply? I'd like to give that a try but just need a little more information and directions.

 

[Donal64]

Boy, that is exactly what my experience was and how one gets anything close to a well-aligned setup is beyond me

I think, if I had stopped and dug up a couple of washers, the installation would have gone a bit smoother.

 

[Donal64]

I saw in some of the posts, when researching this thing with the metal clips, that some people had need of clips. While browsing ebay last night, I saw a metal cartridge clip, by itself , for sale. Was tempted to pick to pick it up.

 

[Fishead]

I think, if I had stopped and dug up a couple of washers, the installation would have gone a bit smoother.

I tried to use some washers but the problem still remained.....maybe I didn't use the right kind, but this whole technology seems rather flawed to me as there would, it seems, have been an infinite number of ways to design something that would provide a more precise way to control the mounting. It just seems flimsy and prone to all sorts of error in the delicate operation required to get a cartridge set up properly. I am not presently using the cart for this very reason.

 

[Donal64]

Had to work at it, but did get it set up, and was glad I did , after listening to it. I listened to a couple of albums and was really impressed. I mounted it on a Pioneer headshell and put it on My Pioneer PL-400. I have some other Shure M91, M75 and Shure premier carts that I'm looking forward to mounting for my Technics SL- turntables. I agree that it looks like they would have made it a little more user friendly. But these carts, I think were designed and made way back, and things were way different at that time.

 

[Fishead]

I am looking forward to hearing more from marcmorin about his approach as I just don't fancy having a cart "hanging" by a flimsy metal clip that seems in no way to accommodate a mounting scheme that would be accurate. Not mine, anyhow, as it just sort of "snaps" in place with a clip, which leaves the angle totally dependent on the way it snaps in there and without something to hold it firmly in place can actually pivot slightly to and fro which is unacceptable. My mounting clip may be different from that which you have. I am going to try to snap a pic of it for you.....here you go:



Is this what yours looks like?

 

[Donal64]

Not mine, anyhow, as it just sort of "snaps" in place with a clip,

That looks like mine. I put the cart in the clip, then mounted it to the headshell. Then inserted the stylus and used my dial calipers to adjust the proper overhang. It was a bit of a fuss, adjusting with the clip, but after it was in and set, it seemed secure enough. I'll take it off the arm later and take pictures and double check.

 

[Hugo65]

Oops...my bad. Sorry;;; I had suggested a solution, but for the wrong problem. I failed to read the OP's post correctly.

 

[Donal64]

I'll take it off the arm later and take pictures and double check.

Here are some pics. Sorry if any are duplicates. Also for the quality. Had to use my iPhone. I checked and the cart is mounted solidly

 

[Fishead]

Donal, nice job! You are using a different headshell than the one that came with my Dual 1219. That may make a difference. On my clip, and I can't tell precisely about yours, there are two "shoes," one on each side, that the screws slide into. The problem on mine is that once you start to tighten the screws, the shoes have a tendency to move, that is, escape from beneath the screws. I have thought of trying to get some tiny lock washers that might hold the shoes in place as I tighten them down but have not been able to find anything small enough. In any case, glad things worked out for you and thanks for the pics!

 

[Donal64]

there are two "shoes," one on each side, that the screws slide into.

Sounds just like mine. I had to work with it. Seems I would tighten a bit , then check, and maybe use my small screw driver to push a "shoe" back in place under the nut. It was a bother, for sure.

 

[ripblade]

Hi, I have mounted them to thin birch ply, soaked in superglue and then sanded back smooth/flat. drilled the 1/2" mounting holes and then glued the metal clip to that. Needlestein has one I sent him for his M91. I think the clip/wood mounting system sounds better than the plastic mounting body of the later model.

Homemade panzerholz?

 

[marcmorin]

Homemade panzerholz?

pert near. soaking wood in super glue makes damn near as hard a stabilized wood

 

[ripblade]

pert near. soaking wood in super glue makes damn near as hard a stabilized wood

I don't doubt this arrangement would sound better than the plastic shoe. Rigid metal structure mounted to wood, which has more natural sounding damping properties than plastic. Further, I've recently learned the benefit of supporting the front of the capsule when I did something similar to a wood bodied AT95 I've been experimenting with, when the channel separation and dynamics suddenly exploded.

Plastic is good for isolation from the tonearm/shell but the sound becomes confused and congested during heavy passages. The timbre can sound natural during quiet passages but things change when the musicians get busy.

 

[Fishead]

I was wondering, taking this idea of attaching the clip via glue to a piece of glue-soaked wood......would it not be possible, perhaps even preferable, to do away with the clip altogether and make a 1/2" mount that is glued to the top of the cartridge and then affixed to the headshell via the screws? I never quite understood why the cartridge would not come manufactured with a mount and instead rely on such a flimsy metal clip that would seem to make it unlikely to accomplish a really accurate setup?

 

[marcmorin]

I was wondering, taking this idea of attaching the clip via glue to a piece of glue-soaked wood......would it not be possible, perhaps even preferable, to do away with the clip altogether and make a 1/2" mount that is glued to the top of the cartridge and then affixed to the headshell via the screws? I never quite understood why the cartridge would not come manufactured with a mount and instead rely on such a flimsy metal clip that would seem to make it unlikely to accomplish a really accurate setup?

You can make a wood body for it, but you have to keep the angle of the metal cart body to the wood body you build that the current metal clip provides.

 

[Fishead]

Yes, I'm looking at it right now and see that there is a very slight angle, although looking at the thing with the cart removed from the headshell and just sitting in the metal clip would be the better way to get an accurate measurement of the angle, no?