My semi-disappointing new budget TT

[MKG]

Just like I don’t let myself shop for groceries when hungry, I’ve now decided to not let myself purchase gear when tired.
I bought a Philips 877 “direct control” turntable with an Andante E cart/stylus today for $50.
Seller was very nice and I would absolutely buy from him again- he demoed it and gave me every opportunity to inspect it, but I had a long day at work and after he demoed it I just said, okay, sounds good, here’s my money. So, this one is ALL on me.
Got home, had a couple drinks and brought my energy level back up and pulled it out of my car and set it on my bench in the shop. Hrmmm. Doesn’t sit level. Not in that my table isn’t level (it isn’t, but I use shims under feet to level it out), but that it seems belly fat. I can push on either side and it teeter-totters. Lift it up, realize plastic bottom pan is warped.
Okay, I can probably fix it with a heat gun, or maybe fashion a new bottom half out of wood. If all else fails, I’ve been wanting to make a vacuum wand and could use a platter where there’s no chance of me twitching and jacking up a cantilever.
Even if all else fails, the cart/stylus should still be worth the purchase.
So I take the headshell off and inspect it (why didn’t I do this before I bought it?)- looks like the cantilever has been bent and bent back at least twice in two different places.
So, now I’m on the hunt for a new stylus for a Andante E cart. I’m having far more trouble finding one than I feel I should- a number of posts here and elsewhere say it’s a rebody of a grace F9e, but I can’t seem to find anything that definitively says this stylus will fit on this cart.
Honestly, even with the jacked up stylus it still sounds pretty damn good, I’m just pissed at myself for not doing my research first, and for not properly inspecting it when I had the chance.
Hopefully I’ll remember this lesson even when it turns out well for me.
Also, I’m thinking that next time I feel the itch to buy a budget TT or amp or whatever else, I should just squirrel that money away until I have enough for something decent that won’t have me chasing that next deal.
...but maybe that’s half the fun?

 

[tnsilver]

Hey, take it easy on your self. You didn't do so bad for 50 bucks. It's a nice TT and as long as you know that it's 'budget' - you'd know what to expect of it, so it can surprise you by a whole lot. A few years back I've seen one of these nifty "Direct Controls" series Philips turntables sold by a local flipper for amazingly stupid money by advertising the built in stylus force gauge and LED pitch control display as if it was the best thing since sliced bread. The one he sold had the proprietary headshell with the fixed mounting holes, so whoever the poor sap that's got it is stuck with the factory cart forever. You, on the other hand, got the slotted version so you can just slap a $20 Chinese AT3600 on it and be done with your trouble. It's looking real good too! Fix the bottom, or replace it, give it some TLC and keep it if you like the result. You could always flip it too and cover your investment for sure.

 

[ateal]

Don’t beat yourself up about it, you got a good deal. It is a great turntable for that price. I still have a 677 in my sons room that was my first turntable when returning back to vinyl after 20 years.

The bases become notoriously warped but don’t try to fix with heat gun as you will make it worse.

Enjoy your new table as it is often referred to as plastic fantastic. I know I thoroughly enjoyed mine when I got back into vinyl 4 years ago.

 

[Balifly]

So I take the headshell off and inspect it (why didn’t I do this before I bought it?)- looks like the cantilever has been bent and bent back at least twice in two different places.
So, now I’m on the hunt for a new stylus for a Andante E cart.

Google search seem to indicate that the Andante E and the Sumiko Plack Pearl uses the same stylus.

The replacement stylus for the Sumiko Black Pearl is still available.

Wait for other members to confirm before ordering....
https://www.musicdirect.com/phono-cartridges/sumiko-black-pearl-replacement-stylus

 

[damacman]

Agreed. $50 was the right price.

 

[satellite]

I think I would easily pay $50 to play around with that table + cartridge

 

[Nashou66]

The Head shell alone is worth 50$ , Thats less than what new one costs.

Nashou

 

[MKG]

Google search seem to indicate that the Andante E and the Sumiko Plack Pearl uses the same stylus.

If that stylus fits then I’ll consider it a steal for the price I paid. Even with the jacked up stylus currently on it, it sounds better than my chinese AT3600l, AT91ED, and Shure m44-7 with an n44g stylus (which is all of my currently functional carts).

 

[Balifly]

If that stylus fits then I’ll consider it a steal for the price I paid. Even with the jacked up stylus currently on it, it sounds better than my chinese AT3600l, AT91ED, and Shure m44-7 with an n44g stylus (which is all of my currently functional carts).

You may want to look into using a mid to high compliance cartridge for the fairly light weight tone arm of the Philips turn table.

The Ortofon OM 10 may be a good fit for a good price.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ortofon-OM...h=item1cba77ded9:g:4fMAAOSwBnZbD-qC:rk:1:pf:0

https://www.ortofon.com/om-series-p-550

 

[lini]

The one he sold had the proprietary headshell with the fixed mounting holes, so whoever the poor sap that's got it is stuck with the factory cart forever.

Shouldn't be that problematic, as the original Super-M-IIs have/had the pretty common horizontal tip-to-mounting-hole distance of ca. 10 mm - hence it's not all too difficult to get another cartridge model that fits, even if one has only got the standard headshell.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini