Signet TK3ea cart./stylus

[scott1019]

I have a Yamaha YP-D6 with what I believe is a Signet TK3ea cart. and factory stylus. There are no clear identifying marks, but this is what I was told. Is there anything I can do to verify with certainty?

Also, I've been reading up about this cart. and it shares much in common with comparable AT carts. Are there any that are considered identical, any of the AT styli. fit on it?

 

[thedelihaus]

If it's an Ea, then you can run Audio Technica 120, 440 and 150 styli on it, as well as others. I would go in that order- as you move up the line, they get pricier, but the performance is markedly better with each step.

Can you snap a picture of it?

I think the three is silver, the 5 starts the gold anodized color.

(EDIT- Correction, as noted below, the 7 is gold, the 3 and 5 are silver.)

I have a large collection of these (a 5 and a bunch of 7s) and think they are excellent carts.

 

[Grbluen]

My 5ea is silver also. My TK7 is gold.

 

[boreas]

As thedelihaus mentioned, (Hi, Paul!), the ATN120E will fit as will others in that family, for instance, the ATN440MLa. Another one that will fit is the ATN7V. This is the stylus fora sort of "bootleg" cartridge that a few people are selling here. It very closely resembles the TK#Ea cartridges, identical except for color, and may be the closest thing to them electrically.

http://www.lpgear.com/product/AT7V.html

John

 

[rnorton]

If it's an Ea, then you can run Audio Technica 120, 440 and 150 styli on it, as well as others. I would go in that order- as you move up the line, they get pricier, but the performance is markedly better with each step.

.

I use a 140LC on mine and it sounds just freakin' wonderful. Better than my OM-40 Van den Huul did.

 

[boreas]

I use a 140LC on mine and it sounds just freakin' wonderful. Better than my OM-40 Van den Huul did.

I put a cheap Pfanstiehl packaged genuine ATN120 on mine which turned out to be a tombstone cut line contact nude natural diamond. Sounds amazing.

I love mistakes like that!

John

 

[lini]

Scott: Well, if it's equipped with the original TKN3Ea, that should sport a straight, anodised/matte alu cantilever and a nude diamond with round shank (and medium-sharp elliptical tip), so it's practically identical in configuration to the ATN120E. But as already mentioned by others, the body is compatible to quite a few more AT and Signet needles, of which the ATN7V would indeed seem a pretty good choice in your case.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[SA-708]

I have a Yamaha YP-D6 with what I believe is a Signet TK3ea cart. and factory stylus. There are no clear identifying marks, but this is what I was told. Is there anything I can do to verify with certainty?

Remove the cartridge from the tonearm. As with many cartridges made by AudioTechnica, the model number is on the top of the cartridge, and cannot be read while the cartridge is mounted on a tonearm or headshell.

Of course, then you'll have to remount and align the cartridge.

 

[scott1019]

I use a 140LC on mine and it sounds just freakin' wonderful. Better than my OM-40 Van den Huul did.

This is the only cart. that I can say assuredly is more enjoyable to listen to than the MA-2002E and Shure V15V, and tracks easily as well as either. Somehow I lucked out with this cart. I will snap some pics when I can.

 

[scott1019]

Remove the cartridge from the tonearm. As with many cartridges made by AudioTechnica, the model number is on the top of the cartridge, and cannot be read while the cartridge is mounted on a tonearm or headshell.

Of course, then you'll have to remount and align the cartridge.

That's what I was afraid of, it is aligned to perfection currently.

 

[boreas]

That's what I was afraid of, it is aligned to perfection currently.

Then I wouldn't worry about it. If it's silver and looks like

, it's either a TK1Ea, a TK3Ea or a TK5Ea. The 1 and the 3 are identical except for the stylus. I think the TK5Ea is different but I can't find the specs. Some of the styli are marked 1Ea, 3Ea, etc. and all are gray. Others, also gray, only have Signet on them.

 

[rnorton]

This is the only cart. that I can say assuredly is more enjoyable to listen to than the MA-2002E and Shure V15V, and tracks easily as well as either. Somehow I lucked out with this cart. I will snap some pics when I can.

Unfortunately I haven't had a stylus for my 2002E in decades so I can't make the comparison. That was a damned fine cart, probably among the 5 best I've ever heard.

I've got the TK3ea/ATN140LC mounted on my Mitsubishi LT-22 linear tracker and it really loves that arm.