Waveform check your SL-1300 owners manual for a picture of the correct Technics headshell for your table, it weighs 9.5gr. Prices for original Technics headshells for the SL-1200Mk2 have gone thru the roof with many replacing the cheap headshells that come with the SL-1200 knockoff tables made by Hanpin. Keep a close eye on Hifido for the SL-1300 headshell, prices are still very reasonable but I doubt that will last long. I try to have all original OEM factory accessories like headshells for my tables, the ADC headshell is excellent if it's the magnesium model but it might be significantly lighter than the SL-1300 Technics headshell. An ideal total weight of your cartridge and headshell would be 17gr, 9.5gr headshell and 6.5gr cartridge.
Technics SL1300 mk1 upgrade or replace?
- Thread starter Waveform101
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Waveform101
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Great stuff and thanks again dude, just called my local hifi shop and they have the DV10x5 in stock and Audio Technica Headshells in stock. Will be paying them a visit tomorrow! I’ll keep an eye on hifido for sure for the OEM h/s, had never heard of that site before! If I’m reading it right the AT headshell and DV10x5 should come in at approx 17g. Then it’s just VTA to fight with before I start running it in. My weekend looks set
Waveform101
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Tracking force I have no problem with, (I’m by no means an expert) but with the denon cart and ADC shell I had to use “shims” to get the needle perpendicular on the record. Or have I missed the process/setup of VTA? The 1300 doesn’t have an adjustment for it you see
Waveform101
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It’s perhaps the ADC headshell I’m not sure, that has been on the TT as long as I remember. If I recall the denon did actually come with the shim/spacer mind you. I had never set the deck up with a new cart back then so went digging for info and learned of VTA and the 1300 inability to adjust it, this prompted me to get an eye on the needle and that’s when I noticed it was off, leaning into the record a fair bit. I plan to take the current shell in when I go to the shop to compare it against the Audio Technica one. Actually just measured the denon - 16.5mm height, I see the DV10x5 is 18.8! This may well have been why I needed the shim! Is 18.8 a standard height?
Waveform101
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Well all old issues are gone. The ADC headshell that has been on this deck for as long as I remember stepped up about 3mm compared to this new AT one, combined with the shorter height Denon cart no wonder I’ve never been able to set VTA properly. Now sits flush with the top of the tonearm. All shims a thing of the past, old records under the slipmat to raise are also now gone. Deck now perfect with only the original slipmat and the correct height shell/cart. Sound - holy ****! Thanks for all advice, now I hear this deck performing as it should, it’s never getting sold!
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Good news that the new headshell turned things around. I'd still keep an eye open for the original Technics headshell that would of been with the SL-1300. Digital scales are going fairly cheap today and would be a good investment, the original Technics HS was 9.5gr, check the Denon HS when you get digital scale. I'v found that if you can match the compliance and weight of the Technics cartridges using a headshell of the same weight as OEM Technics for that particular TT model the sound quality results will be excellent.
Waveform101
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It’s the AT-HS10 headshell. Is working a dream!!
Waveform101
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Yeah still gonna look for it but man, the difference the AT one with the DV10X5 is remarkable. The AT headshell is 10g on the button tho. I got my local hifi shop to use an instrument that looked like something out of Star Trek to set cart alignment/overhang etc... so all I had to do was set the tracking force, I have digital scale for that. Then I got rid of the records I was using under the slipmat and kissed goodbye to VTA concerns. The deck is running like a dream, so much more composed, runs flat and level with the slipmat and no crap underneath it and the sound... is just incredible, I’ve ran through the whole Floyd Collection, (the Pulse, Jesus) Ozric tentacles, Dr Dre, Thin Lizzy, wee bit of Chopin for mixing it up and wow. Everything sounds amazing, punchy, better presence, bass tamed, middle come through. Finally this whole system has homogenised into the epic sonic commando it’s always meant to be lol. I could go on, the neighbours will agree haha.
I’ll get the technics headshell and mount the old denon on it for use when drunk people are in the apartment
Waveform101
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Waveform101
New Member
I certainly do and thanks so much for the steer. One happy listener here
SL1300 foreva!!! (As the kids might say)