Show us your Phono Stages and Phono Cartridges

[rossb]

  On 15/05/2023 at 7:32 PM, Urbinator said:

Well, this has been re-tipped and has a new sapphire rather than a boron cantilever, by Expert Stylus. I do love the sound of it, finding it detailed, yet lively. I tried the Cadenza Black but found it too clinical. Possibly I could not get the VTA quite right on it. I do love the Jubilee, though, and I will probably try to get it replaced by Ortofon at some point.

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The Jubilee remains my favourite of the Ortofon cartridges, closely followed by the Cadenza Bronze. I also found the Cadenza Black too analytical. The Jubilee was Ortofon's top cartridge at the time, before they realised they could charge 3 or 4 times the price for similar performance. Fortunately they are still occasionally available new from Ortofon's "Treasure Trove" at very good prices and Ortofon can still re-build older ones back to new condition.

[Bisguittin]

Superb sounds eminating from my new acquisition - a pristine Hana ML courtesy of the wonderful @El Tel. (Goldmund Studietto/Dynavector DV505/Audio-Technica AT-LH18H headshell). This cartridge is exemplary. Dynamics, detail, separation, tonal nuance are all there in abundance, but there is zero hint of hifi here, just endless  unadulterated musical enjoyment. Parks Audio Puffin - 200ohm loading with +2 air.

I can't begin to imagine how good Terry's new red Hana Umami must sound as he's moved up the Hana chain.

 

[Volunteer]

  On 08/06/2023 at 4:58 AM, Bisguittin said:

Superb sounds eminating from my new acquisition - a pristine Hana ML courtesy of the wonderful @El Tel. (Goldmund Studietto/Dynavector DV505/Audio-Technica AT-LH18H headshell). This cartridge is exemplary. Dynamics, detail, separation, tonal nuance are all there in abundance, but there is zero hint of hifi here, just endless  unadulterated musical enjoyment. Parks Audio Puffin - 200ohm loading with +2 air.

I can't begin to imagine how good Terry's new red Hana Umami must sound as he's moved up the Hana chain.

 

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That looks the absolute wasp's nipples on that arm, Leon. I'm truly delighted that you are enjoying its performance. I was glad to run it in for you

[klackto]

Love to see a photo of the whole turntable (Studietto) on the 'Show Us Your Turntables' thread

[Be Quiet...Listen]

This will be interesting! 

[PKay]

An absolute classic this Pickering with much thanks to @Warren Jonesfor selling me an original D3000 stylus retipped by Joseph Long. It is a nice compliment to my Stanton 881s. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by PKay

[Max Headroom]

  On 27/06/2023 at 12:53 PM, PKay said:

An absolute classic this Pickering with much thanks to @Warren Jonesfor selling me an original D3000 stylus retipped by Joseph Long. It is a nice compliment to my Stanton 881s. 

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@PKay is that an Alphason tonearm the Pickering is attached to?

[PKay]

  On 28/06/2023 at 11:53 AM, Max Headroom said:

@PKay is that an Alphason tonearm the Pickering is attached to?

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Indeed. 

[Max Headroom]

  On 28/06/2023 at 11:54 AM, PKay said:

Indeed. 

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Nice... its a special arm. Alphason has just released their latest version of it...

[ReliaBill EngR]

I own 160+ vintage cartridges. Most of them I have had to repair, either styli or bodies/generators. I love the discovery of the “sound” of these cartridges, played over newly restored 1965 AR-2ax speakers. It still amazes me just how good a great many of these cartridges are, judged against modern offerings. 1955-2022 era cartridges.
 

Some, I’ve had to correct deficiencies in how the styli were designed or how the designs were executed in the manufacturing phase. 

 

Here is the 1960 GE VR1000 stereo cartridge. Designed by Peter Pritchard of later ADC and Sonus fame. The original styli of Pritchard’s design were corrupted by his boss, engineer Roy Dally. He greatly misunderstood how a stylus works. He took Pritchard’s stylus design and constrained its ability to move, causing high distortion. 

 

Once the stylus is corrected, this cartridge produces a bold, airy sound that is not duplicated by any other cartridge, owing to its tip-sourcing design; it reads what the stylus tip is doing, not what the opposite end of the cantilever is doing. Similar to the London Decca, but with a replaceable stylus. (Below, one channel had dropped out. I had to repair 2 broken pins and repair a broken wire.):

 

Below, NOS cartridge:

 

Here, (below) the totally constrained stylus. Roy Dally added the white silicone glue to the very tail end of the stylus/armature:

 

 

(Below) Untying the tail of the armature. Roy Dally designed this constraint at the tail of the armature, using white silicone glue. It destroyed the natural point of rotation of the stylus/armature, in violation of Pritchard’s original design:

 

Side view of the stylus. (Below) The “walrus tusks” are the pole pieces that insert into the coils.

 

Armature and suspension:

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by ReliaBill EngR
Add pics

[Be Quiet...Listen]

Have a guess what’s in this whopping box??

 

Believe it or not, a MC SUT!

 

This should be fun! 

[klackto]

  On 05/07/2023 at 6:16 AM, Be Quiet...Listen said:

Have a guess what’s in this whopping box??

 

Believe it or not, a MC SUT!

 

This should be fun! 

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Expressive??

[Be Quiet...Listen]

  On 05/07/2023 at 6:27 AM, klackto said:

Expressive??

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Man knows his gear. 

35lbs and 19” wide. Power amps have been smaller and lighter. 

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Be Quiet...Listen

[klackto]

Did well to find one as they hardly ever come up for sale.

Good score!

[Be Quiet...Listen]

  On 05/07/2023 at 6:33 AM, klackto said:

Did well to find one as they hardly ever come up for sale.

Good score!

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12 months of looking!

 

Purchased from the original owner, original box and both sets of IC-1 interconnects. Which, are stupid big and thick. Nothing normal sized about any of this

[metal beat]

  On 05/07/2023 at 6:36 AM, Be Quiet...Listen said:

12 months of looking!

 

Purchased from the original owner, original box and both sets of IC-1 interconnects. Which, are stupid big and thick. Nothing normal sized about any of this

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well done Trav - legendary SUT.  I guess you don't need a Koetsu or Phasemation SUT now 

[Be Quiet...Listen]

You never know what might follow me home from the Land of the Rising Sun

[mkaramazov]

  On 04/07/2023 at 5:50 PM, ReliaBill EngR said:

I own 160+ vintage cartridges. Most of them I have had to repair, either styli or bodies/generators. I love the discovery of the “sound” of these cartridges, played over newly restored 1965 AR-2ax speakers. It still amazes me just how good a great many of these cartridges are, judged against modern offerings. 1955-2022 era cartridges.
 

Some, I’ve had to correct deficiencies in how the styli were designed or how the designs were executed in the manufacturing phase. 

 

Here is the 1960 GE VR1000 stereo cartridge. Designed by Peter Pritchard of later ADC and Sonus fame. The original styli of Pritchard’s design were corrupted by his boss, engineer Roy Dally. He greatly misunderstood how a stylus works. He took Pritchard’s stylus design and constrained its ability to move, causing high distortion. 

 

Once the stylus is corrected, this cartridge produces a bold, airy sound that is not duplicated by any other cartridge, owing to its tip-sourcing design; it reads what the stylus tip is doing, not what the opposite end of the cantilever is doing. Similar to the London Decca, but with a replaceable stylus. (Below, one channel had dropped out. I had to repair 2 broken pins and repair a broken wire.):

 

Below, NOS cartridge:

 

Here, (below) the totally constrained stylus. Roy Dally added the white silicone glue to the very tail end of the stylus/armature:

 

 

(Below) Untying the tail of the armature. Roy Dally designed this constraint at the tail of the armature, using white silicone glue. It destroyed the natural point of rotation of the stylus/armature, in violation of Pritchard’s original design:

 

Side view of the stylus. (Below) The “walrus tusks” are the pole pieces that insert into the coils.

 

Armature and suspension:

 

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Fascinating cartridge, thanks for sharing. 

[cafe latte]

  On 05/07/2023 at 10:55 AM, mkaramazov said:

 

Fascinating cartridge, thanks for sharing. 

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I have modded one of these for my own use. They do sound good, but no matter what you do the separation will always be limited and the tracking ability is not great. They are finiky to get the stylus in the correct position for any sort of decent separation. When done right they do sound good, but they have limits, a Decca tracks way better and has better separation.

Interesting cart though I bought mine out of interest in the design as I have a number of Decca including a Jubilee.

Chris

[ReliaBill EngR]

The separation and tracking ability of the VR1000 is 100% dependent on the stylus and cantilever configuration used. It is not dependent on the body coils. Mine tested to 36 dB on my Fozgometer, and Analogue Productions test record, which is very good! 

[mkaramazov]

  On 06/07/2023 at 6:06 PM, ReliaBill EngR said:

The separation and tracking ability of the VR1000 is 100% dependent on the stylus and cantilever configuration used. It is not dependent on the body coils. Mine tested to 36 dB on my Fozgometer, and Analogue Productions test record, which is very good! 

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That is very good.

 

It would be amazing to hear this side by side with some other cartridges that also dealt with the problem of the cantilever in different ways from convention  - the Deccas, the JVC / AT ART 1000 direct coupled designs, the Micro Acoustics cartridges,  the strain gauges and the optical carts.

 

If I am not mistaken the early Sony VC 7P / VC 8E (and maybe Satin MCs) also used interesting cantilever arrangements, but I haven't had a chance to find one at the right price...

[cafe latte]

  On 06/07/2023 at 6:06 PM, ReliaBill EngR said:

The separation and tracking ability of the VR1000 is 100% dependent on the stylus and cantilever configuration used. It is not dependent on the body coils. Mine tested to 36 dB on my Fozgometer, and Analogue Productions test record, which is very good! 

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Mine has a Micro ridge. I find it hard to believe to managed 36dB. The separation changes with different heights over poles. Tracking ability no matter what I did with 3 different stylus wad very poor.

Chris

Chri

[Be Quiet...Listen]

[Bisguittin]

I am enjoying having self indulgent access to an increasing  stable of moving coil cartridges. They all have their strengths and to my mind and ears,  their weaknesses seem to be errors of omission rather than commission (always wanted an opportunity to say that!) They are all certainly very different. This morning I finally got around to mounting my fairly recently acquired Fidelity Research MC-201 in a red headshell (inspired by @El Tel's red Ferrari Hana Umami). Although I owned one of these cartridges many years ago, I don't think I appreciated how good it was. It is transporting me back to the mid eighties. It can't compete with the dynamics of a Hana ML or a Dynavector for example, but hot damn........the sound is luscious, warm, all enveloping and completely nostalgic.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Bisguittin

[xtiva2000]

Was looking through Amazon Prime Day sale...  and found Audio Technica AT-OC9XML was about 50% off the retail price....  

the 

Couldn't resist and bought it but yeah hopefully they sound good

 

https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07S8YHDZY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1