Big cartridge shootout, well big for me

[grapplesaw]

I will need to creat a score card for this shootout. I find just AB between two cartridges can give great comparison if values are same. The issue is when you have to adjust The volume and of coarse that doesn’t work well. I also want to listen a select few records on each cartridge from my listening chair. It’s amazing what your memory call tell you doing that.

so a couple of the turn tables need tweaking and are going to the bench this afternoon. Mostly arm level height and minor technical issues

 

[grapplesaw]

I think I started off too fast out of the box on this thread. I will stop the thread and start a new one.

I see there is great interest in my madness. You may or may not know anything about these cartridges I am reviewing therefore I will present each cartridge and what it is with as much technical info as I have. I will see if we can setup to have the ability for all to add to each. I’ll contact the administrator to se what can be done or you can PM me and I will add to each.

It would be great to add more cartridges to the mix so ideas on sharing would be welcome.

As I was fooling around yesterday I tried some what may be lessor cartridges and had surprising results or not what I expected with good and bad results. The Shure 1200hrp is a real sleeper in my eyes. Oh well you’ll have to wait till its tire comes up.

As we go it will be a shootout with one reference cartridge. I still think it will be the Decca, after all it’s good and bad it sounds pretty fine to me. And for being 50 years old as my dad bought it on the Theron’s in 1972 so been with us a while. In the future I well send it for Re tip with another line contact stylus.

 

[J!m]

The Deca is well known globally and a good reference point in my view (even though I’ve never heard one).

 

[grapplesaw]

Relay board update. Got the second board and it works like charm

 

[grapplesaw]

So big update. The switch box came apart today. I was getting a little hum from the signet and tried it on different tables with similarities in noise.

first thing to address was all this capacitance in the switch, well it turns out I forgot how to zero the Sencore checker. Once I read the manual it all came back with my one missed step.

now the switch reads 1.2pf and the entire box has 44pf from in to out and capacitor switch installed

I wish I build one of the phono preamps Jim built as it would be nice to have slid in by the switch box. May just buy a Schiit Mani or the like later on. now if someone has a good idea for me to consider please speak up. The budget is shot on this project so moving slowly On more goodies.

my choices to add capacitance are now

44 (box minimum)of and with the rg316 cables we have added about 160pf. The table has about 40-50pf so there is room for tuning later on.
82
108
116
140
187
173
239
275
397
582
842pf

so the selector box is now working as intended.
While I had it apart I added extra ground lug as the single one was to busy

back to the signet and the hum issues. I finally solved by removing the ground wire to that table. Another learning is this cartridge is about 2 grams heavier than the Shures. I have a 9 gram Sony head shell , the pioneers are 11g. So I will be playing with that later on to see how the compliance effects things

watch for the new shootout thread starting next week with full write up of the Decca as it is the starting point

 

[grapplesaw]

Oh I tried the Darlington setup again and it does not work so that board is defective for using that function

 

[Gepetto]

Oh I tried the Darlington setup again and it does not work so that board is defective for using that function

But they work on the new board Glen?? 16 bad transistors on the bad board??

 

[grapplesaw]

But they work on the new board Glen?? 16 bad transistors on the bad board??

MYSTERY! there Joe. Did not have further interest is solving that one. I did switch LEDs but do not think that would do it, but maybe.

 

[Gepetto]

BTW Glen, Lee and I have a saying.

It is always your test equipment! When things don't seem right, it is always good to stop and make sure your test equipment is not giving you a head fake...

 

[grapplesaw]

BTW Glen, Lee and I have a saying.

It is always your test equipment! When things don't seem right, it is always good to stop and make sure your test equipment is not giving you a head fake...

So true

 

[Bob Boyer]

I'm impressed with the fact the V-15 MR hangs with the Signet. That's saying a lot right there. Shure always did have great cartridges.

Gonna check out the new thread with as much interest as this one. Enjoying it immensely!

 

[Gepetto]

I'm impressed with the fact the V-15 MR hangs with the Signet. That's saying a lot right there. Shure always did have great cartridges.

Gonna check out the ew thread with as much interest as this one. Enjoying it immensely!

Shure always made top notch cartridges in my book Bob...I have the V-15MR on one of my 1200s and the Signet on the other 1200. My preference is always to the Shure.

 

[Bob Boyer]

Shure always made top notch cartridges in my book Bob...I have the V-15MR on one of my 1200s and the Signet on the other 1200. My preference is always to the Shure.

My Denon is getting a little long in the tooth and I'm not sure I feel like paying 3/4 the price of the thing to get it retipped. Might look into an MR if I can find a good example out there on US Audio Mart. Otherwise, I may have to go on the great cartridge hunt sometime next year.

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

I'm impressed with the fact the V-15 MR hangs with the Signet. That's saying a lot right there. Shure always did have great cartridges.

Gonna check out the new thread with as much interest as this one. Enjoying it immensely!

But, one man's ears are like another mans choice in music. ALL subjective. Just like speakers, microphones etc......

 

[J!m]

So, if you want to build up on of the phono preamps, someone organized a group buy for a run of boards. It was a pre-pay situation but I think he got some spares.

let me know if you’re interested.

I got two more headphone amp boards only on this go around.

 

[grapplesaw]

So, if you want to build up on of the phono preamps, someone organized a group buy for a run of boards. It was a pre-pay situation but I think he got some spares.

let me know if you’re interested.

I got two more headphone amp boards only on this go around.

Pm sent

 

[grapplesaw]

But, one man's ears are like another mans choice in music. ALL subjective. Just like speakers, microphones etc......

So true

this is a subjective test for my listening and taste. The BUT is that I can supply my views and will be somewhat accurate as there is noticeable difference with some cartridges and some that are so close that they are all good. I got some good stuff here to compare.