Audio Origami and the standard Technics arm.

[twelvebears]

As a cheap stop-gap solution to upgrade my 1210, pending taking the plunge with a Trans-Fi Terminator, I had Jonny at Audio Origami rewire (arm leads and phonos) and foam-fill the stock arm.

He also checked the bearings and was quite complementary and described them as 'spot on'....

Anyway, the arm is back in place, sporting an AT-OC9 and sounding much improved, certainly good enough to keep me listening happily until my B'day and the arrival of The Teminator. :)

Oddly however, I was unable to use the nice new Audio-Technica MG-10 head shell I'd ordered from Audio Cubes, as on the stock arm, I couldn't seem to get the cartridge overhang and alignment right with any of the mounting holes on the head shell. :scratch:

Has anyone else tried something similar, and/or had issues with cartridge alignment with the AT head shells?

[Marco]

Nice one, Steve. Glad to hear the mods have been successful :)

How are you finding the MG-10? I suspected it would be a good match for your OC-9. Magnesium is an excellent material for headshells.

Regarding alignment, one of the predrilled sets of holes on the underneath of the shell should be right... How many sets are there?

On my AT LT-12 there are five sets of holes, but it is a longer headshell. With the 103 there are no issues with alignment as the second set of holes from the top of the headshell provide bang-on alignment.

Marco.

[twelvebears]

Hi Marco.

Potentially then, AT MG-10 is different to the others as it only has 4 pairs of holes pre-drilled, which implies that it's slightly shorter. It's defo slightly shorter than the Sumiko for example.

Anyway, when using the alignment protractor supplied by Jonny, not even the holes closest to the end would get the stylus tip of the OC9 near to where it needed to be. Also, the predrilled holes and screws where such a neat fit in the OC9 mounting holes that there wasn't any play for left/right adjustment.

Probably as a result of this, initial listening tests were disappointing, when I was using the AT headshell, but as soon as I reverted to the Sumiko, which allowed me the adjustment to get the alignment spot-on, everything clicked and sounded excellent.

As a result, one s/h but basically new AT MG-10 headshell now for sale....

[Marco]

That's most disappointing, Steve. I suspect that had you achived correct alignment the sound with the MG-10 would have been excellent...

I didn't think that none of the holes would properly align the OC-9. Jeez, if an AT headshell isn't suitable for an AT cartridge then something is bloody wrong! One wonders which cartridges the pre-drilled holes were meant to correctly align? :scratch:

The difference with the 103, I guess, is that it's a bigger (longer) cartridge, so it's positioning for alignment in the headshell is different. There is no issue whatsoever with the 103 on any AT headshells. I've used it with the LH-12, 18, and LT-12 with great success.

Ok, let's move forward with this... I may be interested in buying your MG-10, *if* I can find a use for it :)

I'm convinced that magnesium headshells are the best solution, so once you've sold your MG-10, this is what you need to replace it:

http://www.hifi-phono-house.com/Phono-Zubehoer/Tonkopf-Headshell/Ortofon-LH-2000-Headshell-aus-Aluminium-Schwarz--6253.html

It's the right weight (same as Sumiko) but made of magnesium and has a slot on the top for ease of alignment adjustment - this is your ultimate headshell, Steve! :cool:

Marco.

[twelvebears]

Well I guess that kind of depends on whether they expected a quality cart and head shell to be attached to a stock 1210 arm or not.....

Anyway, the old Sumiko is sounding pretty damned good right now (Susy's put on an old Siouxsie and the Banshees album and I have to say, it's surprisingly good), but that Ortofon looks pretty, especially the neat finger lift...

Well if you want the AT, it's yours for the asking, I won't be busting a gut to flog it.

[twelvebears]

Soz Marco, had a PM waiting so looks like the AT has already been bagged. :-(

[Tony G]

I would be interested in some more discussion on this.
I have 2 MG-10 headshells fitted with two Denon cartridges (DL110 and DL103) - mounted in the most forward of the 4 holes available they align the stylus with the Technics guage for distance from the arm tube fitting.
However, they are far short of the overhang on the vinylengine protractor for Baerwald alignment (and from discussion elsewhere also the Mint LP protractor).
The AT mono I have on the table at present is in an LP Gear headshell which is a dead ringer for the Sumiko and to achieve alignment to the protractor on that I have the cartridge bolts nearly at the forward end of the slots.
Suggests to me that Technics intend an alignment other than Baerwald.
Perhaps Marco would care to elucidate his alignment ?
BTW this is WRT the stock 1200 arm.

[Dave Cawley]

When I set up Marco's decks I use a Clearaudio alignment jig set to IEC. Not fashionable but does the job, and well! :kiss:

I have noted over the years the problems Bearwad can cause :scratch:

Regards

:bag:

Dave

[Marco]

Soz Marco, had a PM waiting so looks like the AT has already been bagged. :-(

No worries, Steve. I'm not sure that I would have had a use for it anyway :)

I'm sure the OC-9 sounds great in the Sumiko, but I'm confident that it would be quite a bit better again in the Ortofon, or a similar Magnesium headshell, as this is what my (extensive) listening tests indicate. Magnesium has quite excellent damping qualities (ultra-low resonance). No wonder SME use it as the base material for their tonearms! One to try later, perhaps? :cool:

Tony,

Dave's nailed it with the alignment issue! I love headshells where you don't need you to faff around with nuts on the top - plus it looks much neater, too, providing of course that correct alignment can be achieved... ;)

Marco.

[Tony G]

Thank you both for your replies.
However, short of buying a Clearaudio jig I am none the wiser.
Cannot quite see how any adjustment can be made with the stock arm using the pre-drilled type headshells other than choosing the appropriate pair of holes.
The problem here being that, WRT what I know ATM, none appear appropriate.
(that was also the OPs problem)
IEC I only know of in reference to 3 pin sockets and plugs as used on computers and kettle leads etc.
Any more clues or is it google time?

[Marco]

Cannot quite see how any adjustment can be made with the stock arm using the pre-drilled type headshells other than choosing the appropriate pair of holes.


Tony,

With some headshells, you can loosen the bayonet housing and thus move the headshell body back and forth :)


IEC I only know of in reference to 3 pin sockets and plugs as used on computers and kettle leads etc.
Any more clues or is it google time?


Sorry, don't understand what you mean :confused:

Marco.

[mulane]

As a cheap stop-gap solution to upgrade my 1210, pending taking the plunge with a Trans-Fi Terminator, I had Jonny at Audio Origami rewire (arm leads and phonos) and foam-fill the stock arm.


was that with silver wire or the Cardas copper?

[twelvebears]

Now I know I should have the answer to that question and yet....

Given the very reasonable price J7 charged for the whole job, I'm suspecting that it must have been the copper stuff.

I'll check and get back to you....

[Primalsea]

Hi all,

My old Pro-Ject Debut deck had an 8" tonearm and I had to use the protractor that came with the deck. It might be the case that the Technics tonearm geometry differs quite a bit from other tonearms and as result most standard alignments dont work.

Just a thought!

[DSJR]

This is probably garbage, as you all obsessively fret and toil over your turntables to distraction, but I just used the Rega 60mm for their arms and similar and 65mm (SME and Linn IIRC) for the others, as it's end of side where it really matters. Did me fine.

Today with the Dual, I use the gauge they supplied, which seems fine as it correlates to the Linn strobe/alignment disc they supply to dealers..