Up to the mark - at last. Acutex M312IIISTR.

[Firebottle]

I've known for a while that the weak link in my chain was the cartridge.
Being the careful spender, OK skinflint, that I am I haven't ever wanted to splash out big bucks on any piece of equipment. I am lucky in being able to DIY the amplification part, so it's a valve set-up through out.

Today I installed a new cartridge (to me), an Acutex M312 IIISTR. Well :wow:, :wow: and more :wow:.
The focus to everything played is so precise, it's an absolute joy. Beautifully crisp treble, such clarity on hi-hats, wonderfully full and powerful bass tones. All the multi tracking of voice and and easy recognition of backing singers is so fantastically defined, I'm totally made up. We have been listening to some of the favourite vinyl and it's a revelation.

A really big thanks to Ali Tait for the cartridge, thanks mate :)

:cool: Alan

Pics tomorrow.........

[Ali Tait]

Glad it hits the spot Alan, they are a great cart. Lots of love for them on the net if you look around.

Enjoy!

[The Barbarian]

The body shape looks very simular to the old AKG 'P8' cart..I assume these are a highish compliance cartridge as ive seen pictures of it mounted in low mass arms! What kind of sound does this model give?

[Ali Tait]

I found it to have a great sound across the board, but especially the bass, that's stonking.

[The Barbarian]

How much are they Ali?

[Ali Tait]

About 40 quid Andre, there was a guy on Italian Ebay selling them, looked like he had a big stock of NOS. Not on there anymore though, guess he must have sold them all.

From my readings, the 320 is apparently the one to get, never seen any for sale though.

The guy does still have a load of 412, these are very good also, well worth under 50 quid delivered IMHO.

[The Barbarian]

Thanks Ali, well worth a try at that price

[Ali Tait]

Let me know what you think if you get one mate.

[Firebottle]

Played a few well known toons last night and it continues to impress. It's not optimally set up yet, that's a job for today.

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt97/Paramotorpilot/P1040724.jpg

One extra bonus is lack of surface noise. One of my favourite tracks, You Know You Know by The Mahavishnu Orchestra (from The Inner Mounting flame), has always had surface noise with all previous cartridges. This was particularly noticable on one channel at the start of the track, but now with the Acutex its gone :)

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt97/Paramotorpilot/P1040726.jpg

:cool: Alan

[Ali Tait]

What tracking weight have you set it at Alan?

[Firebottle]

About 1.7 gram Ali.

[Mr Kipling]

I remember the make from the early '80s. I remember they were inexpensive and had a strange T section. Looked like it rested on the record surface. Foxtronix a mail-order company sold them and was the only place I ever saw them advertised.

[shane]

Bought one last year to tide me over until I can afford to get my Denon 304 repaired or replaced. Can't say that I'm missing the Denon at the moment!

[Ali Tait]

About 1.7 gram Ali.

I found 1.75 - 8 to sound best.

[The Barbarian]

o dear im gonna pass on one of those then. that is scary tracking :D

[Ali Tait]

LOL.

[Gordon Steadman]

o dear im gonna pass on one of those then. that is scary tracking :D

Why is that then?

I have a nice ADC cart that tracks between 3 and 5 grammes:eek: Much more secure than these featherweight things:lol:

[The Barbarian]

Gordon if i said white you would say black that why i choose not to bother with your posts any more, So i'll refrain from explaining.

[Gordon Steadman]

Gordon if i said white you would say black that why i choose not to bother with your posts any more, So i'll refrain from explaining.

Andre, you need to grow a sense of humour. Not everything said is intended to wind you up. Some of us just find life a bit more of a joke than you do:)

Most of my carts track around a gramme or just over.

[walpurgis]

Why is that then?

I have a nice ADC cart that tracks between 3 and 5 grammes:eek: Much more secure than these featherweight things:lol:

What the hell can that be? I've had loads of ADCs and generally they tend to track happily at between 0.75 and 1.5 grams.

[Gordon Steadman]

What the hell can that be? I've had loads of ADCs and generally they tend to track happily at between 0.75 and 1.5 grams.


This one

http://www.adelcom.net/ADC-qlm30mk3-Page.htm (http://www.adelcom.net/ADC-qlm30mk3-Page.htm)

[walpurgis]

This one

http://www.adelcom.net/ADC-qlm30mk3-Page.htm (http://www.adelcom.net/ADC-qlm30mk3-Page.htm)

Ah. OK, I won't say anything rude about it. :D

[Gordon Steadman]

Ah. OK, I won't say anything rude about it. :D

:lol:

It came fitted to my Dual 1019 and wouldn't even track at that weight!! One might suspect the stylus has seen better days. Strangely enough, I haven't felt tempted to get a new one.

Mind you, I wonder if I could get a different stylus that would fit and track at a reasonable weight? Must have a look.

[Ali Tait]

Not that I'm any expert, but I've read that lighter tracking forces can be more damaging to vinyl than heavier ones.

[walpurgis]

:lol:

It came fitted to my Dual 1019 and wouldn't even track at that weight!! One might suspect the stylus has seen better days. Strangely enough, I haven't felt tempted to get a new one.

I really like ADCs, but the few QLMs I've tried have been rather disappointing. I would not part with my high compliance models from the 60s/70s. I rate them as amongst the very best non MCs.

[walpurgis]

Not that I'm any expert, but I've read that lighter tracking forces can be more damaging to vinyl than heavier ones.

Mistracking is likely to cause damage, but a well matched and set up arm/cart should perform properly.

[Gordon Steadman]

Not that I'm any expert, but I've read that lighter tracking forces can be more damaging to vinyl than heavier ones.

I'm sure that is true to a degree, especially if there could be mistracking. However, I suspect that 5 grammes might be a gramme or two too far:eyebrows:

[Ali Tait]

Aye. :-)