Headshell wire terminals

[Oddball]

I recently found that headshell terminal connectors , are not all one size!!
I purchased an Aiwa headshell ,(which I was going to fit my AT95E /Shibata stylus onto, and into my Aiwa TT ) only to find that both ends were not a standard 1ml fit!!
The headshell side were smaller than the regular size I was used to,and the cart side bigger !! :scratch:
I have a replacement set ,and I thought , ok ,just solder the different ends to suit. Not as simple as that as the replacement set are covered with heatshrink ,and I dont want to mess them up either really!
Could I find 4 standard sized connectors ,anywhere ?? Does this make any sense , or do I need a padded room ?

Oh ,I also read elesewhere , that some folk crimp the terminal up a bit to suit , but all thats going to do it bugger them up IMO

[Barry]

I feel your pain as there appears to be little standardisation of the diameter of either cartridge pins, or of those of the headshell.

Most cartridge/headshell leads are asymmetric, with larger diameter tags for the cartridge pins and smaller diameter tags for the headshell. Even so, you may find you have to either open up the tag (by inserting a tapered bradawl) or reduce the diameter (by carefully closing the tag using snipe-nose pliers). In either case you need not automatically make a 'dog's dinner' of it, and disfigure the heatshrink sleeving if you are careful.

[Dubster68]

I have also made this mistake in the past.

[Oddball]

Thanks guys. :)
The original ones on the Aiwa headshell are too big on the cart end ,as I have said . They also have no gap between the O of the connector , which means you cannot crimp them up ,without you make one side undershoot the other , (ok if you needed to open them up however )and that cant be good? Does that make sense??
I have looked under my magnifying lamp ,and if you could cut away some metal from the middle ,then maybe they would crimp up ,but the cutting would be very difficult ,and old hamfist here , is very likely to bugger them !!!
So ,I need 4 universal sized connectors ( most seem to be 1 ml , I think) and I will solder them on :eek:
Seen the price of them ,I think I might get the Dremmel out and try cutting some metal out:eyebrows:

[hifi_dave]

Don't solder them onto the cartridge.

[Oddball]

Don't solder them onto the cartridge.

Thanks Dave . I never explain things well . I meant remove the bigger ones and solder on some smaller !!
But £12 for 16 connctors that I dont know will fit , so Dremmel time ;)

[Barry]

If there is no split-line on the cartridge tags, how are you expected to fit them onto the cartridge pins and have them make a snug and secure connection?

[Oddball]

If there is no split-line on the cartridge tags, how are you expected to fit them onto the cartridge pins and have them make a snug and secure connection?

There is a split line barry , but hardly any clearance between them , or in other words , not enough space to crimp them up!!
Hence my idea of putting the circular grinding wheel on my Dremmel and opening them up slightly!

[Barry]

There is a split line barry , but hardly any clearance between them , or in other words , not enough space to crimp them up!!
Hence my idea of putting the circular grinding wheel on my Dremmel and opening them up slightly!

Do you have one that is fine enough? Good luck!

[Oddball]

Do you have one that is fine enough? Good luck!
Oh yes ,I think so . The kit has these little mini cutting discs you can screw onto a tiny shaft !
If I can hold the terminal in my mini vice ,and they will stand a bit of grinding , the worlds my oyster ;)

[Jac Hawk]

some pics of what you're trying to do would help Anto

[hifi_dave]

There's something wrong here. The AT-95E pins are standard size, so your connectors should just slide on.

Can't you just buy another set of headshell wires ? They can't cost much.

[Jac Hawk]

There's something wrong here. The AT-95E pins are standard size, so your connectors should just slide on.

Can't you just buy another set of headshell wires ? They can't cost much.

True, i'd have a look on ebay if i was you Anto

[Oddball]

https://i.imgur.com/uw87A6vl.jpg
You see , very little clearance between sides of the terminal :)
I could buy some bare connectors . They seem very expensive for what they are . I dont envisage using the Aiwa cart that came with the headshell,so making the terminals fit will satisfy me and my pocket:eek:
https://i.imgur.com/sAudGENl.jpg

[struth]

You can widen them or narrow them. Should be cuts in sides.

[Oddball]

Well, I am a fixer and a mender /maker here on the farm ,so small stuff just means steadier hands and a magnifying lamp :D
https://i.imgur.com/K5SQE0nl.jpg
Held it in the vice and then ran the slitter across the line , bit of a crimp ,and bobs your uncle!!
Onto the headshell with the old M75-6S , (I have an elliptical diamond I shall use for the 'rougher' end of the collection )

https://i.imgur.com/sWNIlOql.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/a5i6FdVl.jpg

And on she goes !!:cool:

[hifi_dave]

Thank goodness for that. Can't understand why the connectors didn't fit.

[hal55]

I have the same problem, and you can't crimp them down. Utterly frustrating.

[Oddball]

Thank goodness for that. Can't understand why the connectors didn't fit.

Because the Aiwa cart has larger terminal 'pegs' ? and the wires were original Dave . And as the headshell connector ends were smaller than standard sized ones nowadays , it made sense to just change the cart ends one .
I may take a picture of the 2 carts side by side , but the difference is difficult to spot with the naked eye:)

[hifi_dave]

So, the Aiwa cartridge terminals are larger diameter than normal and the headshell terminals are smaller diameter than normal ?

I have fitted tens of thousands of cartridges into various headshells and arms over my lifetime and never encountered this. Very strange.

I was going to dig out some headshell wires and send them to you but you appear to have done the job and the standard ones I have probably wouldn't fit anyway.

[walpurgis]

A common problem is that the metal in cartridge tags fatigues with use, losing the springyness that makes them grip and they start falling off.

I have seen minor variations in cartridge terminal pin sizes, but nothing you couldn't get a lead tag onto with a bit of persuading.

[Jac Hawk]

With bare metal tags like those Anto I cover them in either 2 or 3mm silicone tubing, it does 3 things:

1. Reduces electrical interference between each contact
2. Stops you touching 2 contacts at the same time
3. It looks better

[Oddball]

So, the Aiwa cartridge terminals are larger diameter than normal and the headshell terminals are smaller diameter than normal ?

I have fitted tens of thousands of cartridges into various headshells and arms over my lifetime and never encountered this. Very strange.

I was going to dig out some headshell wires and send them to you but you appear to have done the job and the standard ones I have probably wouldn't fit anyway.

Thanks Dave.
Yes ,your first sentence is correct ! Why didnt I just say that!!:rolleyes:
I just thought it was a common enough variation !! I purchased the Aiwa headshell second hand recently off E Bay !
(the AP2200 I have been doing up ,came with a new standard type common headshell and what I take to be an Aiwa cart ,all quite new looking , although I have since found the cantilever was twisted to the left ,which probably account for its poor performance . I have since tweaked it round , and it does sound ok now ,but probably wont use it myself ,but put it on a HMV deck I want to sell))
I never even thought there could be a problem ,but when I took the Aiwa cart off the shell to fit the Shure , I realised straight away the contacts were too large to fit any of my other carts (which have all the same sized terminals ) And the other end too small to accept a set I already have!!
Anyway , a nice gesture from you !! Thanks .
I can afford to buy new ones , but some of the asking prices on E Bay ,are barmy:mental: Chancers !!:D
Anyway , nice to make use of what you have about you !!

Oh ,and I shall get around to tidying the wires up Mike ;)

[Oddball]

Just to try and show the difference in pin size
The Aiwa cart in at the bottom , and the top one is an old AT cart that has standard connector pins !
They both are equally side by side and I think its fair to say the bottom ones are quite a bit bigger than the top!
Just in case most people think I am mad :eyebrows:
https://i.imgur.com/l1uvSdwl.jpg

[Oddball]

I have the same problem, and you can't crimp them down. Utterly frustrating.

Sorry Hal ,meant to reply earlier . Yes ,you know what I meant didnt you;)
The larger connectors just slop about ,and dont even grip in any way!!
You cant squash the connectors up ,with out you make one edge dive under the other . But that means the connector is not really sitting nicely ,even should you manage to make a good job of that!
I found by putting the connector in the mini vice with the solder tab in the jaws and the connector resting on the jaw , and then slit gently along the knick in it ! The dremmel needs to be on a low setting , goggles on please, and gently let it bite through the line . Not a job for the purist , but I was more than happy with the result once I gently eased them together afterwards with the vice jaws (more controlled pressure)

[Jac Hawk]

You would assume wrongly as it turns out that there would be a standard for things like this as there is with other hifi connections

[hifi_dave]

Not sure if there any standards but in my time of fitting, literally, tens of thousands of cartridges into numerous arms, I have only encountered two cartridges with smaller terminals than the norm and that was the old Supex 900, 901 and the original Koetsu which was based on the Supex.

[Oddball]

Ahh right . I am not suprised there is no standard size , but probably more suprised that the headshell had smaller ones at the quick release side opposite the cart , as well!!!
:)