Quote Originally Posted by Folkboy View Post
What are you guys opinions of using washers with cartridge bolts, and do you bolt yours with (ahem) your nuts on top or underneath?
Hi Jon,

I've just experimented with that very matter at length, having just bought a new detachable headshell for my Ortofon arm and Denon DL-103 cartridge, so was made to revisit things again, and have finally concluded the following:

1) Hex bolts offer a much more 'positive' and secure fitting than screws, for the very reasons Paul has mentioned - *but* they must be made from non-magnetic stainless steel, for best results (rigidity and the fact that they're non-ferrous).

2) As a result, the latter 'sound' better than screws, for reasons given.

3) My preference (visually), with headshells, and also practically too, is to fix nuts onto the top of bolts, as it's much easier to tighten them from the top, in order to obtain a good secure fixing, than at the other end, where they're harder to get at.

4) Try and obtain a small spanner [such as that shown in the pack below], which will allow you to tighten the nuts used, thus securely affixing the cartridge to the headshell (by firmly clamping it to it), subsequently ensuring an optimal mechanical connection.

That final, gentle, 'nipping up' of the nuts at the end, with a spanner, after having screwed the bolts in fully with an Allen key, makes all the difference!



Marco.