2016: bought turntable. Need headshell, cartridge and anything else to spin records.

[myles]

When I say "surprise", I omitted the part of waking up at 1am Monday morning in almost smash-my-head-against-the-wall pain. The day at work swung from agony to no pain at all. Only when the dentist looked at the x-ray did he tell me the news. I thought I'd have to rebook an appointment to get the work done, but he started straight away. I go back next Monday for the second part. So far, no futher pain, but the antibiotics are making me queasy...

Growing old, eh?

Mine were when I was relatively young! There is nowt like it, eh?

[Folkboy]

What are you guys opinions of using washers with cartridge bolts, and do you bolt yours with (ahem) your nuts on top or underneath?

[PaulStewart]

What are you guys opinions of using washers with cartridge bolts, and do you bolt yours with (ahem) your nuts on top or underneath?

Never use washers as they can allow "play" in the headshell assembly and while you are at it, remove the rubber washer between the headshell and the arm. Nuts on top or underneath is largely a matter of asthetics on a removable headshell. On fixed headshell arms that are mounted on a deck, it can be easier with some carts to have a cap headed bolt, push it through the monting lug on the cart on an allen key, then through thevwhole on the arm and screw the nut from the top.

Cap headed bolts can give firmer grip and unlike flat bladed screws, you are less likely to slip and break a stylus/cantilever. Also worth noting, stainless steel can have differnt levevls of magnetic coercivity and retentivity depending on the grade of steel, magnetic interaction between cart and headshell is not a good idea and can effect sound quality. As they say "You pays your money, you takes your choice".

Good luck with the dentist......

[Marco]

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.

[Marco]

Hi Paul,

Got your cartridge mounting kit today (many thanks), and it's great!

For some bizarre reason my cartridge sounds better with your bolts fitted, rather than those supplied by SRM-Tech, including the spanner (above). Therefore, folks, I'd recommend Paul's kit, here :http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1917037838...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Paul, to make it perfect, you may wish to consider including one of those little spanners with your kits? It's a rather useful little tool!

Marco.

[PaulStewart]

Hi Marco,

Glad the kit arrived and it works for you, I think the sound thing is down to the grade of stainless steel, it took me a while to find "The Right One" I'm trying to source the correct size and quality of spanner as I don't want to increase the price of the kit too much, I'll keep people posted.