[Skylab]

Yipes, Grokit, was that TT ever used with the wrong headshell like that?

The good news is that the proper kind of headshell is even easier to get than the wrong one that is in the picture.

 

[grokit]

Yipes, Grokit, was that TT ever used with the wrong headshell like that?

The good news is that the proper kind of headshell is even easier to get than the wrong one that is in the picture.

Nope, I just switched out the cart/headshell without thinking and that was the result, whoops! Pictured below is the one that came with it with my cart mounted, it's straight but much thinner so now the end of the screws protrude a little more, shown in the second picture below. It will probably be okay but it makes me uncomfortable. The only set of screws that I have that aren't the same length are way too short. So rather than grinding the end off the screws or fashioning/obtaining a shim, I have ordered a new stock headshell which is a bit thicker like the Denon, and comes with new cart wires which are needed as well, another $20.

This brings the total to around $520, with a new stock mat and a replacement auxiliary tonearm weight the grand total is now around $560.

But what about those "high-performance" mats, any opinion on those?

 

[grokit]

Snake oil? Anybody have any experience with either one?

 

[Eee Pee]

Sorry grokit, I have no experience with mats.  All my tables have been mat free.  
 
Find some washers for those screws though, so you don't turn the screw head against the paint on the arm.
 

 

[grokit]

Find some washers for those screws though, so you don't turn the screw head against the paint on the arm.

Thanks, the headshell that came with it has recesses for the screwheads, as does the stock one that I ordered (below). So it would require very small washers that are no bigger than the screwheads, might be hard to source. Plus I'm pretty sure that the Technique headshells are anodized, not painted. I think that the Denon headshell is anodized as well but I'm not sure. There is also an official Techniques 4g weight/shim that was $6, and I will play with it in conjunction with the auxiliary counterweight as I have read reports that this particular cart/TT/tonearm setup benefits from the extra weight/counterweight.

 

[Eee Pee]

Cool.  I still suggest you do what you can to find washers, be it anodizing or paint or whatever.  Still going to scrape up the point of contact with the screw head.
 
You should eventually find washers that will fit.  As an aside, I tinker with small electric motors for RC crawlers.  I have so many washers of different sizes I could restock Home Depot easily.  I know they're out there.

 

[ashbeowulf]

Any of you have any experience with the Acoustic Research XA turntable? I asked about it last page but wasn't sure if anyone had seen it. Just had the base rebuilt and has a Shure cartridge on it. Guy is asking 200 but dunno if that's overpriced or not 

 Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[Eee Pee]

No personal experience, but I felt compelled to share this link: 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/358797/better-turntable-deal-ar-xa-200-or-technics-sl-1200mk5-250-both-in-great-cond

 

[Skylab]

Yeah I have never messed with aftermarket mats either. My VPI doesn't use a mat of any sort, and my Denon and Pioneer TT's have custom mats that really need to be used as supplied.

 

[grokit]

I decided to get another stock rubber mat to continue the spirit of stock restoration:

"Rubber mat from Technics. The old 1200MK2's used to come with these, though they are impractical for DJing (as opposed to a slipmat), they are good for archiving/sampling or vinyl listening purposes as they dampen vibrations"

But I will also try the Reso-mat, just to see if it sounds any different than the rubber mat:
"I have to say this mat represents a good time spent in R & D with different cone materials. Wood was rejected, for instance, as the bass disappeared! Softer materials such as rubber & cork were also rejected because the damping they caused resulted in a loss of detail. The polyvinyl used for the Reso-Mat cones is similar to the vinyl the record is made from & gave the best results."

Both put together are still well less than the Achromat, the "World's top selling mat". Probably the one to get :rolleyes:

 

[golgi]

I got this inexpensive mat for my turntable and it works very well. I use this on top of the stock thick rubber technics mat. http://www.sleevetown.com/turntable-accessories.shtml

It's the last one at the bottom of the page.

 

[Twinster]

Here's my entry to the vinyl world. My first ever turntable. 

 I'm pretty excited. The last time I listen to a vinyl record (excluding the session in the audio store) I was 12 years old and I was listening to Elvis Presley.
 

 

[grokit]

I got this inexpensive mat for my turntable and it works very well. I use this on top of the stock thick rubber technics mat. http://www.sleevetown.com/turntable-accessories.shtml

It's the last one at the bottom of the page.

Thanks, that looks interesting but I have to be able to replace the stock rubber mat with one specially sized for the SL1200 because of the lip on the platter. All I can find like that are the mats I pictured, the stock/knockoff rubber mats, and a cork mat.

 

[9pintube]

Quote:

Here's my entry to the vinyl world. My first ever turntable. 

 I'm pretty excited. The last time I listen to a vinyl record (excluding the session in the audio store) I was 12 years old and I was listening to Elvis Presley.
 

Hey Man that's sharp! Happy spinning and watch that stylist, ALWAYS!  My buddy just snapped off his cantilever on his ZYX......It happens to even the veterans of this love of ours.....

 

[ashbeowulf]

Quote:

Here's my entry to the vinyl world. My first ever turntable. 

 I'm pretty excited. The last time I listen to a vinyl record (excluding the session in the audio store) I was 12 years old and I was listening to Elvis Presley.
 

Ooooh wow that's pretty. I don't think I wanna know how much that probably cost either Enjoy it man! Vinyl is great