The High End Turntable Thread

[davide256]

On 5/24/2022 at 8:24 AM, MarcelNL said:

yeah a second arm for mono is needed, whether you need another one for 78Rpm depends a bit on what arm and what cartridge but it's probably safer/better to plan for a separate arm. Some vintage cartridges have a flippable needle, allowing the switch between 33 rpm and 78 rpm.

Shellack usually has a higher tracking weight than microgroove (33 and 45rpm vinyl) 

You could omit the 33rpm mono arm alltogether.

 

There are many builds possible allowing multiple tone arms, I've seen as many as 4 on a TT.

 

and don't forget adjustable "RIAA" phono pre for mono since there was  variability.

 

The problems with Linn's used to be that they were like MG's... always needing a trip to the mechanic for adjustment to maintain peak performance.

 

VPI makes quite respectable multi arm setups and offers swappable arm wand for minimal fuss to change out cartridge

[davide256]

@Confused one of my earliest jobs was selling replacements for  worn/broken stylii

 

1) the cheapest stylii are usually aluminum cantilevers with an elliptical stylus, mounted on a solder bushing. 50/50 whether these last a normal life

or separate from the solder bushing

2) nude mounted was next step up, basically  a hole through the cantilever that the stylus was pushed through and epoxied in place. Audio Technica in the 80's

   did a good job with these by cutting a square base before the stylus tip was shaped, allowed more precise orientation. Rare to see a nude mounted stylus

   that had fallen out of the cantilever

3) geometry other than elliptical was the next step up, as increasing vertical contact ( with limits) improved stability on worn records. But too long a contact

   created VTA challenges and a "broom sweeping" effect

4) exotic metal cantilevers can help transient response, reduce cantilever resonance. but brittleness makes them suspect for other than high compliance cartridges

 

 

 

[davide256]

It’s all about vibration control / damping in the turntable and resonance damping in the tonearm. Neither of these requires high mass, but do require competent materials science engineering