[Vintage-Audio] PICK-UP: SME ARM ON THORENS 124 TURNTABLE

[Duane B. Fischer, W8DBF]

Hello Jim, 	
	
Where have you been hiding, heh? I have not heard from you in way too long! 	
	
Do not be too quick to be negative about the Shure cartridge and stylus. I have
used them for forty years with excellent results. In fact, one guy who answered
you, Michael S., has some CD recordings I sent him made from vinyl using said
Shure items.	
	
It is seldom that the cartridge itself goes bad, it is generally the stylus. The
exception being that the cartridge is physical abused or otherwise damaged.   	
	
I have a supplier here in Michigan who has many of the older cartridges and
styluses. Perhaps I can get you what you need? 	
	
You must remember that over the decades the manner in which vinyl was recorded
has changed. The older recordings inmono had a deeper cut and a wider groove.
hence the stylus was physicall different. The stereo grooves were about a third
of the depth, 1 mil, and more narrow. hence a different stylus. A mono stylus
would plow out the stereo grooves quite rapidly! As some who knew no better fund
out! (Any of you do that?)	
	
The tracking weight also varied a lot from record changer or turntable to type
of recording in use. Some played 78, 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, for instance. 		
	
If ou try to track too light, under one gram, many of the older vinyl recordings
will have poor quality audio. If you track too heavy, the stylus will literally
bend!	
	
Enlighten me, and the group, what recordings you desire to play Jim. Mono?
Stereo? The vinyl albums using 33 1/3 rpm or 45 singles? What the tracking
weight for your changer or turntable is typically, do you have an anti-skate
unit and so forth.	
	
Duane W8DBF	
	

	
  

----------
From: Welsh <Jicaru at icon.co.za>
To: Vintage home and professional audio equipment from 1975 back
<vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [Vintage-Audio] PICK-UP: SME ARM ON THORENS 124 TURNTABLE
Date: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 10:47 AM

I had a stroke of luck the other day. 

At an otherwise really "junkie" local ham-fest, a Thorens 124 (II) coupled with
an SME 3009 (ii), plus a Dynaco PAS (with Telefunkens in place) - all for ZAR300
(about US$50). 

The SME arm is equipped with an Excel cartridge with its stylus messed! So, I am
looking for advice on what to put in its place - not a needle from my wife's
sewing basket. I  mean which cartiridge should I go for? Reasonably priced but
good for my Archive and DGG classical vinyl. 

I have a Shure M70EJ in for the while but I think I can do better.

Any ideas and the names of trusted suppliers would be appreciated. I would have
to do the purchase via the Internet or wait until September when I head off to
the USA.

Jim
Johannesburg
South Africa
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