Garrard SP25 MK3 Cartridge

[manicmanta]

Just bought a SP25 MK3, which appears to be in excellent condition for my 16yr old son who wants to start collecting vinyl. My question is that what MM cartridge I can fit to this as presently it has a Goldring G800 and also is it worth removing the auto mechanism making it a manual turtable.

Many thanks

Manicmanta

[aardvarkash10]

no point spending a fortune since the SP arm is the ultimate in non-adjustability. I'm more than happy with the el-cheapo AT5625 that I fitted to mine.

Yeah, you can remove the auto stuff, but if its not seized solid, why would you? Mine took very little work to free up, and its kinda nice to have a do-no-thinking tt.

I'd focus more on ensuring that the idler and the rest of the drive system is as smoooooth as possible, lowering the rumble to the basement by regreasing the bearings and cleaning the inside of the rim til it shines!
_________________
"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do, life's been good to me so far..." Joe Walsh, 1976-ish

[paul401]

Hi,
an SP25 MK IV was my own first 'Hi-Fi' deck, so I sill have a soft spot for them, even now (and still have one or two tucked away!). I had the G800, changed to a QLM34 MKIII, then a Nagaoka MP11. A friend ran his with a Shure M75/6
As ardvarkash10 has said, I would also have suggested one of the AT range.


As for removing the auto bits, I did read somewhere, that this did make a difference, never done it myself, so can't really comment, but this link shows pic of a 'de -auto'd' MkIV http://members.home.nl/fmunniksma/GarrardSP25.htm

Paul

[manicmanta]

Many thanks for the replies, will look into the AT5635 or a Shure M75. The QLM34 and MP11 both have an elliptical stylus and have been lead to believe should not fit in a turntable with a fixed arm where you can't adjust the VTA and damage can occur to the stylus and record.

Regarding the auto mechanism, I wondered if there was an improvement with it removed as there was less metal to resonate attached to the turntable.

Many thanks

Manicmanta

[paul401]

Hi,
it's an interesting point you raise and there is a current thread here on VE, on "elliptical v conical".
As I say the SP25 was my first real bit of hi-fi, I and some friends were soon hooked, started reading the hi-fi magazines etc. The current fashion and opinion then, was that an elliptical stylus was better, and the thing to have. So being young we 'obeyed and followed' I don't recall any mention of VTA, it was really only the high end decks/arms that had such a thing. Out of price bracket, out of mind perhaps.
For myself the cartridges mentioned passed through a variety of decks, the Nagaoka in particular being used/tried in a Sony (2350), Nad (5120) Rotel (RP1500) and recently a NAD (5040). None of these had VTA. Indeed, I only gained this facility when I acquired a 401/SME S2 combination about 10 years back.
The common factor is my vinyl collection, and I'm pleased to report that it all seems to have survived ok. I should say I always treated the vinyl well and always checked alignment etc, ie the things I could adjust.
I do have a few LP's that pre date the SP25's arrival and were subject to a BSR unit with ceramic stylus, even these are ok, but again cleaned and cared for, plus regular stylus checks. The few that pre date even this and were played on the Dansette ..... well

Back to the 25, removing the auto stuff should improve things, not least as the arm is no longer 'pushing against' the bits that engage the mechanism.

Paul

[manicmanta]

Thanks Paul for your response but I have not come across this thread about spherical-elliptical stylus.
In about 1972 I was looking to upgrade my Garrard 2025TC and went to my local hi-fi shop which was run by Roy Wiseman who gave lectures at shows like Olympia etc had he told me that if an elliptical stylus was tracking at the wrong angle and I quote 'it acts like shovel' and can cause damage to both record and stylus. From memory this applied to the SP25, AP76, BSR MP60 and HT70.
Out of interest he also advised not fitting a Goldring G800 in the above but the G800H version because on auto the speed at which the tonearm drops onto the record could also cause damage and the G800H could handle it.
I ended up buying a N.O.S Goldring GL69 instead with a Shure M55E.

Oh happy days.

Manicmanta

[paul401]

Hi, well first an apology, if you tried looking for that thread, it's actually called "conical versus ellipticals" link here, http://www.vinylengine.com/php.....hp?t=21228

Ah, a BSR MP60, I recall a friends dad purchased a stereo unit with one of these fitted, I remember at the time thinking it was 'brilliant' and really wanting one! Simple pleasures!

Back to the present, I can see how an elliptical may act in the way described if at the wrong angle, but I can only state that in my case, at least, this doesn't appear to have happened. Maybe microscopic examination would show some damage. As I say sonically all seems to be ok.
The Nagaoka spent most of it's life in the NAD (with the 'flat' tonearm ). The Sony came with a fairly standard Sony cartridge + conical stylus, but again interestingly there was an elliptical option/upgrade, which when it was new stylus time I purchased. The Shure cartridges also had the elliptical option, which again was considered a definate upgrade. As I recall this all seemed fairly standard practice at the time.
This seems to be one of those areas that has as many questions as answers (see the thread ).
Even the advise given re the G800, yet as I recall this was almost standard issue with the SP25's? Mmmmm

I still have an M55E somewhere, I'm thinking of getting a 78 stylus for it.

Also, I did eventually get to own an MP60, two actually! It was when a friend and I went through our "Hey, lets run a disco!" phase

Paul

[manicmanta]

Hi Paul
I think I will look round for a second hand Shure M75 or something similar.

Regarding your disco phase, did the MP60's come complete with a pair of platform shoes and a tank top.

Many thanks

Manicmanta

[paul401]

[manicmanta]

Two MP60's, bright orange glossy speakers and platform shoes, and I bet you always played Bee Gees music- cool

I can remember that two friends had a SP25 and the other's dad had aMP60 which he borrowed one night, without his dad knowing and compared both on my Pioneer SA500A and Ditton 15 speakers and from memory the MP60 did sound better.

Oh, by the way do you want to buy those pictures.

Manicmanta

[paul401]