What cartridge is on your Technics SL12xx ?

[cafe latte]

I took the stock transformer out into a box to ensure no hum.

Very interesting. Was this an easy task and was there a noticeable improvement in sound quality?

On some carts yes as some sensitive moving coil carts pick up the hum from the transformer. There are a few aftermarker PSUs on the market too, but beware as not all leave the stock regulator in the turntable and put it in the external psu, this also applies if you are doing the mod yourself and building a diy PSU. The problem is the regulator should be as close as possible to the circuit it is regulating for otherwise it cant do its job properly. Just moving the transformer will just illiminate the possibility of any hum with any carts, but it is not going to improve sound quality, but a better psu delivering a clean suppy to the turntable may though.
Regards
CL

[Trackside]

It's been proposed in another post that mechanical and EMF 'noise' emitted by the transformer may still muddy the sound even if the resonant peaks which I've measured are below the vinyl surface noisefloor. Simply removing the AC transformer and leaving the AC-DC rectification and regulation in situ therefore may have it's benefits to overall sound quality and is a quite easy mod to at least experiment with.

[russtafarian]

I use a DL103 rebuilt by Soundsmith with a ruby cantilever and line stylus.

[cafe latte]

I use a DL103 rebuilt by Soundsmith with a ruby cantilever and line stylus.

Interesting, what did they charge for the retip?
Regards
CL

[russtafarian]

Info here:

http://www.sound-smith.com/denon/index.html

[alanchamberlain]

Presently a Dynavector 20XL; have used AT 150MLX.

Lovely cartridge the AT-150 mlx but isn't it too compliant for the arm?

[whitesmoke]

681EEE...

Unless someone requests Phil Collins or Stevie Nicks. Then I use a sewing needle through a paper cone - gives a real "vintage" sound.

[ifyoulikethetone]

Much food for thought here. I put a standard Ortofon 5e on my 1200-Mk2 to tide me over until I can justify spending another hundred quid or more on hi-fi. From what I've read here, the Denon DL 110 or the AT440mla look like good options within my price range.

The problems I've encountered with the budget 5e are that it shows up surface noise horribly - much more than the battered (and slightly broken) Stanton 505 that was on there when I bought it. The 5e also seems to love distortion and I've battled with VTF and VTA in order to minimise this but to relatively little avail. For someone whose LP collection is 99% second-hand, this won't do.

How would people differentiate the DL110 and the 440mla in terms of sound produced? The AT is noticeably more expensive. I know about the principles of MM vs MC and stylus types, but from people's experiences with Technics turntables, is there much - audibly - to tell these two apart? I'm guessing there might be...

[rewfew]

Yesterday I plugged in the Stanton 890ls that was once sold by KAB and though I like, alot, the AT440mla that was on for a couple of months. The old Stanton makes the AT seem lethargic in comparison. I just mean music seems more vital. Real, if you will. This cartridge is my favorite of the fore mentioned AT440 and at double the price, a AT150mlx, (has not given me thrills yet). I've got another Stanton, the 980hzs, with a aftermarket shibata stylus, (and???? like the AT150). And a Denon160 mc. The reining champ to all comers in my little club, the Stanton 890ls with a NOS Pickering D22E 2x7 nude elliptical stylus. A combination probably never to be found for a decent price again.

[Sandbah 92]

At the moment it's a Denon DL110.

[Mark E Smith's Dentist]

I've just added a second (stock) Technics for playing lesser records. It's sporting a Goldring G900 IGC which, like my Frog, also has a van den Hul tip.

I'm really enjoying it - like a Shure V-15 III it's easy to listen to and does everything it's capable of very well.


JT

[RobbieDread]

I have the Ortofon 2M Black on the stock arm with KAB fluid damper, sounds wonderful and I wouldn't change it.

[zambembe]

Right now, AT92E. It will keep tracking my not-really-in-a-good-shape LPs.

A DL-110 is coming soon.

[Shadowman82]

I have the Ortofon 2M Black on the stock arm with KAB fluid damper, sounds wonderful and I wouldn't change it.

Is it really worth having a cartridge on there that costs as much as the entire Turntable did when they were still making them ?