Cartridge Close-Ups - Show Your Shots!

[lynnot]

Hello Blue,

do you like your guest?
Actually, it's kind of a hybrid with Japanese and Dutch genes.

Does anybody know who built these cartridges for Sumiko?

Rgds, L.

[Blue Angel]

Hello Lynnot

It is an amazing cartridge and well worth having. From an engineering point of view, I can only shake my head (in admiration) for its designer and builder. I have been trying from the outset to make things as small and light as possible but this one is a lesson in aesthetics and micro engineering.

Its sound is wide open, almost uninhibited but yet controlled and immensely listenable.

I listened last night to a Beethoven 9th Symphony/Berlin Philharmoniker/Karajan/Hermanns and my wife wanted me to play it again this evening which says a lot in its favour.

It came here for a check-up and all is well so, it is going home tomorrow

Regards

ba

[vinylrayk]

OK guys, buckle up your seat belts. Here is a 60's vintage Sonotone 9TA-HC ceramic cartridge, along with several earlier variants of the 9TA series. Also seen badged as 9TAF-HC.

Sonotone 9TA-HC high compliance version with "Sonoflex" stylus, 100% OEM, NOS:


Closeup of OEM 9TA-HC stylus assembly:


Closeup of low compliance 9TA with aftermarket high compliance stylus assembly:


Closeup of earlier vintage low compliance 9TA with low compliance stylus assembly:


The 9TA went through several design refinements of the ceramic elements, stylus to ceramic element coupling spider, and the stylus assembly, which improved performance and gave magnetic cartridges a run for the money as the model 9TA-HC. In an attempt to cope with the dwindling number of preamps that had ceramic phono inputs, Sonotone introduced in-line adapters that conditioned the signal from the ceramic elements to emulate that of a magnetic cartridge. Eventually, to get away from the stigma of ceramic cartridges being associated with "cheap", the design engineers were moved into a new division and evolved the cartridge into a no-holds-barred package aimed at the high-end market under the umbrella of "Micro-Acoustics".

I haven't decided on what to set it up with yet, but I do have a Quad 33 preamp that I just re-capped and overhauled. See my photo gallery for more details on the individual shots.

For more Sonotone history and technical data, see:
http://www.roger-russell.com/sonopg/sonopc.htm.

[BrianLW]

Very cool! My father swore by Sonotones in his Bogen turntable.

[Blue Angel]

Nice!

How do you wire the pins on these as they are not marked as magnetics?

ba

[vinylrayk]

Nice!

How do you wire the pins on these as they are not marked as magnetics?

ba

[Blue Angel]

Ah, Thanks a lot!

ba

[Twinhit]

Hey Blue Angel,
Just wanted to say this is an awesome thread you started.
Looking all those cool carts people have reminds me of enthusiasts of classic cars and sports cars.
I'd post a pic but I think what I have would stir up an angry mob.

Anyway, this is a fun thread, thanks for starting it!

[Blue Angel]

Alas, this marvellous thread wasn't started by me

It was started by a now dearly departed gent from my country (but still alive).

There's absolutely no need to feel inhibited about what you have in any way. The only qualification is making music from vinyl.

Just for you, I'll be posting a pic of what I sometimes play with

No-one knows what it is but it's stereo and a moving iron type cartridge.

ba

[Twinhit]

Alas, this marvellous thread wasn't started by me

It was started by a now dearly departed gent from my country (but still alive).

There's absolutely no need to feel inhibited about what you have in any way. The only qualification is making music from vinyl.

Just for you, I'll be posting a pic of what I sometimes play with

No-one knows what it is but it's stereo and a moving iron type cartridge.

ba

Don't you just hate it when people don't bother to read, but instead, will only look at the pictures?!??


All I can say about your picture is that your cartridge/headshell appears to be color coordinated. That's kind of taking the hobby a bit extreme, don't you think?

[Blue Angel]

Alas, this marvellous thread wasn't started by me

It was started by a now dearly departed gent from my country (but still alive).

There's absolutely no need to feel inhibited about what you have in any way. The only qualification is making music from vinyl.

Just for you, I'll be posting a pic of what I sometimes play with

No-one knows what it is but it's stereo and a moving iron type cartridge.

ba

Don't you just hate it when people don't bother to read, but instead, will only look at the pictures?!??


All I can say about your picture is that your cartridge/headshell appears to be color coordinated. That's kind of taking the hobby a bit extreme, don't you think?

You're right about that AT headshell- it does look good with the Talisman.

Watch this space - I'll post a nice integrated headshell cartridge soon

ba

[Blue Angel]

AT 23a Integrated Headshell cartridge.

Don't know how it happened but some years ago, the finger lift broke where it was attached to the body. I replaced it with an exact copy made from polished titanium.

I have often thought about the material AT used and I'm not sure if it is plastic or some kind of brittle,m coarse-grained alloy.

ba

[Twinhit]

Now that's a cool cart. That AT23a eminds me of a precision micrometer head.
Do you have any documentation for that?

Someone ought to start a tone arm gallery.

My dream tone arm is a balanced 3-4 foot long tone arm. The needle's arch radius reduces with greater length and as a consequence the stylus diamond's inner groove angle deviation from the outer groove is substantially reduced and
mimicry of the vinyl lathe's tangential (linear) path is more accurately realized with a much flatter arch than with shorter arms. At least, that's my
current theory.
Of course there would needs be much more research and attention to details than
that.

[Bamster]

Micro acoustics ma 382 system II
Got it cheap. 100 bucks for the turntable and the cartridge.
I know I will never find a replacement stylus but there are many hours left on this one.
It sounds great to me but I have nothing to compare it to.
Anybody have any experience with Micro acoustics ?

Please excuse my crappy camera but thats the best shot I could muster