What cartridge is on your Technics SL12xx ?

[mmarston]

Looking back I see I neglected to specify. I've had a pair of bone stock MkIIs for 17 years. They live in a DJ console in a spare bedroom (separate system in the living room.) They've always carried Ortofon OM series; I have -10, -20, & original -40 styli that I swap in for different discs. Mostly use the -20 for everyday listening. Had a pair of -30s but one broke & I gave the other away...

I have occasionally swapped in something else from the junk pile but always gone back to the Ortofons. They seem happy there; resonance around 8 Hz.

Best,
Mike

[The Walrus]

Here's my Denon DL-110 with the shell taken off. Sounds superb!!!!!!!!

[Lord Soth]

I'm using an Audio-Technica AT33PTG/2 MC cart on my stock Technics SL 1210M5G.

This has been my one and only cart since I hopped onto the Vinyl bandwagon.

BTW, has anyone managed to roll (akin to "tube-rolling") any carts on their Technics SL1210/1200 with stock configuration?

Care to share your experiences over here?

Thanks.

[cafe latte]

I'm using an Audio-Technica AT33PTG/2 MC cart on my stock Technics SL 1210M5G.

This has been my one and only cart since I hopped onto the Vinyl bandwagon.

BTW, has anyone managed to roll (akin to "tube-rolling") any carts on their Technics SL1210/1200 with stock configuration?

Care to share your experiences over here?

Thanks.

I have a few carts which i use on my Technics... Stanton 881 (actually the original 890al which is the same) with a 881 Jico shibata stylus, a 681 also with a shibata, a sure m97xe, a denon dl160 MC a Stanton trackmaster with a d97xe hifi stylus and a Decca super Gold. They all have there own sound and if I have to choose a fave it would be the Stanton 881 as it is the most honest and usable cart. The Decca is a mind blowing cart and sounds like no other cart made but I cant imagine using it for every day use as it is too odd and difficult. It probably has the sonic edge but it is just too querky for every day use. The 881 just does what it needs to do with a clean sibilance free open sound with great bass and no fuss. The 681 is a bit more closed and when things get tough it suffers at least with my stylus with a touch of sibilance but only on very tough tracks. The sure m97xe is a super good value cart which tracks very well but recent quality control spoils them but mine is a good sounding cart but not as clean as the stanton but a bargin if you find a good one.
The Trackmaster is a DJ cart but is transformed with the hifi stylus. I am considering experimenting with a Jico for it as IMO it would be very interesting as one seller used to sell a version which is no longer available with a similar stylus that was reported to sound quite special. The Denon is a super smooth cart but after the 881 you will miss something as it is a bit too smooth, but very nice all the same with that MC cream. I am considering moving up the Denon food chain but I am a bit held back by the slightly soft presentation of the 160.
All great fun and why I like interchangable headshells
Regards
CL

[fatshoolaces]

Does anyone who uses their turntables for DJing (just mixing, not scratching) have decks equipped with higher end carts? I ask because I often use my turntables for straight listening but also have a mix from time to time. I guess you wouldn't want to be too hard on an expensive cartridge though.

Not really hi-end but I use Ortofon Concordes.
Stylii - Night Club E's for mixing sessions, OM30 for listening...
The Night Club's track like a train, great for mixing. It's quick and easy to pop the 30 on for serious listening and, IMHO, it sounds great...

[guvees]

Just playing in (end of week one) a Denon DL110. Sound just keeps getting better & better! Also mounted an AT440mla in a spare headshell although not wholly satisfied with the setup on this. When I get a mo i'll refine the setup using the Technics Baerwald Arc Protractor from VE then make some kind of comparison.

[jon debaser]

Mine is Ortofon, It comes with the turntable when I bought, I even have a spare 1 , that comes along with it

Regards,

Jon

[carloterzo11]

I have been using a Stanton 500MKII cartridge with a Jico D71E stylus in one of my two SL-1200's for 3 months now and I must say this combo sounds a lot nicer than whatever I had been using before (the latter combo being Stanton 680EE with its original new stylus). My only concern is the tracking weight. I was told by somebody that the mass of the standard Technics tonearm would require a heavier tracking force than the max allowed with the D71E stylus (1.5g) to prevent mistracking and record damage. Honestly, my stylus now tracks perfectly and records never skip and are perfect after repeated plays. I have set both the weight and the antiskate at 1.5g. What do you think?

[mike_p]

AT-120E. Very musical after about 50 hours of play.

[OneyedK]

Tried a few...


Including AT-95E and AT-440MLa...

Ended up with a heavier headshell, heavier counterweight and the infamous DL103R.

[Trackside]

What's 'infamous' about the Dl-103R? Fundamentally incompatible with an SL-1200 MK2 maybe but can be made to behave with some mass loading.

[OneyedK]

Fundamentally incompatible with an SL-1200 MK2 maybe but can be made to behave with some mass loading.

Before I had the Nagaoka headshell, I experimented with headshell weights, that didn't work well at all. Resonance peak shifted downwards but became a lot higher.
The distributed weight of the Nagaoka solved all that.

[Trackside]

Fundamentally incompatible with an SL-1200 MK2 maybe but can be made to behave with some mass loading.

Before I had the Nagaoka headshell, I experimented with headshell weights, that didn't work well at all. Resonance peak shifted downwards but became a lot higher.
The distributed weight of the Nagaoka solved all that.

The Nagaoka like my Sumiko can't ditribute weight any further than the headshell itself or am I missing somthing?

[OneyedK]

The Nagaoka like my Sumiko can't ditribute weight any further than the headshell itself or am I missing somthing?

It's heavier near the connection with the tonearm.
Not all weight is "on top" of the cartridge.