marb67 said:
I'm not hugely familiar with the U25 to be honest but I'd be surprised if it couldn't be bettered if you've got £300 to throw at the problem which a few hours ago is what you were thinking of doing
I'm not hugely familiar with the U25 to be honest but I'd be surprised if it couldn't be bettered if you've got £300 to throw at the problem which a few hours ago is what you were thinking of doing
Well yes but Would anything for this turntable cost up to £300 ? I am willing to pay for something if it makes a huge difference to the sound quality.
Al ears
Well-known member
marb67 said:
You probably wouldn't need to pay a huge amount for a decent upgrade to that cartridge. If it is original it going to need replacing.
I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure my old Technics table used to have the same cartridge and I couldn't get original stylus replacements. There were plenty of pattern parts but I was never sure on their quality.
I think you have three options (once you've put the turntable on a decent surface of course). For £10-15 you could get a pattern stylus replacement but I doubt that would deliver much improvement.
Next in terms of cost you could get a replacement cartridge starting with something like an Audio Technica 95e for about £30 (probably the cartridge that would have come in the LP5, haven't checked) through to the Ortofon 2M range probably a red for around £80 or a blue for £150 ish. These need to be fitted, wired and setup so if you've never done it before it will make a great learning experience - plenty of stuff on the Internet and all the help you'll need on here.
Finally, for a bit more money, you can get something like an Ortofon plug and play headshell that comes with the cartridge already mounted in a new headshell and you just remove your existing and fit the new one. There will still be a bit of setup required in terms of counterweight and possibly anti-skate, but less than a new cartridge in your existing headshell.
If I was you and was dubious about spending money on an old table and the process of changing a cartridge (and of course I'm not you, so take this with a pinch of salt), I'd plump for the AT95e which is unbeleivably good for the money and take my time to learn all about changing and setting up cartridges. That way, you will probably learn a lot and if you decide later you should have got a better cart or changed the table you have only spent £30 which frankly you'd probably get back if you ebayed the Technics with the AT95 on it rather than the original cart!
I think you have three options (once you've put the turntable on a decent surface of course). For £10-15 you could get a pattern stylus replacement but I doubt that would deliver much improvement.
Next in terms of cost you could get a replacement cartridge starting with something like an Audio Technica 95e for about £30 (probably the cartridge that would have come in the LP5, haven't checked) through to the Ortofon 2M range probably a red for around £80 or a blue for £150 ish. These need to be fitted, wired and setup so if you've never done it before it will make a great learning experience - plenty of stuff on the Internet and all the help you'll need on here.
Finally, for a bit more money, you can get something like an Ortofon plug and play headshell that comes with the cartridge already mounted in a new headshell and you just remove your existing and fit the new one. There will still be a bit of setup required in terms of counterweight and possibly anti-skate, but less than a new cartridge in your existing headshell.
If I was you and was dubious about spending money on an old table and the process of changing a cartridge (and of course I'm not you, so take this with a pinch of salt), I'd plump for the AT95e which is unbeleivably good for the money and take my time to learn all about changing and setting up cartridges. That way, you will probably learn a lot and if you decide later you should have got a better cart or changed the table you have only spent £30 which frankly you'd probably get back if you ebayed the Technics with the AT95 on it rather than the original cart!
TomSawyer said:
You're very close, apparently it comes with an AT95X. I've no idea what the difference is. Probably very little. Progress is a bit laid back with cartridges. You can still buy Ortofon OM cartridges that I first saw for sale 30 years ago but probably predate that, and you can still buy a Denon DL103, which has been around for 53 years.
Al ears
Well-known member
MajorFubar said:
I hope that's a history lesson Major and you're not actually suggesting the OP gets a DL103. ;-)
Al ears
Well-known member
TomSawyer said:
Good advice. Although you can still get replacement stylii for that cartridge (not original) at that age I would be looking at replacing the lot. The AT you suggest is cheap and going up to around £80 I would suggest the Shure M97xe or Nagaoka MP100 for that tonearm.
Al ears said:
Quite...but I must admit I've been having improper thoughts about trying one for myself on the TD160. TP16 is a heavy tonearm compared to lightweight modern arms and is unsuited to many modern cartridges that are designed for the latter. This and the slightly more expensive DL110 will have been all over turntables like mine when they were new, and I hearthe DL110 is a great end-of-side tracker, which my current Ortofon most definitely is not.
Al ears
Well-known member
MajorFubar said:
Never had a DL110, but excellent trackers they cerainly are, hence the number of radio stations that used to install the 103 and accounts for its longevity. If you can afford it I would humbly suggest you go for the DL103R which is brilliant for the money, and is my 'back up' cartridge should things go pear-shaped with the one I currently run.
NOTE: (maybe for others) but I guess you are aware the 103 is a low output moving coil that requires a step-up transformer or adequate phono preamp..
Ok, I am thinking between the ATN95E and The Ortofon 2m Red. Now listening to this test, my ears cleary hear a more upront, detailed sound with speraration with the 2m Red BUT the ATN95E is excellent considering the price difference. Not too far behind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj4aEryuCQE
However, will buying the 2m Red be worth it on this Technics ? I don't know if the machine can do it justice but it is tempting. It's how it sounds on my hifi that matters which I can't tell until I try one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj4aEryuCQE
However, will buying the 2m Red be worth it on this Technics ? I don't know if the machine can do it justice but it is tempting. It's how it sounds on my hifi that matters which I can't tell until I try one.
Al ears
Well-known member
marb67 said:
I don't think listening to a track on YouTube is the way to evaluate a cartridges capability. Sound quality and tracking ability are important, as is price. You can listen all you like to a £50,000 system von YouTube but its only ever going to sound as good as the speakers you are playing it back through.
marb67 said:
PLEASE NOTE: THE ATN95E IS A REPLACEMENT STYLUS, NOT A CARTRIDGE! DON'T ORDER AN ATN95E UNLESS YOU ALREADY OWN AN AT95E!
Shouting over, if you decide on the AT, makes sure you order an AT95E. The advantage to this cart is how good it is for so little money you can have a lot fun fitting it and ressurecting your old TT without risking much money.
The advantage to the Ortofon Red is that it shares its body (I'm pretty sure) with the Blue so once fitted, if you love your ressurected TT, you can upgrade to Blue in a little while by just slipping off the Red stylus and slipping on a Blue.
Yes, I understand that thanks. I would have purchased the cart and needle as I don't have either. So would a 2M Red be too overkill for my Technics or would the Technics do it justice ?
Also, can I use the refined cycle oil lube for oiling the soindle ? What model of Technics guge should I buy for aligning the cartridge, is it just a general Technics or a specific model ?
Thanks again.
Also, can I use the refined cycle oil lube for oiling the soindle ? What model of Technics guge should I buy for aligning the cartridge, is it just a general Technics or a specific model ?
Thanks again.
would the 2M Red be overkill for your Technics.
As for a cartridge gauge go onto Vinylengine, look it up on there, you're able to print them once registered, costs nothing
Couldn't comment about the oil...
As for a cartridge gauge go onto Vinylengine, look it up on there, you're able to print them once registered, costs nothing
Couldn't comment about the oil...
I might even consider going as far as the AT440MLB as it seems much better than the 2M Red. I can see a pattern developing here going up and up in price as I hear nicer catridges. Again, as I ws willing to invet in a £300 turntable it's still cheap at half the price.
marb67 said:
Sorry, to be clear because rereading my post I may have accidentally implied you need to buy both, you only need to buy the AT95E which comes with the stylus as well.
Al ears
Well-known member
Al ears
Well-known member
marb67 said:
I believe it is. If you want a decent cartridge priced in between the AT's look at the Shure M97Xe.
The AT440MLB I think now is my choice after all the reserch. The Shure is ok but not in the same league. It sounds very dull and not as wide stereo image for my ears. I will report back wen I have it running.
Al ears
Well-known member
marb67 said:
Good choice. It should sound better it's half as much again as the Shure. Some say AT's are a bit 'toppy' but I would call then neutral, it really depends on your own hearing and the rest of the system.
Al ears said:
i wish it were half as much as the shure but it is twice as much. Hopefully when my rubber surround arrives to replace the perished ones on my JPWAP2 speakers it should all be sounding good again.
what I have learned from these forums is that I don't have to replace my turntable, amp, speakers as I initially thought because they are old. In fact, they are still deemed good which pleases me. Not sure about my purchased in 1991 Marantz cd42 though as the cd insert drawer cog has broken making it a manual pull open and close.
Anyway, that's where I am at rediscovering my hifi and thanks to folk here, saved me a lot of spending.
cheers.
NSA_watch_my_toilet said:
you quote was in post 1, the discussion has pleasingly come a long way since then. I think the OP has acknowledged this himself in his last post ;-)
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