will my new cart sound fuller with more use

[Johnno2]

just recenty started dipping my toes into vinyl again, but didnt want to spend much ,just in case my curioisty over the format wears thin, so

picked up a rather nice used technics sl1300 for £70, had trouble finding a new stylus for the shure V15 , so though what the hell, I will stick a cheapo AT95e cart on there for the time being, , while it sounds reasonably nice, that full warm sound is not really there, the sound how I used to remember my old garrard/goldring combo

now I was told the fullness will deveop over time as the needle loosens up , been using it for a week about an hour a day and cant say I have noticed an increase in bass, am I expecting too much from this little green thing, many say it performs way ahead of it price, sounds a tad flat ATM, increasing the bass on the amp helps a bit , but should be no need for that surely? or is the phono stage in the yamaha AS500 lacking?

 

[Al ears]

My guess, and it is only a guess, is that the phono stage is fine in the Yamaha. I think you may be expecting a little too much from the AT95e which although 'good' is only as good as a £34 cartridge can be.
It is unlikely to improve over time I feel. To dramatically change the sound you are going to have to go for a more expensive cartridge possibly a Goldring like you used to have or a Nagaoka.

 

[AmigaNut]

I have the AS 500 and I bought the Azure 651 phono amp. At the minute I mainly use head phones but I do think the Azure has the edge over the Yam.

Just my opinion, can you borrow a phono amp and try for yourself?

AmigaNut

 

[Johnno2]

I have the AS 500 and I bought the Azure 651 phono amp. At the minute I mainly use head phones but I do think the Azure has the edge over the Yam.

Just my opinion, can you borrow a phono amp and try for yourself?

AmigaNut

what improvements did the CA give over the yam? really considering going down this route, and then maybe a better cart like the ortofon red,

but dont want to get carried away with the technics deck, it was built in the 70's and scared it might just pack up, although it running perfect ATM

one thing is for sure, although thersound is not quite right yet, its give me a taster of the potential of vinyl and I like it

once I get the sound I want , its record fair and charity shop mooching for me

 

[stevebrock]

Try the Nagaoka MP 110 it's a lovely cartridge for the money,neutral with excellent bass and it tracks really well - I got one for a spare but tried it on my RP6 and was really surprised at his good it is - occasionally I do find the 10x5 a little forward on some recordings but the Nagaoka calms them down a bit. I would say the Nagaoka gives the 10x5 a good run for its money and easily betters the Elys 2 & Exact

 

[Al ears]

My thinking exactly stevebrock. Putting funds into an unnecessary phono amp is throwing good money down the drain, much better to spend it upgrading the source itself. The Nagaoka MP110 is very good and little to touch it for the money.

 

[Johnno2]

thanks for the advice, the at95e will serve me a while until I build my collection, the nagaoka will be on my list when upgrade time arrives

not sure if its just getting used to the sound of vinyl, but just been playing Hue and cry , stars crash down album, picked up for a pound the other day , and its sounds quite punchy now, the hi hat cymbals on 'life as text' was also crisp, although I think slight inner groove distortion is apearing on the last tracks

 

[gregory]

some cartridges need about 50 hours to settle down, some less, give it another couple of weeks and see how it sounds then, granted a better cartridge like the nagaoka will sound warmer, the at is known for being bright but it will settle down.

 

[drummerman]

I've just received my new Shibata tipped AT. Its been on my SL-7 for three or so days having replaced a lowly Ortofon OMP-5e.

It is undeniably a more advanced cartridge (or more to the point ... literally ... stylus). Highs are slightly more extended and channel separation is better. It only takes a brief listen to notice the differences. Surface noise is less too.

But, compared to the cheap Ortofon, it is a slightly more diffuse sound. Central image looses a little bit of body to make way for the wider soundstage. Transients are just that tiny bit less impactful and timbre has lost a smidgen of fullness.

This is my only experience with an AT cartridge/stylus but I can understand the OP's comments on his - Dont get me wrong, the Shibata AT is the 'better' cartridge and would probably impress most people but it looses a little bit of soul compared to the Ortofon.

regards

 

[nopiano]

An AT95 will sound quite 'light' and bright especially if you remember the woolly Goldring MM sound.

It may run in a bit, and you will get used to it too. Try increasing the tracking weight just a tenth or so unless you are already at the max and report back - it can make quite a difference.

 

[Johnno2]

to be honest, the goldring/garrad deck was my parents , but they let me use it

it went through a trio amp and wharfdale super lintons, I think it was the budjet killer system of the time (early 70's) a sound full of character

the tecnics deck I bought is also from the late 70's but I am also noticing some splatter on s sounds on vocals, I think the second hand vinyl's are partly to blame, but AT cart seems to sit low down from the headshell on the old style technics headshell, triid the heybrook protractor off vinyl engine and seems ok, perhaps the only way to tell is try a new vinyl lp to see if it sounds cleaner,

 

[Johnno2]

my friend let me try her ortofon concord pro s cart today and the surprisingly the sibilance was much reduced, which makes me think the AT cart is not aligned perfect on the headshell, the ortofon concord sounded better, I know there is a some hifi snobbery with these DJ carts but I was impressed with it, not to mention they are designed to align perfect with the technics 1200, 1300 etc curved tonearms, it just sounded full, bassy, crisp, I am getting one and ditching the fussy AT ( well selling it in ebay) although some records sounded ok , like the almost unused hue and cry album I picked up the other day , other stuff was distorted on sss sounds on vocals, the ortofon has reduced this , maybe its less revealing than the AT95e , but my feeling is its just tracking better

Update

Right, its a good few months now, never did get rid of the AT95e, I persevered with it, after swapping back from the concord, guess what , it sounds lovely now, a bit fuller which seems to balance the sound better in the mid and treble, sibilance seems reduced as well on those 's' sounds on vocals, some records still have it but is the recording itself, now it sounds better than the concord ! , but I will be keeping the concord for playing old scratchy or warped records, the ortofon is still a solid tracker

I was unsure about the 95e at first but well done audio technica for producing an expensive sounding cartidge for the price of a few pints on a night out!

breaking in is not a myth as far as carts are concerened,

regards

 

[simonlewis]

When i have something in my cart it is usually with amazon or a weekly tesco shop, i wouldn't say it sounds more fuller though, normally i go to checkout straight away although i did forget some cat food this week they won't starve though it was dried cat food and they have plenty of wet food.

Anyone tap the app.

 

[chebby]

Hi Johnno.

Just a few things.

Did you correctly align the AT95 with a protractor or 'jig'? (Some turntables used to have their own little plastic alignment devices like the one in the picture from an old Dual CS505).

Have you rebalanced the arm with the new cartridge fitted - and aligned - before setting the tracking force?

Is the bias/anti-skate set to match the tracking force?

Is the turntable on a solid, levelled surface? (Not just flat but checked with a spirit level.)

Sorry to ask all the above if you knew this stuff already (and my questions seemed patronising), but so many newcomers to vinyl aren't aware of basic set-up principles.

In my experience 20 hours playing time is enough to start hearing the difference as a new cartridge settles in.

 

[jamesrfisher]

Hi Johnno.

Just a few things.

Did you correctly align the AT95 with a protractor or 'jig'? (Some turntables used to have their own little plastic alignment devices like the one in the picture from an old Dual CS505).

Have you rebalanced the arm with the new cartridge fitted - and aligned - before setting the tracking force?

Is the bias/anti-skate set to match the tracking force?

Is the turntable on a solid, levelled surface? (Not just flat but checked with a spirit level.)

Sorry to ask all the above if you knew this stuff already (and my questions seemed patronising), but so many newcomers to vinyl aren't aware of basic set-up principles.

In my experience 20 hours playing time is enough to start hearing the difference as a new cartridge settles in.

thanks for for the reminders Chebby. Basics, basics, basics. Recently have been suffering from sibilance on last track or so of each side. Had checked alignment, redone tracking force and bias which made it slightly better. Having read this I got the spirit level out and turntable was fractionally out, altered one of the feet and has made a big difference!

 

[stevebrock]

JimBob, have you got that Nagaoka on yet?

 

[jamesrfisher]

Not yet, ordered over Internet, was sent out on Thursday so should have it beginning of week, being delivered to work. Will wait until the weekend when I can take my time mounting it. Looking forward to it.

 

[stevebrock]

for the money I think its the unsung hero of the sub £100 market - everyone goes for the 2m Red but this is a little beauty! I am hooked on Nag now my next one will be the MP200.

 

[jamesrfisher]

It's the MP150 I'm getting.

have you thought if just getting the MP200 stylus as I'm sure I have read the carts up to and including the 200 are the same?

 

[stevebrock]

It's the MP150 I'm getting.

have you thought if just getting the MP200 stylus as I'm sure I have read the carts up to and including the 200 are the same?

yes they are, i meant the MP200 stylus

 

[Johnno2]

Hi Johnno.

Just a few things.

Did you correctly align the AT95 with a protractor or 'jig'? (Some turntables used to have their own little plastic alignment devices like the one in the picture from an old Dual CS505).

Have you rebalanced the arm with the new cartridge fitted - and aligned - before setting the tracking force?

Is the bias/anti-skate set to match the tracking force?

Is the turntable on a solid, levelled surface? (Not just flat but checked with a spirit level.)

Sorry to ask all the above if you knew this stuff already (and my questions seemed patronising), but so many newcomers to vinyl aren't aware of basic set-up principles.

In my experience 20 hours playing time is enough to start hearing the difference as a new cartridge settles in.

I did do all the checks apart from the spirit level, another piont with the AT is it needs to be kept very clean unlike the conical ortofon, the AT with its finer eliptical rides deeper in the groove and finds the muck easier, leading to problems,, keep things clean and its fine, another lesson learned !

 

[chebby]

I have the feeling from this and other posts that you are going to spend a lot of time worrying about your stylus. So long as it is set up correctly and you avoid buying manky records then it'll be fine. Give the stylus an occasional brush (from back to front only) and don't leave LPs lying around to get dirty.

 

[Johnno2]

I dont think its my imagination but there seems to be a further improvement in sound now with this set up, I think it may be fully broken in now, perhaps the CA641p is also working at optimum now, but with good recordings and through the AS500 amp and AE floorstanders theres is a delicous silvery sheen to the sound and a warmthness with it, much better,

saying that my friend gave me some old Rainbow and Saxon LP's

not my kind of rock anyway, they sounded rough awful, think they have been played a million times,, wont be playing them again