Buying new Headshells?
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  1. #1
    Tech Guru Cybertrash's Avatar
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    Default Buying new Headshells?

    Since I bought my Technics second-hand, and they came with Ortofon Concorde cartridges, I've never owned any actual headshells. But now one of my Concordes has broken, and I've been wanting to get some Shure 447's, but this means I will need some headshells (unfortunately the M-447-H is not available around here)

    Obviously I've been looking at original Technics headshell, but they're quite pricey around here. I'm not one to think that headshells have an impact on sound, but a mate of mine claimed that cheaper headshells might have dodgy terminals and risk damaging the tonearm connections.

    So I was just wondering, does anyone have experience with buying headshells? Do you have any recommendations or words of advice, what to watch out for etc?
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    Tech Mentor hipnopath's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cybertrash View Post
    Since I bought my Technics second-hand, and they came with Ortofon Concorde cartridges, I've never owned any actual headshells. But now one of my Concordes has broken, and I've been wanting to get some Shure 447's, but this means I will need some headshells (unfortunately the M-447-H is not available around here)

    Obviously I've been looking at original Technics headshell, but they're quite pricey around here. I'm not one to think that headshells have an impact on sound, but a mate of mine claimed that cheaper headshells might have dodgy terminals and risk damaging the tonearm connections.

    So I was just wondering, does anyone have experience with buying headshells? Do you have any recommendations or words of advice, what to watch out for etc?
    Not really, headshells are headshells. I kept the Stanton headshells from my first turntables and just mounted the Shure M44's to it straight up and they work just fine. I'd only get Technics headshells for the look, but these cheap Stanton headshells work just fine.

  3. #3
    DJTT Scribe Mod smiTTTen's Avatar
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    agreed.
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  4. #4
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    I bought a cheap black metal pair on eBay for $25 shipped a while back. No issues yet.

  5. #5
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    I have stanton h4s headshells, really like them since they take a 2g and 4g weight without breaking the bank. Other than that i use tech mk2 headshells with the 3g under mounted weight.

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    Tech Guru mostapha's Avatar
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    I use Stanton headshells. Get a cartridge alignment thing and it takes nothing to mount them. They work, and no damage on several 1200s and 1210s.

    Really dodgy carts/headshells can damage tonearms, but AFAIK it was more of a problem with the early concordes than anything else.

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    DJTT Scribe Mod smiTTTen's Avatar
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    So let's talk about the headshell weights. I am using Technics Headshells with M44-7s set to 3.5g on a 1200 Mk5. And yes, I am scratching. Adding 2-3g seems like A LOT of extra weight - am I missing something?

    I know this is reaching a new level of geekery but can you beautiful, wonderful people post Turntable model /head shell/cart/counterweight setting/ headshell weights (if applicable) and if you scratch or not?
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  8. #8
    Tech Guru papo's Avatar
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    Default Buying new Headshells?

    I use 1210MK2's with M447's on Technics Headshells.

    I have it set at 2.5grams and I scratch.
    Last edited by papo; 02-29-2012 at 10:11 PM.

  9. #9

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    You want to use Technics headshells. Contrary to popular belief, the tonearm contacts in a 1200 are gold plated. The Technics headshell contacts are plated with the same material. If you use a cheaper headshell, you risk corrosion due to the lesser metals interacting with the contacts.

  10. #10
    Tech Mentor hipnopath's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by smittten View Post
    So let's talk about the headshell weights. I am using Technics Headshells with M44-7s set to 3.5g on a 1200 Mk5. And yes, I am scratching. Adding 2-3g seems like A LOT of extra weight - am I missing something?

    I know this is reaching a new level of geekery but can you beautiful, wonderful people post Turntable model /head shell/cart/counterweight setting/ headshell weights (if applicable) and if you scratch or not?
    1200M3Ds, Shure M44-7s, Stanton Headshells, 3.0 - 3.3 grams, Zero Anti-Skate and Zero Tonearm height. I scratch.

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