Replacement cart for SME 3009 S2 Improved Fixed Headshell

[_D_S_J_R_]

The fixed head SME is fine as is the TD150 upon which it's mounted. A suitable cartridge will allow good music to come from the record grooves. It's not a Top End turntable system, so don't treat it like one, but play to its undoubted strengths.

Add the 2M Bronze to the list along with the 1042...

Simple

[tomblackford]

Thanks again for all the info and opinions. To summarise what I think I've learned so far (from here and elsewhere)....

It sounds like the following are very likely to work well with the arm:

• Shure V15III with replacement stylus (amazing post from DJSR about the variants of these here - http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthre ... ne-and-why)
• Shure me97XE.
• Ortofon 2M Bronze
• Audio Technica AT120E
• Goldring 1042 (possibly compliance too low - see Daniel's post earlier)

These may be a little more risky (although I have seen both specifically mentioned as working well with this exact arm):

• Sumiko Blue Point Special Evo iii - sounds like it might be a bit fragile though
• Denon DL-301mk2 - apparently this is pretty high compliance for an MC and there seems to be some evidence of this working very well on the Fixed Headshell SME 3009 S2 improved (see [1] and [2]) below. Perhaps it has similar characteristics to my old DL-160 seemed to be working very well - with wonderful bass.

Probably not appropriate:

• Audio Technica AT-150mlx
• Most low output MC carts

I need to think about the cash side of things, but I'm almost tempted to risk it on the Denon, just because I was enjoying the DL-160 so much prior to its untimely end. I understand the compliance of the DL-301 II is 13@100Hz which apparently more like 22 or 23@ the more common std of 10Hz (which I believe works out well with the 6.5g effective mass of the SME arm).

What do you reckon? Any obvious flaws in my summary / thinking?

[1] http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php? ... le.507494/
[2] http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/forum/vi ... 1&start=15

[jammy395]

What do you reckon? Any obvious flaws in my summary / thinking.

Tom, I reckon you should get a Goldie 1042, relax, and revel in the music.

[_D_S_J_R_]

Tom, you're getting too deep into this now

Under a ton, Shure 97XE or good old vintage Shure. Over a ton and under £200, AT120e, 440MLa and possibly Blue Point 2 (it used to be under £200 but may have gone up), Over £200, Nagaoka look good, Goldring 2000 series (made by Nagaoka by all accounts) and AT150.

I'm not sure about the 1042. I sold dozens of them in Rega Planars (1006 in planar 2, 1012GX in 2's and 3's and many 1042's in Planar 3's) and loved the sounds they made, but trying a 1042 at home in the otherwise quite benign Dual 701 was a total disaster! the hf was spitty and one-note and bass was thumpy and ill defined. Had your SME been detachable shell, I'd suggest a solid headshell (the stock technics one is fine here) and then the 1042 would be good I think.

The Me97XE is cheap enough still, will work a treat with a Jico stylus which may offer a better diamond than the piece of coal that Shure fit to this (Google is your friend for close-up pics) and sounds really good even in stock form. A favourite vintage Shure was the V15 III HE (red stylus mount) which was so much sweeter toned than the slightly hard and relentless elliptical original for some reason and the V15V in all its versions (HE, VMR, VSTV, XMR and so on). the later V15XMR and VSTV had a bit of beef to the bass, which so many people loved and the raw truth of this could be heard in the old cream bodied M97HE, which is a different body to the much later 97XE I believe.

Another feckin' lecture. sorry all...

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I bought a Golding G800 on ebay a while back as I got it for about £15. Put it on the PL71 today, do you know it is pretty good. They used to be the throw away cart when you bought a TT in the 70's, but I likes it

[_D_S_J_R_]

I have a good one as well. A shame the 'E' version isn't as good (slushy sounding to me).

[tomblackford]

Right...lots to think about here. Thanks again for all the tips - I'll report back with results when I've decided what to do!

[The Permed One]

I bought a Golding G800 on ebay a while back as I got it for about £15. Put it on the PL71 today, do you know it is pretty good. They used to be the throw away cart when you bought a TT in the 70's, but I likes it

Does yours have the Copper or silver plate in the top of the body ?

[_D_S_J_R_]

All copper colour.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I bought a Golding G800 on ebay a while back as I got it for about £15. Put it on the PL71 today, do you know it is pretty good. They used to be the throw away cart when you bought a TT in the 70's, but I likes it

Does yours have the Copper or silver plate in the top of the body ?

Don't know as it is glued in the headshell (I always do that) and I can't be bothered to get it off and reglue.