Has anyone tried Brass cartridge mounting screws?

I bought the Soundsmith EZ mount screws because I wanted that easy method of securing my cart, I really hate the bolt and nut system, you need 6 hands to attach and then when setting up is a PITA. The Lyra helps since its threaded, love it for setup!!

I did find that the brass, alum and steel had a different sound character....but this was because of the position of the counter weight. I found the stainless got my counter weight as close to the pivot point as possible, the brass ones pushed the c/weight way back. 

I use aluminum screws with blue tack between the cartridge & headshell. It works well. 

Mounting screws should be aluminum or titanium for best sound.

I'm not sure how hard your screws need to be in this application. I'm thinking resonance is the only issue other than magnetism. In that regard. Does anyone know where I can get plastic cartridge screws?

I use brass bolts in my neck.  My bride thinks they look nice. 

Crepes!
how much torque do you guys use?
this isn’t NASCAR.
Which is to say I’ve used brass, titanium, stainless, or plastic screws and never stripped or galled any of them.

@bdp24 wrote I’m with @best-groove: brass is too soft.

Are you having an issue with the brass threads stripping or do you not like the sound of brass bolts?

Been looking for some made out of PEET. Can't find the right size though.

Did I necessarily recommend titanium screws?  I didn't think I did.However, I have used them without any gall.

Lewm, If you do not have a detachable head shell using Ti screws are asking for it. Titanium galls like crazy. You might get away with it if you use anti seize but I would stick with stainless or aluminum hardware (only using like nuts!)  Some poor bloke is going to use ti screws on his SME V and permanently mount his cartridge. I wonder if Acoustic Sounds is going to pay for the mistake? 

Acoustic Sounds recommend titanium screws, and you can buy a set that includes different lengths of screws, on eBay for a nominal sum.  Do I necessarily believe that titanium (or brass) screws can turn a cartridge/headshell sow's ear into a silk purse?  No.  As someone else said, the only important thing is to avoid screws that are attracted to a magnet.

I use titanium or stainless steel screws with the Allen head; the brass is too soft a metal, I don't like it.
I am concerned only that they are non-magnetic.

From Reference 3A's website

" Driver frames are fastened with softer metal brass screws to avoid resonance noise potentially generated by similarly hard metals" 

Perhaps that theory holds true for cartridge bolts. 

  Dorkwad,that is very interesting with your speaker screws.I have the Pete Riggle bronze tone arm VTA adjuster on my tonearm,made a difference.

I am very reluctant to support any myths but I own the latest Benz
LP mr with  ''huge'' broze insert by screws threads . The designer&
owner by Benz is the old grandmaster Lukaschek with irreproachable
reputation. Then , obviously, all brass instruments are made from...

 

playpen,

It is also possible that the brass screws are making the sound noticeably better.  Followed a Forum link about 12 years ago that many said the use of brass screws to fasten the drivers of your speakers made the sound better in most ways.  Tried it with the music playing through my speakers at the same time.  The bass got tighter, and the sound at all frequencies was cleaner and, at the same time, more beautiful sounding with no downsides with each screw changed.  By the time I had done all 16 screws, I was smiling at the thought of improving the sound quite a bit for about $15.  At the time, I did just the woofers.  And yes, the drywall screws that the speakers came with were already tightened snugly just prior.  I checked that prior to installing the brass ones.  That was on a pair of Vortex Screens made by Albert Von Schweikert made earlier in his career.  The fact that they are brass could be the difference vs. some other metal.  Of course, this is comparing use in speakers to use in a headshell.   I may have to try that on my Pete Riggle Woody arm.  

Bob

The screws should have two properties: making rigid connection
possible and being non-magnetic. Both are provided by brass kinds. 

When you are trying to lose mass screws are more critical. The difference between aluminum and stainless steel or brass screw is significant. In trying to add mass the difference between stainless steel and brass screw does not amount to much. You have to do something more substantial like head shell weights.  

If they hold the cartridge firmly in place you're done, nothing to talk about

  Chakster I think you are right.When I loosed the stainless screws they were not that tight.The brass screws I got look like same style as Sound Smiths,maybe smaller.

too funny

Maybe you have to check your arm effective mass and cartridge compliance first (you could check with HiFi test record).

Adding mass is not always necessary (or act like improvement), but sometimes you just need higher mass for low compliance cartridges if the arm is too light.

I think you’re dealing with effective mass, or you just screwed your cartridge better when you changed the screws

I don’t believe in that esoteric BS and snake oil that material of the screws can improve the sound, they are just fixing your cartridge to the headshell.

The benefit of the screws i posted above is that mounting process getting much easier, they are bigger and can be tightened by fingers first (then with a tool), and they add mass a bit to change tonearm's effective mass a bit (when needed). 

 I just bought a set of screws off ebay from the UK.I notice quite a difference in midrange and bass but I had to put the counter weight back further on the tone arm to compensate for the extra weight so I really don't know if it was the screws.Anyway whatever the case my rig sounds better for less than 20 bucks.

Yes, they are cute!  I have no idea where or when I got them.  I just use what I got.

Wow! 

You're certainly a  uh..experimental type of guy.
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/6601

Effects perhaps not as dramatic compared to your other findings.

There are much better (looking) screws to add weight than those from soundsmith. 

Transcendent Frequencies offering them on ebay in different length/weight for any tonearm/cartridge. 

Remember, your cartridge mounting screws must be nonmagnetic! 

P.S. I am not crazy to expect any difference in sound using different screws, they need only to add weight if the headshell is not detachable.

I use brass/Soundsmith, when I am trying to add weight/mass to a cart/arm combination. Can't really say that I notice a difference sound wise between it, aluminum, plastic or stainless steel which are the other choices provided with the Soundsmith screw sets. Enjoy the music