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fabulous Technics EPC-100 series re-tip

I'm pretty sure many of you guys own fabulous Technics MM EPC-100 (MM) in your rasenal, especially their top models like (P or C versions) MK3 and MK4.

The question is how to upgrade this cartridges with a new tip, cantilever, suspension:

-How can do the job properly and how much is it, how is the sound after upgrade compared to the original?

-How good is the motor of this cartridge?

-It's worth to invest more in new boron cantilever, new tip etc?

-No one can provide pressure fitted tip to the boron cantilever?

P.S. I know Axel can do the job, not sure if he can change the suspension, Soundsmith will not do that. VdH is not available in my area. Who else can treat that Technics MM right ?

Anyone on here did the same to their Technics EPC-100 mk3 or mk4 ?
128x128chakster
chakster's avatar
chakster OP
6,144 posts
 
@nandric I’m not in contadiction with your point of view. This cartridge was rebuilded by Axel and you’re correct when you said the collar (alluminum tube) made from a different material compared to the original (which looks like a brass). To make sure how the original looks like anyone can visit this link to check the pictures and compare the original structure to axel’s materials used in rebuilded version. They are totally different, even the cantilever is longer on the original. But in fact rebuilded cartridge sounds amazing even in comparison with previously sold original "lowrider" (which is better). Anyway, this is a compliment to Axel’s work and seems like it’s better than Jico SAS replacement (which also comes with aluminum collar on the back and no tension wire) and Axel's version is closer to the original technics sound.

In fact even dead 205c MK4 can be rebuilded like this by Axel. He did that for foxtan many years ago.

nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear chackster, there are many seductions we need to fight

against in order to (financialy) survive. I think that Raul is to blame

for either the 205,MK4 or Technics 100 because he declared

those to be the best ever MM carts. Because either was impossible

to get I bought the 205,mk3 in need of ''re-tip'' which I knew how

to fix because Axel was/is my good friend. Back then I had no

idea about suspension problems by this 205 series carts. The

curious thing is this. Despite the fact that I own +40 carts I can't

stand the waiting time for any repair. In this case I needed to

add Andy's  to Axel's waiting time. Alas we are also confronted

with suffering for our hobby. My idea was to prevent this suffering

to my co-members by warning about the suspension problem.

chakster's avatar
chakster OP
6,144 posts
 
I think turnarround time was about half year when Axel fixed my old EPC-100c mk3, he used slightly different method, because he doesn't change the original 100c mk3  housing (brass) to alluminum part like on those 205 mk4 (glued to original 205ED4 plastic holder).   

 
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear chakster, You need to  be exact in description of what Axel

deed. As I described elsewhere the (boron) cantilever in the

original cart is glued in the round magnet on the front side and

the tension wire on the back side of the same magnet. Behind

this magnet an round rubber ring is fastened as suspension.

To put a new cantilever in this construction either this new

cantilever must be glued in the magnet or  an  aluminum tube

must be put on the rest of the original cantilever and new cantilever

(solid kind) glued in the front side of this aluminum tube. Many

MC carts have such aluminum tube in front of the so called ''joint

pipe'' on which the coils , the suspension and the tension wire are

fastened .  There is no way to change the suspension (aka the

rubber ring) without removing the whole cantilever and tension

wire from this construction. The problem is to do this in reverse.

To get the tension wire back in the stylus tube, to adjust and

tighten the (tension) wire.

BTW those SAS styli do have tension wire. The old Mori who

invented the 8 form coils (XL series Sony's) and was the first

to use the ''potting method''' inside the carts  to prevent

resonaces is the guy who  made (make) those SAS styli.

antslappy's avatar
antslappy
14 posts
 
Andy is the BEST!!!!! 
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