I've got a Technics SL-1200G; it's got a detachable headshell and I'm perfectly happy with it....
Detachable Head shell or Not?
I am in the process to up my game with some phono system tweaking.
I read in these forums of many people here with multiple arms, multiple cartridges and even multiple turntables. I am guilty of this myself but moderately compared to so many phono hardware diehards here.
All the continued comments on Talea vs. Schroeder vs. Kuzma, Da Vinci, Tri-Planar, etc., etc, on these forums. And the flavor of the day cartridge. One easy way to manage the use of many cartridges, easily swapping between them, and getting down to one turntable would be to run with a tonearm that supports removable head shells or arm tubes. And yet this does not seem to be widely done here. Is everybody just too proud of all the pretty phono hardware to admire?
Many highly respected arms of the past, FR 64/66, Ikeda, and now Glanz, Kuzma 4-Point, the new Tru-Glider, all with removable heads. And the Graham and Da Vinci with removable arm tubes. These products have a huge fan base and yet there seems to be an equal number of those against any extra mechanical couplings and cable junction boxes, din connections, etc.
I can appreciate having two cartridges, one to bring out that addictive lush bloomy performance and another that shows off that clarity and detail “to die for”. Being able to easily swap between the two, with hopefully only a quick VTF/VTA change, would be mighty nice. If too painful a process, I can understand the need for two arms here; like the idea of going through many LPs in an evening and not being obsessed with tweaking the arm for each. I hope I never get obsessed to do get to that point. But for different days/nights, to listen to different kinds of music, it could be mighty nice to swap out one cartridge for another in different head shells without the added cluster and cost of oh please, not another tonearm!. Do a minute or two of tweaking, ONCE, for that listening session, and then enjoy. There is always the added risk during the uninstall / install process to damage that prized cartridge.
Is running with a tonearm that has a detachable head shell all that sinful / shameful in the audiophile world ……. or not? I’d like to hear from those who have achieved musical bliss with removable head shell arms and also from those that if asked to try such a product would likely say, “over my dead body”!
John
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- 99 posts total
Here it is: Tru-Glider Tonearm |
Now this would be a very cool test! I assume a little bit of painter's tape to secure the twisted/braided wires at the cartridge and then again at the back of the arm wand, and then secure the cable for the arm's movement to not be hindered by the cable. |
I’ve thought long and hard about doing that for the Kenwood L07J tonearm, the standard tonearm on the L07D turntable. Just to bypass their own IC and their internal tonearm wires, which are both the original Litzwire type. The Kenwood OEM IC must otherwise be plugged in to the tonearm base, using a massive DIN-type connector that is not compatible with a standard DIN plug. Running wires externally from the cartridge would also, of course, bypass the headshell connections. Just have not gotten around to it yet. Pindac, thanks for pointing out that you mentioned the idea previously. With respect and affection, you sometimes use so many words to say what you want to say that I confess I missed it the first time. Anyway, the idea is evidently not so esoteric, since at least three of us have thought of it independently. Now I am going to Google the Tru-Glider tonearm to see what it’s all about. |
- 99 posts total