Luxman PD121A - PD441

My suggestion if wanting to tip ones toes into Japanese DD Vintage is to have as the first venture a Aurex SR 520.

I own Three of these and a Spare Motor Stator / Platter Spindle Bearing to be used to produce Variant Kaneta designn to compare to a recently produced Variant Kaneta design. 

I've listened to noise on here in the past about the suggestion of the Aurex TT. 

They are to be found for very very fair monies, have a substantial casting as a Stator Bowl and Stators that are huge winding compared to some other owned Japanese Vintage DD TT's. 

Improving the Plinth they can be supplied with is very easy. 

A alternate Plinth leaves numerous options on a Tonearm. 

I would suggest a Replinthed Model with a Tonearm and Cartridge can be in use with a System already with a Phonostage for near $500.

A  Very experienced TT user with an extensive collection and access to a Analogue Source, has compared the Aurex very very favourably to a DDTT from a similar era, that acquires a substantial asking price. 

@pindac 

Thanks Pindac I really appreciate the info and your knowledge. I ended up getting the PD441. Partly on looks and partly on reviews. I should get it in the next few days. The arm is coming soon after.

I just need to look at a stage 

I ended up getting a Grace f9 that I shall get upgraded once i know what i am actually listening to. 

ceramic headshell, hmm, I never considered one, certainly it is a unique rigid material.

I like headshells that allow Azimuth Adjustment, like the one’s that came with my AT160ml cartridges. The fitting that receives the cartridge on the end of the curved arm on the Micro Seiki 505 is adjustable, that is a wonderful feature.

I bought ’Pat’s’ azimuth adjustable headshell on eBay, but it is a soft flexible piece of crap

do you mean this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/187412311592?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item

how much azimuth adjustment is possible with this headshell?

this ’one piece’ popped up in a quickie search 

https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/korf-hs-a02-ceramic-headshell/

https://korfaudio.com/hs-a02b

https://korfaudio.com/hs-a03   199. euros

pay attention to the weight, the article compared it to Titanium, but titanium is heavy, so a better comparison might be carbon

korf discusses the saec ceramic cartridge.

https://korfaudio.com/blog66

Interesting how in investigations undertaken of Headshells in the past years where Wonder Materials were being introduced as the must have design.

When the comparisons to other more traditional materials were being showed, Magnesium Headshells have not been included in a Comparison ????

A 9 gram Magnesium Headshell has been my choice for multiple years. I own a large batch of 9-10g Types.

I have not felt the need to return to older used options, or seek out Wonder Headshells.   

As for the Link I've seen MS 9 - MS 10 - MS 11 sell for close to £100 in the UK as a single item. There are come very greedy types in audio, this will keep one out their path.

https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/en/auction/yahoo/input/s1194703471/

carbon, only 8g, azimuth adjustment

https://www.ebay.com/itm/267273538668?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=70e69862-6e3e-11f0-a26c-643236336433

aluminum/magnesium, azimuth adjustment (1 or 2 pin versions available)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/297029031719?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=f713c1d0-6e3e-11f0-9de0-626131373061

note: clarify with seller, text mentions carbon, perhaps by error

aluminum, litz wire, azimuth adjustment

https://www.ebay.com/itm/196348219458?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=a56abc52-6e3f-11f0-81be-626131373061

wood, soundsmith, azimuth adjust

https://www.ebay.com/itm/132506514869?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=47fe6ea0-6e40-11f0-99f2-346366653263

Last time I had lunch with Steve and Ray Leung of VAS, they said their favorite cartridges had wood bodies. I didn't think to ask what headshell, Steve uses a VPI TT and VPI arm, with many wands that fit their unipivot, with mini-din connectors.