Swapping the MMF 5 for an SL-1210M5G

06-20-08: Tvad
... The largest benefit with the Sumiko or ZuPreme headshells is their azimuth adjustment...IMO. The Technics headshell does not allow for azimuth adjustment.

The azimuth adjustment is certainly nice. The SL12x0 tonearm itself can be corrected for azimuth as well, though I don't know how. Kevin at KAB does, however, and it's one of his QA routines he performs on each Technics DD before he sends it out.

The Sumiko/Zupreme headshells offer a couple of other advantages as well. First is if you need the extra weight for cartridge matching, such as the Denon DL-110/160 and Audio Technica AT150MLX.

Also, I don't have the sophisticated gear to measure it, but I *suspect* that the Sumiko HS is less "ringy" and more rigid. I certainly get a more linear, less "woofy" sound with excellent upper bass clarity with my Sumiko and ZuPreme (I have one of each) headshells than I got with the Technics. To be fair, however, I had a Shure M97xE on the Technics and that could have been part or all of the problem.

It also has better headshell leads. The same leads included on the Sumiko cost $16-20 just to upgrade the Technics wiring to what's standard on the Sumiko.

Finally, the Sumiko/Zupreme HS's have two alignment pins on the bayonet mount instead of one, so you probably get more rigidity at the headshell/tonearm joint.

Hey i finally got a cartridge that is a good match thanks to tvad....man its SWEET....sounds real nice on the first spin even though cartridge say 20 hours break-in. I have no isolation other than the tt's own feet and the wood top of audio shelf componet rack its sitting on.

Only thing is that there is slight hum once can hear when no music is playing...the groun wire is connected...hum in speaker is there....no hum when playing cds!

Any hum advice since this can't be normal!

Michael

I am also noticing for very quiet ballads and in between tracks some noise not hum kind of like a muffled sound and on occasion but not often some pops. Is it a fair guess that this means the vinyl needs to be cleaned?

I also noticed that when I switched my preamp from phono to cd, you could hear noise at the turntable itself where the needle is. Is that normal?

Michael

***No. This is not normal. I've never heard what you describe on any turntables I've owned.***

I think he's referring to hearing music come off the needle. Perfectly normal.