Technics headshell weight/ Audio Technica 440mla c

Hello Fleib: I got data from Ortofon that their 110 tonearm weighs 3.5 gms. without headshell. I assumed you could simply add the headshell weight to that value to get the tonearm Effective Mass, from which you could figure resonance, etc. How does Vinylengine figur effective TA mass on tonearms with detachable headshells? By the way, I just got my Virtuoso back from Soundsmith, and placed it on an unmodified Technics SL 1300, in the same cabinet I can play off against a Rega RP8 with an Ortofon Cadenza Red. I'm dismayed to say that the old Technics may better the new Rega for thousands less$$

Boofer, Weight and eff mass are not the same thing. If you google eff mass you'll see that computations are complex.
3.5g arm tube weight seems light for the Ortofon 110, but I really don't know. I would think the headshell connector and collet would weigh a couple of grams?

VE publishes mfg specs and eff mass would include stock headshell. There might be some mistakes there, just as there are in the cart database. Once again, if you get a test record you can see resonance without having to get a scope. If you use carts of known compliance and know fastener weight, you can use the calculators to solve for eff mass. Your AT carts 440 (18cu) and Virtuoso (15cu) and Ortofon should average out to a good estimate. Some other hand made carts might vary more from mfg specs.

I looked up the 1300. The description of the motor reads similarly to that of the VPI Classic Direct. The revolutionary design uses the platter as the rotor and the base as the stator. It also has a brushless motor. Earlier designs had the platter sitting on the rotor. VPI has the platter as rotor and a circuit board stator and such niceties as a 20lb platter, massive base and expensive motor and 3D arm. So it's essentially the same, give or take about $29,900?

Joking aside, you don't need a million dollar record player to enjoy a record. If you haven't already added weight inside the 1300, that should go a long way toward solidifying the sound. Non-hardening modeling clay is easy to work and lead is great for slowing vibrations. Just leave room for the motor to breathe.

The Cadenza line gives an interesting view of voicing a cart. Yours has a fine line on an al cantilever. Blue has FG 70/ruby, bronze has tapered al/Replicant and Black is boron/shibata. When yours wears, you could send it to Soundsmith for a level 3 and it should be similar to a Blue. It's interesting that Bronze goes back to al with the Replicant tip. It looks like the generators are the same.

If you're comparing the tables with different carts, it might be apples to oranges, although sometimes you can tell. Enjoy.
Regards,

Hi, Fleib; your expertise is greatly appreciated; much of your advice has already been implemented, and much of it will be in the future. You have answered and resolved many mysteries I have had over the years, for which I am grateful! To have access to someone like yourself makes membership in Audiogon truly worthwhile, in my opinion!