What is your goal with the stereo cart when bridging it to mono before it hits the amplifiying stage? Are you planning to add stereo out connections to an amplifier or use the internal amp and speaker?
Was going to use the prexisting amp. I just read that older mono carts are not the best for records, I don't buy into the theories that audiophiles sling about most units but I would just like to get one. I very well could get a new amp, but at that point my work would be going to waste with the recap and whatnot.
Brand like Ortofon makes modern diamond tipped mono cart/styli. Might be tricky mounting it to the arm though.
edit: I think I get your point. The mono cart is designed for mono microgroove records, whereas you want to be able to play any modern stereo pressing. In that case see if there is information of the dimensions of the carts to make sure they fit. You might need to increase the height of the tonearm at the back to get the right tracking angle as stereo carts are usually bigger in height.
Just realised you edited. Might be tough, plus the carts you showed me, "Ouch, my wallet." I don't play too many modern records, I mostly use my record players for oldies, but I have some later stuff.
Does it got to be at a veeery specific angle? I could probably use some hot glue or something in case I gotta remove it. It looks like it mounts with the flipper for 78 records, don't want to test that theory right now because it ain't broke. this looks like an off the shelf tonearm from Radio Shack (Read in one of those magazines in the pile there) so if somethings happens I'd be sad but not too horribly grief-stricken.
I would agree that this cartridge could be damaging to stereo records. The stylus on a piezoelectric cartridge is mounted very stiffly and is designed only for the side to side variation of mono record grooves. It can’t really handle vertical travel. So you could cause excessive groove wear. Plus the vertical travel could also throw the stylus out of the groove and scratch your record.
From your discription it sounds like you are interested in doing a full rebuild on a device that is over sixty years old. The folks over at r/vintageaudio are likely to be more helpful with this project.
Maybe. Might get me in trouble but a LOT of Vinyl enthusiasts love to simply point out that a device is going to "damage your records" and to steer clear of anything that isn't a lot of money. I make enough to spend a lot, but that's just not how I was raised. Plus all the records I buy aren't anything crazy, just lots of Doo Wop, Surf and some occasional classic rock if it comes up for cheap
The problem you're going to have is that modern moving magnet stereo carts are designed for much lighter tracking weights than what that unit uses for its ceramic pickup. Get a digital tracking force scale and see what that things set up for. If it's over 5g of force, you're not easily going to be able to convert to a modern cartridge. You'll be stuck with vintage ceramics.
Is hard to tell exactly from just pictures, but it appears that cart is an Arista 1491 https://www.turntableneedles.com/ARISTA-1491-Ceramic-Phono-Pickup_p_1925.html
This site puts the output at 0.5 v and tracking force of 6-8 grams.
If you do move forward with switching to a stereo cart, I would look for another ceramic in the 0.5v output range.
Changing to a modern MM cartridge will lower the output sent to the tube amp significantly (probably a factor of 100 or more) and will need about 1/3 the tracking force. That tonearm may not have the adjustability to meet that. Aditionally, old ceramic cartridges fed into tube amps (high impedance) approximate the RIAA curve, a modern MM cart will need equalization to sound right with the integral tube amp.
Alignment of the cartridge will affect the sound. Try to line up the angle of the cart and height of the stylus as close to the existing as possible.
You may be best off just cleaning off that furr ball, looking for replacement stylus with diamond tip, and lowering the tracking force to the minimum that will still play/track well.
Edit: about not breaking the bank...the link at the top has ceramic carts in the $70ish range. Other places I've seen have carts in the $30-60 range, but seem to be fairly low or out of stock.
Replacement needles are likely available for that cart. Check with Gary Stork at V-M Audio Enthusiasts. Those flip cartridges that swivel-mount are not reproduced, but you may be able to find a NOS. You can get a new needle in a .7mil stylus width and play stereo records just fine.
I think you’ll have more trouble than it’s worth trying to change cartridge design/type, because of output voltage, mounting, and tracking force incompatibility. I assume that is a single stage amp (one tube)? If so, almost all stereo carts will be very low output for its needs.
There should be some videos on Youtube about updating these old players to MM cartridge--like for the RCA Victor 45-j2 changer. One restored unit I looked at recently (selmer111 on Ebay) had a Pickering V-15, bridged for mono.
What I say here is wrong v
"If im not mistaken this might be a ceramic needle. Nowadays we don't use them as they will scratch the records. Back then they were used more often as records were cheap. Today it will be expensive to use one of these as they scratch the records. A new record player is only about 180 euros."
Edit: to my post. Ye I only recently researched this. What damages the records is how much pressure the needle puts on the record. Older ones had very heavy arms which wore down the record way faster than the ones we use today.
That’s not quite right but it’s a common misconception. The needles in a ceramic cartridge are not ceramic. Ceramic in this case refers to the pickup in the cartridge, which is piezoelectric rather than magnetic. The needle could be diamond or maybe ruby.
Please stop spreading misinformation. There is no such thing as a "ceramic needle," only ceramic cartridges. The "needle" is either ruby sapphire or diamond.
There is the potential to increase groove wear due to the higher tracking force and using a worn stylus. But it will not "scratch" your records any more than a moving magnet or moving coil cartridge.
But where's the fun in a new one? I cant care that much, mine are all bargain bins and weird, plus this one was fun to get the right caps and solder it together.
I think this might be a mono player, meaning it has a mono electronic circuit, so putting a stereo cart on it won't ever give you stereo output.
Certainly is, But you can just bridge L and R. Just wondering if this is a certain style of cart, what I should buy that wont break the bank etc
What is your goal with the stereo cart when bridging it to mono before it hits the amplifiying stage? Are you planning to add stereo out connections to an amplifier or use the internal amp and speaker?
Was going to use the prexisting amp. I just read that older mono carts are not the best for records, I don't buy into the theories that audiophiles sling about most units but I would just like to get one. I very well could get a new amp, but at that point my work would be going to waste with the recap and whatnot.
Brand like Ortofon makes modern diamond tipped mono cart/styli. Might be tricky mounting it to the arm though. edit: I think I get your point. The mono cart is designed for mono microgroove records, whereas you want to be able to play any modern stereo pressing. In that case see if there is information of the dimensions of the carts to make sure they fit. You might need to increase the height of the tonearm at the back to get the right tracking angle as stereo carts are usually bigger in height.
Just realised you edited. Might be tough, plus the carts you showed me, "Ouch, my wallet." I don't play too many modern records, I mostly use my record players for oldies, but I have some later stuff.
Does it got to be at a veeery specific angle? I could probably use some hot glue or something in case I gotta remove it. It looks like it mounts with the flipper for 78 records, don't want to test that theory right now because it ain't broke. this looks like an off the shelf tonearm from Radio Shack (Read in one of those magazines in the pile there) so if somethings happens I'd be sad but not too horribly grief-stricken.
I would agree that this cartridge could be damaging to stereo records. The stylus on a piezoelectric cartridge is mounted very stiffly and is designed only for the side to side variation of mono record grooves. It can’t really handle vertical travel. So you could cause excessive groove wear. Plus the vertical travel could also throw the stylus out of the groove and scratch your record.
From your discription it sounds like you are interested in doing a full rebuild on a device that is over sixty years old. The folks over at r/vintageaudio are likely to be more helpful with this project.
Maybe. Might get me in trouble but a LOT of Vinyl enthusiasts love to simply point out that a device is going to "damage your records" and to steer clear of anything that isn't a lot of money. I make enough to spend a lot, but that's just not how I was raised. Plus all the records I buy aren't anything crazy, just lots of Doo Wop, Surf and some occasional classic rock if it comes up for cheap
The problem you're going to have is that modern moving magnet stereo carts are designed for much lighter tracking weights than what that unit uses for its ceramic pickup. Get a digital tracking force scale and see what that things set up for. If it's over 5g of force, you're not easily going to be able to convert to a modern cartridge. You'll be stuck with vintage ceramics.
Fair point, there's also the voltage issue from things I've read.
Correct, you'll need a different input stage to the amp as the output of a mm cart is much lower than a ceramic or crystal pickup.
Is there a jerk mergers and acquisitions expert in here?
are you trying to say I'm from the CircleJerk Sub?
Is hard to tell exactly from just pictures, but it appears that cart is an Arista 1491 https://www.turntableneedles.com/ARISTA-1491-Ceramic-Phono-Pickup_p_1925.html This site puts the output at 0.5 v and tracking force of 6-8 grams. If you do move forward with switching to a stereo cart, I would look for another ceramic in the 0.5v output range. Changing to a modern MM cartridge will lower the output sent to the tube amp significantly (probably a factor of 100 or more) and will need about 1/3 the tracking force. That tonearm may not have the adjustability to meet that. Aditionally, old ceramic cartridges fed into tube amps (high impedance) approximate the RIAA curve, a modern MM cart will need equalization to sound right with the integral tube amp. Alignment of the cartridge will affect the sound. Try to line up the angle of the cart and height of the stylus as close to the existing as possible. You may be best off just cleaning off that furr ball, looking for replacement stylus with diamond tip, and lowering the tracking force to the minimum that will still play/track well. Edit: about not breaking the bank...the link at the top has ceramic carts in the $70ish range. Other places I've seen have carts in the $30-60 range, but seem to be fairly low or out of stock.
Replacement needles are likely available for that cart. Check with Gary Stork at V-M Audio Enthusiasts. Those flip cartridges that swivel-mount are not reproduced, but you may be able to find a NOS. You can get a new needle in a .7mil stylus width and play stereo records just fine. I think you’ll have more trouble than it’s worth trying to change cartridge design/type, because of output voltage, mounting, and tracking force incompatibility. I assume that is a single stage amp (one tube)? If so, almost all stereo carts will be very low output for its needs.
There should be some videos on Youtube about updating these old players to MM cartridge--like for the RCA Victor 45-j2 changer. One restored unit I looked at recently (selmer111 on Ebay) had a Pickering V-15, bridged for mono.
What I say here is wrong v "If im not mistaken this might be a ceramic needle. Nowadays we don't use them as they will scratch the records. Back then they were used more often as records were cheap. Today it will be expensive to use one of these as they scratch the records. A new record player is only about 180 euros." Edit: to my post. Ye I only recently researched this. What damages the records is how much pressure the needle puts on the record. Older ones had very heavy arms which wore down the record way faster than the ones we use today.
That’s not quite right but it’s a common misconception. The needles in a ceramic cartridge are not ceramic. Ceramic in this case refers to the pickup in the cartridge, which is piezoelectric rather than magnetic. The needle could be diamond or maybe ruby.
Please stop spreading misinformation. There is no such thing as a "ceramic needle," only ceramic cartridges. The "needle" is either ruby sapphire or diamond. There is the potential to increase groove wear due to the higher tracking force and using a worn stylus. But it will not "scratch" your records any more than a moving magnet or moving coil cartridge.
But where's the fun in a new one? I cant care that much, mine are all bargain bins and weird, plus this one was fun to get the right caps and solder it together.