Nice comments, it is a great deal, maybe the best deal in LOMC carts right now. And back in stock at goknight for $494 delivered to your door (no sales tax except in Ohio). BTW, you must've missed it in the title, but this is a pictorial thread, so you owe us one now
New SL1210GR user here. I have just mounted this cartridge on a AT-LH11H headshell. If anyone else is using this set-up, what's the suggested VTA setting to use on the SL1210GR dial? Using standard mat for now. Many thanks!
On the previous page, one LH11 user showed that it is still a bit tail high with VTA set to 0 on his GR. You should probably try to start out with it level if you can. I run mine a bit tail down, but I'm not using your table. On some of the Technics tonearm mechanisms you can set the VTA below 0, but probably not much.
Thanks Davey. Yes, just slightly tail high at VTA 0. I'm thinking of a thicker after-market mat so that should give me scope to have better control here. Just listening to this cart for the first time - already like what I'm hearing. Plenty of space and detail but not aggressive. Will see how it is after run-in. Cheers! Straight out of the box it clears the +16db bias check on the HFNRR test record. Just a little bit of buzz in left channel on the +18db torture track which might be eliminated with fiddling with bias. Very impressive.
I don't have the HFNRR test record but can vouch for the outstanding tracking performance, and I'd imagine you can dial out that buzz after a bit of breakin. They did test the SH version at Hi-Fi News and reported, "On test it sailed through the top 80µm band and suffered distortion of just 0.2% and 0.3% at 315Hz with the +15dB and +18dB test tracks, respectively (re. 5cm/sec). It's an MC boasting top class MM tracking performance!" BTW, I think you also owe us a picture
Previously in this thread, I posted a sample of the Bill Laswell Panthalassa record from 1998, which was just the first 6 minutes of side 1 using my Micro BL-91 table (link to original post below). The record is a translation and reconstruction of In A Silent Way-era Miles Davis, with Sony providing the original multitracks to Laswell, and handling the vinyl pressing for a nice double LP. Audio-Technica AT-OC9XML Owners Club and Pictorial The first side is a 15:20 minute restructuring and condensing of the original In A Silent Way, with additional themes and restored bits and pieces, and I really love listening to it. The 4 sides cover the 1969-1974 period, you can look up the details if interested. The record is pressed a bit off center as I mentioned in followup to previous post, but I just made a recording of the full side 1 using my Micro Seiki DD-40, in which I have a two-piece spindle for centering records (top part is removable), so it's pretty well centered this time and sounding nice. It's 15:23 in length at 24/96k FLAC, so a pretty big file at 292 mb, but I thought it would be fun to post it here, the dropbox link is below. I'll leave it on dropbox for a few days. Dropbox - in_a_silent_way_laswell_oc9xml_ef1.flac - Simplify your life Recording chain is Micro DD-40 with the MA-505 MkIII tonearm and AT-OC9XML, Zavfino DIN cable to Conrad Johnson EF1 solid state phono preamp, and captured with the SoundBlaster X-Fi HD using Audacity on my Asus notebook. I didn't really do any work on the file other than normalizing it to -2dB peak level in Audacity.
That's not a very good step up transformer, is it? Pretty small, I guess you are looking for something cheap? Someone else in a similar situation that just got a OC9XML was asking about the Harmonious Audio MPA-1a mk-ii headamp on ebay for around $90. It is based on an old Marshall Leach design that first appeared in Audio magazine, and was subsequently copied by a couple companies for their own products. Battery powered with one 9v battery for each channel. Pretty simple circuit, but gain is a bit high at 28dB, and signal is coupled through electrolytic capacitors, which I don't like. I do prefer a decent SUT, curious what has you looking at those inline ones? There are often sets at hifido for pretty cheap, some Sony transformers listed now, HA-T30, don't know anything about them ... HA-T30 SONY - 中古オーディオ 高価買取・販売 ハイファイ堂
To be honest I just don’t know much about SUTs, let alone most of this stuff haha. Was just reading through old threads and found people using the at630 and liking it more than some more expensive units they had tried as well (at least anecdotally,) and seems like it should do the job
Yea, it should work fine, I think it is 20dB gain, so pretty standard 1:10 ratio, which is right around the ratio you'd want. The better sounding SUTs are usually bigger and with more massive transformer cores, but any decent transformer will probably sound good if used correctly, and these mini-transformers definitely save some shelf space I was talking some in another thread recently about these relatively inexpensive Raphaelite DT1.1 SUTs (under $270 with free shipping on AliExpress from China), they look pretty nice. They use 1:14 ratio, so just right for a 0.3 or 0.4mV cartridge, thinking about ordering a set to test myself, look well built. Haven't been able to find a picture of the insides, but Raphaelite does make some nice transformers, so would expect they sound good...
Grabbed a Signet MK10T (same as at630) on eBay for $120, gets me playing music, and knowing it’s the “weak point” in the chain I can always look for the right deal to come along on a used sut or spring for the new Darlington one in the future. Now I just sit and wait for everything to arrive, then I’ll add some cartridge porn to the thread
Ah, I guess they are both actually 1:15 step up ratio, so around 24dB gain. Be interesting to hear how it works out.
I also have an MK10T and I certainly think it sounds good, especially for the ~$100 you can generally get one at. Just be careful with the RCA jacks, one of mine disconnected internally. Opening it up and resoldering the jack was not fun!
BTW, just to followup on this, I did order one of these Raphaelite DT1.1 SUTs for around $265, so will report back when I get it and post some pictures of the inside. The transformers should be like the one below, though a newer model with same 1:14 ratio but different winding impedances and part number, the PMHJ200/47K ...
Well, another update. After paying for the SUT, the store says they can't deliver it for the price I was charged, so I elected to cancel the order, I'll see what happens, I haven't dealt with AliExpress or this store before, this was the first audio gear I have bought from China other than some small accessories and electronic parts, though I do sympathize with their plight during these troubled and uncertain times, if it is indeed the case ... I may still pick one up someplace else, I am curious about the quality, I'll update if that happens ... Dear friend, due to the substantial increase in raw materials and the decrease in flights, the logistics cost has increased. There is no way to post this order. The material cost + logistics cost is about 40 US dollars. If you are not willing to pay extra, please cancel the order. I'm very sorry. Because we have lost too much. Please understand our difficulties as a seller.
And another update, I did order the Raphaelite DT1.1 SUT from a different store for about the same price after cancelling the one above, and they are supposedly in transit, so this one is still in play, I'll see how it goes.
I got into vinyl about 18mths ago. I started out with a p1+ and was a bit underwhelmed with the sibilance of the stock cart and quickly saw the limitations of the set up in terms of upgradability. The turntable was replaced in January '21 with a used Rega p25 which already had a motor upgrade and origin live structural modification and counterweight. I added a 5mm funk firm acromat and Iceni audio subplatter and upgraded the at-vm95ml I was using to the at-oc9xml moving coil cartridge this week (and added an origin live cartridge enabler while I was at it) which is set at 2g VTF and plays through a mofi studiophono preamp currently set to 60db gain and 500 ohms. All that's left is perhaps a Rega neo PSU and I reckon my set up would beat out a stock p6 with an Ania for less money, though perhaps those in the know would dispute this. I'm absolutely delighted with the sound and it beats out my chord mojo DAC & raspberry pi combo playing hires lossless tracks from Qobuz now. Amp is a musical fidelity m2si, speakers are 1st gen Kef ls50s and monitor audio 380 sub. Currently have 85 albums and counting.
Very nice. Will report back on how it sounds compared to my AT-OC9ML/II and my other AT carts after I've put it through some hours.
Better late than never Installed on SL1210GR with Audio Technica AT-LH11H headshell. The mat is a Funk Firm Achromat with VTA dialled in at just under +1.5. Also using a Michell "R" (Rega short spindle) record clamp. I've had little chance to play this since I last posted, therefore haven't played around with the anti-skate to see if I can dial out the mild buzz on the +18db torture track on the HFNRR test record. However, as it is, it tracks with a complete feeling of solidity, no matter how busy the music gets. Definitely glad I bought this! Also got a AT33PTG-II which I may mount on the stock Technics headshell and do some compare and contrast. My gut feel is the XML is less warm and more incisive, which is how I prefer things.
Thanks @Markym for including the note on your 1210 VTA setting with the Achromat, this will give me a great starting point.
