No color code on headshell

TheChairGuy · « **on:** 27 Oct 2005, 06:01 am »

HELP!!!

It's been a couple years since I had vinyl...so I'm toeing my way back in.

Got me here a JVC QL-A2 picked up for the grand sum of $50 on ebay....replete with JVC headshell. Sitting on deck waiting for installation is a Audio-Technica AT440ML. Everything looks lovely.

The TT has been filled with about 10lbs of PlastiClay. If you haven't done this and you have a vibrating, cheap plinth and/or platter you are in for a treat. I filled my TT 25 years ago with Mortite rope caulk on the advice of my then audio dealer, and the difference was enormous. HUGE and solid presentation with bass that sounds like better $1000 tables.

One MAJOR snag: no color codes on the headshell pins. I looked all over the internet to see what pin is L, R, +, - but nothing is found. Is there no standard to this - there was a standard install for similar installs with car distributors...back in the day when most cars were equipped with them.

Anybody know the answer to this??? Not thinking, I pulled the old wire off the headshell pins without noting what colored they were and reverse engineer my way back.

And no, JVC doesn't have any marking next to each pin to tell you.

If no one knows, I guess I'll have to just buy a new headshell somewhere - it's just friggin' annoying. No wonder 99.5% of the population ditched their TT's long ago...despite the good sound you can coax out of an even reasonably inexpensive setup, it's such a pain in the keyster!

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

andyr · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Oct 2005, 09:42 am »

Yezz, my friend ... there is a standard - hopefully your cartridge and arm manufacturers have kept to it!

I'm pretty sure that, looking at the pins at the back of the cartridge:
* the 2 top pins are 'hot'
* the bottom pins are 'ground'
* L channel is on the left
* R channel is on the right.

At least, that's the way mine is connected and the sound "comes out right"!!

If you had colours, then:
* Red is R 'hot'
* White is L 'hot'
* Green is R 'ground', and
* Blue is L 'ground'.

Regards,

Andy

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Oct 2005, 05:04 pm »

Andy,

Thanks for taking the time to go thru that

I hooked it all up today and I've got music coming out of there now. Great music - except for the tizziness that the AT440ML is known for in the first 50 hours.

Most excellent - thanks again

Because of you I will refer to color as 'colour' the rest of the day. In your honour, of course

Regards,

John / TCG

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Oct 2005, 07:45 pm »

Listening now to it - it sounds soooo great in here.

The (heavily Plast-i-Clayed) Direct Drive QVC and Audi Technica AT440ML gets me grooving far better than my previous Thorens TD-316 / Shure v15 (the latest one just discontinued). This tandem is waaay better.

Maybe it was cartridge matching or something else at work that made for poor listening experience with the Thorens/Shure...it was lifeless. This has real bounce.

andyr · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Nov 2005, 08:10 am »

Quote from: TheChairGuy

Andy,

Thanks for taking the time to go thru that

I hooked it all up today and I've got music coming out of there now. Great music - except for the tizziness that the AT440ML is known for in the first 50 hours.

Most excellent - thanks again

Because of you I will refer to color as 'colour' the rest of the day. In your honour, of course

Regards,

John / TCG

Aah, mate,

Remember it's aluminIum, too! And tomahto!

Seeing as you're located in soCal, I think you need a USD2,000 "Vibraplane" support for your t/table!

After all, in such an earthquake-prone area of the world, I reckon there must be "mini-earthquakes" going on all the time!

These won't make buildings sway but they must be getting through to your platter!

Enjoy your new-found love of vinyl ... I guess we'll be seeing you (in your old dirty mac!) down at the thrift shops?

Regards,

Andy