[macrojack]

About a year ago I purchased a Technics SL 1000 MK II for a lot of money. One of the inclusions was an SAEC headshell which is white ans is reputed to be ceramic. It looks expensive but the leads in it are in poor condition and one connector is broken off. I can replace the leads without soldering. What I'm wondering is whether or not it would be worth springing for expensive replacement leads from Cardas or Clearaudio. Is anyone familiar with this headshell and its reputation? Google turns up no info to speak of so I decided to turn to you guys. Anybody?

[TheChairGuy]

Fancy/expensive tonearms wires/leads have yielded zero improvement here over time....I've had Audio-Technica PC-OCC, Hitachi LC-OFC.....just leads that attached snugly (using a bit of Caig to make sure the metal doesn't oxidize ecery so often) seems to work fine. It's 2" to fret over and seems to not matter much at all.

Meanwhile there are hundreds of feet of wire in the coils of your cartridge that is likely not anything fancy (some makers advertise PC-OCC, 6 nines copper, however).  As most don't, they are probably using any old razor thin copper piano wire within. Then there is the 4' or so from your tonearm to your preamp to be more concerned about.

Basic headshell leads go for about $10....but you can buy the whole headshell and stainless steel mounting from the ever reliable Tim at www.turntablebasics.com for $10 + $4 = $14.00.  You can take the leads and put it on the ceramic headshell and you'll be styling 

   

[macrojack]

I can see the sense in your arguments. I'll find some cheapies. My headshell does have gold connections though so I guess I will seek the same in my leads. Thanks for talking me back to earth.
You know, that might be a useful service in this hobby. When a guy is out on a ledge about to jump into a $6000 upgrade, he could just call you and get the help he needs to return to terra firma safely. This service would be especially useful as a counter to clocks and cables and tweaks. Think about it.

[lazydays]

Fancy/expensive tonearms wires/leads have yielded zero improvement here over time....I've had Audio-Technica PC-OCC, Hitachi LC-OFC.....just leads that attached snugly (using a bit of Caig to make sure the metal doesn't oxidize ecery so often) seems to work fine. It's 2" to fret over and seems to not matter much at all.

Meanwhile there are hundreds of feet of wire in the coils of your cartridge that is likely not anything fancy (some makers advertise PC-OCC, 6 nines copper, however).  As most don't, they are probably using any old razor thin copper piano wire within. Then there is the 4' or so from your tonearm to your preamp to be more concerned about.

Basic headshell leads go for about $10....but you can buy the whole headshell and stainless steel mounting from the ever reliable Tim at www.turntablebasics.com for $10 + $4 = $14.00.  You can take the leads and put it on the ceramic headshell and you'll be styling 

   

the best thing I ever did with the Japanese built direct drive T.T. was to replace the headshells with an Osawa. Didn't do much to help the sound except make the bass a little tighter. Looking back I think the tone arms were the real killer with these tables, and just replacing that arm should make a heck of a difference.
glt

[lazydays]

I can see the sense in your arguments. I'll find some cheapies. My headshell does have gold connections though so I guess I will seek the same in my leads. Thanks for talking me back to earth.
You know, that might be a useful service in this hobby. When a guy is out on a ledge about to jump into a $6000 upgrade, he could just call you and get the help he needs to return to terra firma safely. This service would be especially useful as a counter to clocks and cables and tweaks. Think about it.

a few years back I used a Music Hall # 5, and it was OK. Had a lot of trouble getting it level, and felt it somewhat dark sounding. I saw an add on Audiogon for an Acoustic Signature Final Tool for $1275 shipping and all. Jumped on it, and have never looked back. At the time I was looking at some VPI's and some Linns plus an occasional visit to the Sota website looking at their rebuilt T.T.'s Now I've entered into the discussion of buying a better A.S. turntable, and maybe letting the final tool go in on a trade in.
So far we are there in the money department, and maybe looking elsewhere (Sota vacuum).
    My decision will be based on how much my new phono stage improves my current system (AVA T8). When I put the Wright WP 100 into my system several years ago it was like an altogether different ball game, and it alone made the Music hall into a nice sounding T.T. So all I'm saying is that no matter what you buy, you got to be thinking of the complete package here.
gary

[macrojack]

Gary,

I'm using a Technics SP-10 MK II table with their obsidian base and a Technics EPA 100 MK II tonearm. This stuff is primo. That's why I was wondering about the quality of the leads. The SAEC Ultimate headshell is supposed to be one of the best and rarest according to the guy who sold me the table. It cerainly is well machined and rigid. I'm currently using a Denon DL 103 but I also have a ZYX R-1000 Airy which has cryoed coils.
My questions at this point are all about staying good enough. I'm done with overkill.

[lcrim]

I was over at Kevin Barrett's (KAB) recently and he had some headshells that he received as a small error from his supplier which had the gold clamps that the original poster described.  He had apparently gotten a new order taker and she made an assumption.  We immediately went off on ridiculously hyperbolic ad copy making insane claims of audiophool quality for these headshells. 
He does have them for sale however minus the ridiculous claims.  Not sure if the wire used is of any higher quality. 

[TheChairGuy]

The massive 'fly in that ointment' is that I am often irrational, too...you caught me on a good stable day   As I get older I get a tad wiser....it's part of the payback for not being able to play a good game of tennis or stay up late drinking anymore without discomfort 

I obsess over enough in this hobby...I draw the line at 2" length of wire  aa

I can see the sense in your arguments. I'll find some cheapies. My headshell does have gold connections though so I guess I will seek the same in my leads. Thanks for talking me back to earth.
You know, that might be a useful service in this hobby. When a guy is out on a ledge about to jump into a $6000 upgrade, he could just call you and get the help he needs to return to terra firma safely. This service would be especially useful as a counter to clocks and cables and tweaks. Think about it.

[lazydays]

Gary,

I'm using a Technics SP-10 MK II table with their obsidian base and a Technics EPA 100 MK II tonearm. This stuff is primo. That's why I was wondering about the quality of the leads. The SAEC Ultimate headshell is supposed to be one of the best and rarest according to the guy who sold me the table. It cerainly is well machined and rigid. I'm currently using a Denon DL 103 but I also have a ZYX R-1000 Airy which has cryoed coils.
My questions at this point are all about staying good enough. I'm done with overkill.

I just gave away one of those SP 10's last fall to a good friend of mine (this one had the standard base). He put a new cartridge in it, and couldn't be happier.
gary

[lazydays]

The massive 'fly in that ointment' is that I am often irrational, too...you caught me on a good stable day   As I get older I get a tad wiser....it's part of the payback for not being able to play a good game of tennis or stay up late drinking anymore without discomfort 

I obsess over enough in this hobby...I draw the line at 2" length of wire  aa

I can see the sense in your arguments. I'll find some cheapies. My headshell does have gold connections though so I guess I will seek the same in my leads. Thanks for talking me back to earth.
You know, that might be a useful service in this hobby. When a guy is out on a ledge about to jump into a $6000 upgrade, he could just call you and get the help he needs to return to terra firma safely. This service would be especially useful as a counter to clocks and cables and tweaks. Think about it.

I agree with you on this. But if I were to want to go that far, I think I'd go ahead and completly rewire the turntable. Right now I'm kinda setting here trying to decide to buy one of the better Origin tonearms (I'm using a Graham Robin). Will I hear a big difference? I don't know, and of course the salesperson will tell I will!
gary

[jrebman]

I'm using a Technics SP-10 MK II table with their obsidian base and a Technics EPA 100 MK II tonearm. This stuff is primo.

Good to hear about the arm.  I have one on my HW-19 but I'm still a way off from having the whole thing running as I still need to get the Scout platter and bearing installed and finish my phono stage.  Should all be very nice when it all comes together.

Anything you can tell me to whet my apetite?

-- Jim

[hifitommy]

my friend was a wire skeptic and until he tried the sumiko hs12 shell, he believed any old wire was good enough.  he quickly changed his mind.

the wire on that shell is LC-OFC litz and is simply much better than regular wire.  AQ also makes wire at this price level and cardas as well.  not sure of the cardas price. 

in a premium headshell (or to upgrade a pedestrian one), i would be using the best or at least vg wire.  is $20 going to break you?  you'll hear the diff, and never look back.

[TheChairGuy]

I've tried AQ, I've tried Hitachi LC-OFC and even Audio-Technica's PCOCC (one crystal structure per 125' ) and none of them have mattered....and I've not had to look back.  There are hundreds of feet of wire in your cartridge coils and approximately 4' from your headshell thru your leads to your preamp.  I guess any length matters to some extent, but it's extremely improbable that you'll hear any difference in 2" within hundreds of feet.

More likely, the Sumiko HS12 headshell, which may be made of some more inert material than most headshells that come wth most TT's, might be the reason for any betterment.  But, damping any plastic headshell with a wad of Plast-i-Clay damps things pretty well. 

Any joint due to wiring is inherently bad where eeny-weeny cartridge voltages are concerned.....one continuous length of wire (OFC or fancier) from cartridge thru interconnect leads is the best of all (a la Rega)...any wire/joints in between lessens overall quality somewhat at each step. 

I can't be bothered, personally, with it tho...and have a removeable headshell that I can swap out cartridges in a flash that I use. I routinely and regularly Caig De-Oxit and Pro-Gold each joint in the chain to minimize arcing and other problems involved with any joint in the chain.  I do wish my 4' of internal tonearm and exposed IC leads were at least OFC copper (they are not); that might matter a bit (as would some kinda' high purity copper in the coils structures - even the cheapest Grado advertises OFC)

[Psychicanimal]

I routinely and regularly Caig De-Oxit and Pro-Gold each joint in the chain to minimize arcing and other problems involved with any joint in the chain. 

Try silver paste on the headshell's gold pins...