[Wayner]

There is more to the modifications then just the Longhorn. There is internal coil damping that must be done, as well as cantilever damping. The Longhorn is only part of the process.

Also, a static discharge, especially now during winter, can wipe out a coil. Playing around with the stylus is also very scary.

This is a type of production that must be done under a controlled process. We don't even know if some other cartridges will benefit from the Longhorn. We do now the Grado does and in big ways.

Wayner 

[Rocket]

Hi Wayner,

You may already have passed comment but I'm wondering what grado cartridges you will be considering offering the longhorn modification to?

Thanks

Rod

[Wayner]

Green1 and Gold1

Wayner 

[turkey]

I made some Longhorns using brass angle stock.  Not u-channel |_|, but _|

It worked quite well and was very easy to apply to a cartridge. You just needed a solid, flat cartridge front and a dab of epoxy (I used JB Weld).

I'm sure it wasn't as stiff as u-channel or full tubing, but it seemed to be enough to make a major improvement.

[rcag_ils]

I think you are supposed to fill the u-channel with plasti clay, so it will have two heavier weight on each end to balance the bar (not sure how critical it would be). Then the cartridge needs to be filled with silicone, all gaps needs to be sealed will plasti-clay.

If the U-channel are out of production, then other materials need to be sourced, JB weld would be my choice too.

[turkey]

I think you are supposed to fill the u-channel with plasti clay, so it will have two heavier weight on each end to balance the bar (not sure how critical it would be). Then the cartridge needs to be filled with silicone, all gaps needs to be sealed will plasti-clay.

The more mass at the end of the levers, the better the longhorn resists movement. (Up to a certain point, obviously. You don't want to add too much mass at the end of the tonearm or you'll start to get mistracking.)

I did use clay and solder in all the longhorns I made, both from u-channel and from angle stock.

I did not use silicone oil to damp the coils or cantilever. It was only recently that Frank divulged the secret behind that, and by then it was far too late for working on phono cartridges. (Most of the people I know don't even have a phonograph anymore.)

If the U-channel are out of production, then other materials need to be sourced, JB weld would be my choice too.

I once helped a truck driver whose electrical system broke down and left him stranded. His radio didn't work, so he was really stuck. I drove him to a pay phone so he could call for a tow.

When we got back to his truck, he went digging around in his tool kit and brought me a few sets of JB Weld as a thank you. He told me it was the best stuff around and that he never left home without a supply.

He was right about it being the best around, and I've used it ever since.

[jrtrent]

This is a type of production that must be done under a controlled process.

That's the kind of answer that gives me confidence in the product!  I'm anxious to be able to place an order for a Longhorn Green 1, but my current Grado Statement Platinum should last me til at least next summer before I've worn it out, so I can wait.  It will be interesting to see what effect the modification has depending on the turntable/tonearm it's mounted on.  I was never really happy with the Grado Green's tracking ability on my Linn LP12/Ittok setup, but it performed great on a Well Tempered Record Player with its damped arm.  I'm anticipating a greater difference on the Linn than on the WTRP, but won't know til I try it.

edit:  Actually, I'll be ready to order as soon as they're ready to ship since I'd like to put one on my LP12 ASAP.  I'm not unhappy with the Shure M97xE that's on there now, but I'd sure like to see if the Longhorn helps the Ittok/Grado combination deal with loud, complex orchestral passages and the more densely-packed inner groove area; that's where it fell apart a bit for me previously.

[avahifi]

I hate to tell you this, but the Linn turntable is one of those that makes the Grado hum, unless things have changed there recently.

Joe Grado said he does not want to use internal shielding in his cartridges because that distorts the magnetic fields and has a negative impact on performance.  He suggests a turntable that does not put out stray hum fields.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[turkey]

I hate to tell you this, but the Linn turntable is one of those that makes the Grado hum, unless things have changed there recently.

Many years ago I was at a local audio salon and was talking to the owner about turntables. He said he owned a Thorens 'table. I asked why he didn't have a Linn Sondek since everyone was raving about them and he had some in his showroom. He took me back to their test and repair bench and brought back a Linn 'table and showed me how it spun 5% fast. He said they did that by design so they'd sound different than other turntables.

[gjs_cds]

Many years ago I was at a local audio salon and was talking to the owner about turntables. He said he owned a Thorens 'table. I asked why he didn't have a Linn Sondek since everyone was raving about them and he had some in his showroom. He took me back to their test and repair bench and brought back a Linn 'table and showed me how it spun 5% fast. He said they did that by design so they'd sound different than other turntables.

A full 5%.  Wow! 

I know that some pop radio stations will increase the speed of their songs... perhaps to play "more per hour" and get more ad space to boot.... But to have a manufacturer deliberately 'overclock' the rpm rate...  Wow.  Just wow. 

I know that the factory default settings on TVs are usually crap (too bright, etc)...  But this, if true, takes it to a whole new extreme.

[turkey]

Many years ago I was at a local audio salon and was talking to the owner about turntables. He said he owned a Thorens 'table. I asked why he didn't have a Linn Sondek since everyone was raving about them and he had some in his showroom. He took me back to their test and repair bench and brought back a Linn 'table and showed me how it spun 5% fast. He said they did that by design so they'd sound different than other turntables.

A full 5%.  Wow! 

I know that some pop radio stations will increase the speed of their songs... perhaps to play "more per hour" and get more ad space to boot.... But to have a manufacturer deliberately 'overclock' the rpm rate...  Wow.  Just wow. 

I know that the factory default settings on TVs are usually crap (too bright, etc)...  But this, if true, takes it to a whole new extreme.

I was kind of suspicious because none of the magazines ever mentioned this with the Linns they reviewed. Some of the magazines don't actually test anything, but you'd think Audio would have caught something like this. (I'm pretty sure they reviewed the LP12.)

On the other hand, the guy wasn't trying to sell me a 'table or anything, we were just talking.

I later bought a Harmon_Kardon 'table after Frank recommended them, but I got that at a big box store because the local audio salons only carried "high end" brands.

[timjthomas]

I hate to tell you this, but the Linn turntable is one of those that makes the Grado hum, unless things have changed there recently.

Joe Grado said he does not want to use internal shielding in his cartridges because that distorts the magnetic fields and has a negative impact on performance.  He suggests a turntable that does not put out stray hum fields.

The audiokarma database shows this as well - but it depends on the specific cartridge.

I have a Grado Gold on my Sondek, without any hum.

[rcag_ils]

I hate to tell you this, but the Linn turntable is one of those that makes the Grado hum, unless things have changed there recently.

My Ariston RD-11 Superieur is very close to a Linn, with an external transformer (120 to 25Vac), that mean it still have that 25Vac in the turntable. The only time it get some hum is when the tonearm's sitting on the arm rest with the motor off, once I put the arm on the platter, the hum decreases quite a bit, still there, but I would have to get real close to the speaker to hear it. When I move the arm to the center of the platter, the hum's gone. It could be my SME tonearm's not grounded properly since someone replaced the cable and RCA connectors.

I have several British turntables, they all have a little hum, but once they started playing, the hum is not noticeable, and they sound NICE.

 I have an Harmon Kardon T-60, whenever the motor is on, there's a little hum from the motor, or the power supply.

[Wayner]

Alright, this is turning into a good data base for Grado/table hum issues. I have my Longhorn in a Technics SL-Q2 DD. There is only slight hum with the motor on, with volume control rather advanced. The Harmon Kardons have a transformer (so do the Technics) in them to make reduced line voltage for the drive circuits. These could be moved, as Frank has on his T30, to distance the magnetic field from the core and coil transformer found inside the table.

A magnetic flux shield is a nasty piece of science to subdue. If you remember in school the magnet with the iron particles that lined up with the magnetic lines of flux, is what is happening with the motor and transformer (if it has one), and these lines of flux are everywhere, decreasing in intensity with the distance squared. A moving magnetic cartridge is susceptable to these lines of flux, because there are magnets inside that like to get excited when they get inside of a flux field and then vibrate at the usual 60 cycle and results in hum. The more intense the flux, the more intense the hum.

One plan is to try to deflect the flux and it can be done (kind of) with Mu-metal. This will deflect the stray magnetic fields if it is properly place over a motor body or transformer.

Wayner

[jrtrent]

I hate to tell you this, but the Linn turntable is one of those that makes the Grado hum, unless things have changed there recently.

Well, they do now offer the Radikal power supply with DC motor, but I'm not planning to switch immediately.  I've had a Grado Green on my Linn before, and it did hum, but my recollection is that it was not overly intrusive, mostly being audible once the stylus was in the lead-out groove.  Though it wasn't a cartridge I used continuously, over the years I found its strengths compelling enough to have purchased more than one replacement stylus and a couple complete cartridges.  More limiting than the hum was its tracking issues in that arm; chamber music sounded great, but orchestral climaxes, especially in the more densely-packed inner groove, were too much for it even at its 2 gram mximum tracking force. 

The M97xE became my cartridge of choice for that 'table because its total elimination of hum was nice when I started recording a friend's album collection to CD (so that he could access his music more easily after he became blind; he has since passed away), plus its superior tracking ability and handling of warped records (with the stabilizer brush) lets it cleanly reproduce anything I throw at it.

I've read that the Longhorn modification is supposed to reduce mistracking, and I'm curious to see how it works on the Ittok arm.  I'm also curious to see how the other sonic improvements yielded by the Longhorn (imaging, transient attack, dynamic range) will let a Green compare to the Statement Platinum I've now got on my Well Tempered (I don't use the clamp, so there will be no problem with the extra width of the Longhorn); the Well Tempered already has zero hum issues with a Grado, and the damped arm lets even the Green track great at its recommended 1 1/2 grams.

I'm not expecting miracles and don't know that a Longhorn will supplant the current cartridge on either turntable, but I am excited at the possibility that this product will be available again and can hear one for myself.

[plaf26]

For those who have a Technics SL1200, kabusa.com has an external power supply that gets all AC out of and away from the deck.  Seems to work well.

[dmckean]

I look forward to buying one when they're available. I wonder what other cartridge besides Grado would be a good candidate for this mod. It seems like a lot of tables are incompatible with the Grado for it to be the only option offered.