Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo how many of you guys have a Turntable?

Hey Mark,
What programs / process are you using. I've been preparing (err procrastinating) for a while now in ripping some of Sharon's old vinyl. For the longest time, I did not have a turntable to use but over Christmas, my Parents luckily (err I mean sigh, now I have to get busy) lent us theirs.

Which leads me to my questions which I think suit this thread. Here is the situation in point form.

The Turntable is labeled as follows.
Technics DC Servo Automatic Turntable System SL-BD27.
Some research tells me it was fitted with a Panasonic P-24 P24 phono cartridge and a Panasonic Technics EPS-24CS EPS24CS needle stylus.

My Denon 3806 has phono inputs but I'm 'somewhat sure' that it has no preamp. I will have to dig one of those up.

Goal is digitizing music for nostalgic reasons just so it's not totally lost. We are not shooting for serious listening qualty and neither are we concerned about making audiophile reproductions.

My Questions.
1. Advice on obtaining a budget pre-amp. (This was previously hooked to a larger Technics, component stereo system that was too big to conveniently borrow, plus it would leave them without music for the duration.)

2. The cartridge is the original and hasn't been used in years. How can I determine if it should be replaced. Again, we are not looking for audiophile reproductions but if a small investment = greatly improved results, we would try it.

I haven't listened to vinyl since I was a kid so I'm not sure if I could identify a poor or worn out cartridge since the source material is not going to pristine to begin with.

Hi Murph,

First, if your Denon has "phono inputs," then it already has a built-in phono preamp. No outboard phono preamp will be required.

I doubt you have access to a stylus inspection microscope--formerly, elaborate audio retail stores had these on site--so it's impossible for you to determine how worn the stylus is on the Panasonic phono cartridge. Since the latter were mediocre, I'd suggest replacing the cartridge with something from Shure or Grado. Both US brands still make the most linear and high-quality cartridges at affordable prices. Check out the Shure M97HE or a Grado model under $100. Stanton is also an excellent US-made cartridge brand. The Shure cartridges have the advantage of a damped stylus brush that rides on the vinyl ahead of the stylus and reduces the effects of tonearm/record-warp interactions.

Regards,
Alan

Thanks Alan, the money saved in not having to buy a preamp will take away the guilt in buying a new cartridge on spec.

Murph,

I just checked online; here's a link to a Grado cartridge (or a Shure) that would be appropriate for the tonearm of the turntable you're using. (There are likely online sources in Canada that will carry the same models.)

http://www.needledoctor.com/Grado-Black1-Prestige-Series-Phono-Cartridges?sc=2&category=374

The Shure model I mentioned to you is now called the Shure M97XE, and has the silicone-damped stabilizer brush (highly useful for warped record playback). It's also on the needle doctor site.

These cartridges are offered in "P-mount" or "Standard-mount" versions. The P-mount type is plug-in design, a system that Panasonic and Technics embraced for a time. The cartridge plugs directly into the end of the tonearm, rather than being installed with tiny screws into a tonearm headshell. So check the turntable tonearm to see if it has a separate, detachable headshell or uses the P-mount plug-in cartridge type.

Note also that Grado's term "moving iron--MI" is a moving-magnet design like the Shure. For the tonearm quality you'll be using, get a moving-magnet cartridge. Moving-coil (MC) cartridges usually have much lower output and require an additional stage of pre-amplification which I doubt your Denon receiver has. In any case, MC cartridges are more susceptible to hum pickup and noise. They also have no inherent superiority to moving-magnet types.

If a tracking-force range is recommended, always use the highest tracking force in the range. With the models I suggested, that would be 1.5 grams. Using a lower tracking force may result in "mistracking" on highly modulated (loud) grooves, which will literally carve distortion permanently into the vinyl groove.

Alan

truly a wise man... :-)

Thanks, J.B. I've just been around for SO LONG. . .ha, ha, and have absorbed all the vinyl lore that's fit to print.

Cheers,
Alan

some years before and for a long time after i bought my audio system in the mid 80's, i read many u.s. and canadian audio and then audio-video magazines, many times learning from your writings. :-)

Thanks Alan, You ROCK! That is extremely useful information.
Thanks for taking the time to look around for me as well.