Cartridge Screws

[Syntax]

When you made everything right for getting a superior analog Playback experience (Divorce, 10k Phono Cable, spending 60h for cartridge adjustment with everything available, cross-check with a borrowed dog which is trained for detecting distortions...) and your are happy... but sometimes you get the feeling that there is a sublime touch of softness with some records, a limitation of soundstage with certain records independently from moon positioning .....


here is the saver

Cartridge screws from a special kind of titanium with an unused molecular structure selected for analog playback only
Made from timex whatever number (forgot it), cut from solid core

----> way more inner details, air, space between instruments, sharper, more definition around each note and a superior bite for dynamic attacks which has to be heard to believe

 

[GMKF]

When you made everything right for getting a superior analog Playback experience (Divorce, 10k Phono Cable.....

I'm lying on the floor laughing. Good one !

How expensive are those screws anyhow ?

 

[rockitman]

Golden Ears to hear differences with cart screws ???

 

[Syntax]

I think, even normal ears will be able to hear differences.
The Background for it is knowledge about Energy Transfer (moving tracking energy into the Arm, away as fast as possible from the diamond /cantilever).
Lyra once had 2 very demanding carts, Titan (i) + Olympos. Their bodies were made of titanium.
I think, you have Olympos, can be worth a try.
With MM carts or plastic bodied ones like Zyx for example the difference can be minor.
Also good screws are made from copper (hard to find), worst is steel (magnetic influence), followed from plastic, Aluminum

A warning
Do not over tighten!! Tight is enough. Next step is broken.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Details please. My credit card is good to go.

 

[rockitman]

I think, even normal ears will be able to hear differences.
The Background for it is knowledge about Energy Transfer (moving tracking energy into the Arm, away as fast as possible from the diamond /cantilever).
Lyra once had 2 very demanding carts, Titan (i) + Olympos. Their bodies were made of titanium.
I think, you have Olympos, can be worth a try.
With MM carts or plastic bodied ones like Zyx for example the difference can be minor.
Also good screws are made from copper (hard to find), worst is steel (magnetic influence), followed from plastic, Aluminum

A warning
Do not over tighten!! Tight is enough. Next step is broken.

I think you may have a good point....Definitely worth a try especially with metal bodied carts...I think the Olympos would be a good candidate. Do you like the titanium metal screws with the stone body Koetsu's ? Best link to buy them ?

 

[jeff1225]

Details please. My credit card is good to go.

It's Acoustic System's, a credit card wont cut it. You'll need to cash in some bonds.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'll sell some of Ked's prized lps.

 

[bonzo75]

Both Shakti and another friend of mine use titanium screws with their fr64 and fr66s and respectively. Various koetsus. Syntax had advised the guy with the FR 66s. I haven't compared but they like it

 

[spiritofmusic]

Still can't find any link. Are these unomtanium?

 

[Tango]

Both Shakti and another friend of mine use titanium screws with their fr64 and fr66s and respectively. Various koetsus. Syntax had advised the guy with the FR 66s. I haven't compared but they like it

Take left screw off first. Replace with the desired screw. Hold the cart together with headshell securely. Then uncrew the right screw and replace it with the other desired screw. The sound different will only be small fish so make sure you do it fast sothat your head wont be fooling with your hearing memory. Knock yourself out screwing my friend.

Special for you Bonzo. I will give you special Adamantium screws when you have a system setup.

Tang

 

[bonzo75]

Knock yourself out screwing my friend.

Tang

Don't you mean screw yourself out knocking

 

[spiritofmusic]

I might stick w Soundsmith screws, 8 for $40. I suspect this sum doesn't even get close the the Larks' tongues in Aspic special packaging these screws come reverentially packaged in.

 

[Nemal1]

I’d prefer to listen to music that head shell screws

 

[PeterA]

Also good screws are made from copper (hard to find), worst is steel (magnetic influence), followed from plastic, Aluminum

These materials all weigh different amounts. I wonder if you are hearing the sonic effect of the change in effective mass. Placing different weight screws at the end of a long arm will change the resonant characteristics of the cartridge/arm system slightly.

Different weight screws will also affect VTA/SRA and VTF unless you compensate.

My VdH Colibri uses steel screws. Perhaps I can demagnetize those. My SME arm comes with various steel and aluminum screws of different sizes.

I've read that screw tension can also have a profound effect on sonics. Sorry. Bad joke. No, seriously.

 

[Syntax]

I think you may have a good point....Definitely worth a try especially with metal bodied carts...I think the Olympos would be a good candidate. Do you like the titanium metal screws with the stone body Koetsu's ? Best link to buy them ?

I think, you can ask www.rutherfordaudio.com

I did try it first with those Lyra carts and the result was better than before. So I was lazy and use them right now in the Koetsu Blue Lace, but I did not made a special comparison here. But it shouldn't make it worse ...
It is a tweak, not a religion, that is the reason why I named the Thread simply "Cartridge Screws"
It is - or can be - an experience thread. My main goal is/was to show a way for a better result with something which isn't in focus for most.

Below a Pic from the screws (different materials) I did use for comparison (with identical VTF of course)

Happy Listening

 

[rockitman]

What is the metric size for standard cart bolts...M -???? Perhaps cooper ones of appropriate size like this can be sourced for evaluation ?

 

[Syntax]

Normally a Set of 4 is offered (independent from manufacturer 2x longer, 2x middle), very short ones are rare.

 

[ddk]

IME any of the standard screws supplied with various cartridges all work fine, irrespective of material, but some of the new knob like ones I tried have a horrible effect on the sound. If you're using a properly designed headshell like the SME the knobs will suck the life out of the sound like putting dead weight on an amplifier's transformer but worse. I think the knob heads are too wide and too heavy and over dampen the headshell. Of course YMMV if you're using a bright ringing headshell the dampening effect might be welcome, in any case they mess with resonance frequency of the headshell.

david

 

[ddk]

What is the metric size for standard cart bolts...M -???? Perhaps cooper ones View attachment 50701 of appropriate size like this can be sourced for evaluation ?

Those screw heads look too large in the picture Christian, not what you'd want.

david