Just a remind what I have done to modify for better match between cartridges and tonarm on my SL-1200G. Btw: Don’t forget the coffee while modify 
! Behold!
/ Jk
! Behold!/ Jk
Koetsu
- Thread starter jadis
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Great..what headshell do you use for the kleos?Just a remind what I have done to modify for better match between cartridges and tonarm on my SL-1200G. Btw: Don’t forget the coffee while modify
/ Jk
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How many mass do you add to the headshell?
Very cool, but for those out there looking for a simpler solution, google "Belldream Technics weights" - you get a set of 3 weights with the heaviest weighing 43gm!Just a remind what I have done to modify for better match between cartridges and tonarm on my SL-1200G. Btw: Don’t forget the coffee while modify
/ Jk
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I did use the Jelco HS-30, as I’m at work now I can’t give you the 100% correct details, but if I remember… -the total weight of the complete headshell, shims and cartridge was something like 33-35grams. About 6-8 grams more then the original SL-1200 can manage. Thus the extra external ”super counterweight”
/ Jk
Sorry, checked it up.. japp understand how you mean.. Well I guess that will work just fine…
Mine though… is constructed in such manner, that you have no problem to play any record with the cover on, even when the extra counterweight is mounted.
Other counterweights has the downside of touching the inside of the cover when closed, especially when the tonearm is close to the spindle. Maybe something to consider.
/ Jk
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Hi Phil. The very experienced guy at my local shop has the same attitude. "I can make (pretty much) any cartridge work with any arm." I know so little about turntables, but suspect that that's right.Imo, unless one has an array of 5 tonearms (ranging from low mass, medium mass to high mass), and willing to do the painstaking job of replacing each with his specific TT and a Koetsu, that is the only time that we will know what tonearm 'excels' with a Koetsu, given that it is known as a low compliance cartridge. And that will presuppose too, that the high mass tonearm can work well with say, a suspension table like an Oracle or Linn LP12. To me it's too tedious to tell a customer to first find a 'suitable' or 'best' tonearm to match with his Koetsu. I haven't seen any dealer, Music Direct, AS, etc recommend any type of tonearm in their Koetsu shops. So I deal with whatever tonearm someone has and work on it. Worst case is the counterweight not being heavy enough or the Stone models. That is generally an easy solution. Johan had mentioned adding weight to head shells to add mass. So basically, we just say, let the Koetsu take care of things.
As a follow up, I suppose I do wonder why if a manufacturer makes a beautiful carbon fibre low mass unipivot arm, I'd want to 'bastardize' it and add weights to the headshell . . . vs. picking a cartridge better matched to the arm. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that. It may just be that 'if that's the cartridge someone wants, they do it.' ??
No problems.Sorry, checked it up.. japp understand how you mean.. Well I guess that will work just fine…
Mine though… is constructed in such manner, that you have no problem to play any record with the cover on, even when the extra counterweight is mounted.
Other counterweights has the downside of touching the inside of the cover when closed, especially when the tonearm is close to the spindle. Maybe something to consider.
/ Jk
The Belldream team have thought of that - even the biggest weight fits under the cover, even when closed. I coated mine in satin black to match the 1210 model.
Consider this:
Maybe you find a cartridge very well suited for your tonearm, but sounds not so good in the overall system… Then you might want to check out another cartridge. Well that cartridge maybe isn’t the 100% perfect match for your tonearm.. however.. it might be the one that goes magic in your system. To optimize that, you might have to modify or tweak your fine looking carbon tonearm just a tiny bit to finalize it. Remember it is always a compromise in vinyl playback.
/ Jk
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I learned from Naim that the effective mass of my arm is 11 grams . . . for what that's worth!
Bart, you might find this of interest, though it’s not the platinum or the t.
Hi Bartolo,
I would say yes, if that is the chosen cartridge I like (sound wise, of course), I would do things needed to make the tandem/combo work. Last April, a Blue Lace was ordered, though I had worries about the counterweight being too light. I went to a local hardware to buy washers about the diameter of the counterweight, was ready to blu-tak it to the main CW. Tonearm is a Linn Akito 3b, on a Sondek LP 12 Akurate. I could not 'just' pop in an 'ideal' tonearm - FR64 and the like, because the suspension of the LP12 cannot take such a heavy tonearm. One thing was sure in my mind, I love the LP12 and the Koetsu. The Akito stays as long as I'm using the LP12. So I had to make amends on the Akito CW to realize the plan. Fortunately, the original CW was able to handle the Blue Lace's added weight (from a Urushi, 3g heavier). But I had washers on standby just in case.
My Akito 3B is listed as 10g effective mass. So I have to correct myself in saying the ARO was an ultra light mass tonearm.
And maybe, the added 3g weight of the Blue Lace over the Urushi can help increase the effective mass.
So it appears the effective mass hasn't changed from what my "original" ARO is, at 11g. In post #1155 I had listed all the spec's that I have for the original ARO. I'm not sure if those have changed at all for the "new" ARO.
Best wishes,
Don
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Michael
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Michael
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