So, my wife got me a new turntable for Christmas, I didn't ask for it, she researched it, bought it, and surprised me with it. BUT, it doesn't stop there. She had the shop take off the very nice Sumiko Oyster cart and put on the spectacular Sumiko Blue Point 2. This is my first Moving Coil Cartridge so I'm really excited and my old Marantz 2230 seems to handle it fine. (BTW thank you for the tip on Deoxit, the amp sounds great now)

We of course kept the Oyster. My plan was to put it on my cheap Technics turntable and finally have a turntable on my home theater in the living room. When I went to put it on I was quickly reminded that the Technics is a P-Mount :(. My friend that was visiting reminded me that I had given him another old Technics with a standard headshell with no cart. He never got around to buying a cart for it so I traded him Technics. When I went to put the Oyster on the new player I realised that it was missing the shell spacer between head and the cartridge. So now I don't know what I'm going to do.

Any ideas out there? It's a Technics SL-1300.

Yes, get a new headshell for the SL-1300. There's nothing holy about the original headshell and with the new ones you just screw the cartridge directly into the slots. Is there a Guitar Center near you? They sell the Stanton headshell for around $15. It's a decent and compatible. Otherwise you can find replacement headshells on ebay or at DJ websites.

Wowie! Thats some wife!

Congrats on a very nice table and a late Merry Christmas to you...

Nice TT!

I have one and it never ceases to amaze me...

I have a Shure M91 mounted on it and it blows away the Oyster.

Yes, get a new headshell for the SL-1300. There's nothing holy about the original headshell and with the new ones you just screw the cartridge directly into the slots. Is there a Guitar Center near you? They sell the Stanton headshell for around $15. It's a decent and compatible. Otherwise you can find replacement headshells on ebay or at DJ websites.

Yes, 2! Good idea, thank you.

Great gift...I hope you hooked wifey up!

Great Christmas stuff! Very AK, you are a lucky man!
Regards,
Jim

GLOSSY PIANO BLACK????? nice enough just to look at right? You didn't mention having any trouble setting up, I had a little.... check you tube there is a explicit video on how to, helped me. My only "complaint" is I wish the tone arm lifted off at end, as I grew up with automatics. ENJOY!!!!

Good for you, that's going to sound great once you have it up and running.

I must add a point of caution...if you ever change the cart, be VERY careful.....my attempt at changing the cart nearly cost me the table.


But now that it's all fixed, it sounds great!

My wife had the shop install the new cartridge and setup the TT. They said it took them 3 hours to properly calibrate everything. They threw in the setup for free. It sounds amazing.

And she made out like a bandit too this year :). But...if gift giving was a contest, she won.

I must add a point of caution...if you ever change the cart, be VERY careful.....my attempt at changing the cart nearly cost me the table.


But now that it's all fixed, it sounds great!

That's why I prefer a turntable with a removable headshell. I have quite a few cartridges and switch them a lot for different records and I can see me absolutely breaking a clip or 2 if I had to keep putting them on a fixed headshell. :sigh:

That's why I prefer a turntable with a removable headshell. I have quite a few cartridges and switch them a lot for different records and I can see me absolutely breaking a clip or 2 if I had to keep putting them on a fixed headshell. :sigh:

Soldering 33 gauge wire is NOT fun :no:

But the rewards are great, once it's done. :music:

I have been looking at the Expression III for some time now. I will be interested to hear your impressions once you have had the table for a while. I have been also looking at the Rega P2 and I am just not really sure what I want to do. I will probably get one in the next year or so. I really hope that you enjoy your new setup and you must have one heck of a wife. Can't believe she even got you a new cart. Congrats and Happy Holidays

TC

My wife had the shop install the new cartridge and setup the TT. They said it took them 3 hours to properly calibrate everything. They threw in the setup for free. It sounds amazing.

And she made out like a bandit too this year :). But...if gift giving was a contest, she won.

Three hours?! Were they taking breaks?

So, my wife got me a new turntable for Christmas, I didn't ask for it, she researched it, bought it, and surprised me with it. BUT, it doesn't stop there. She had the shop take off the very nice Sumiko Oyster cart and put on the spectacular Sumiko Blue Point 2. This is my first Moving Coil Cartridge so I'm really excited and my old Marantz 2230 seems to handle it fine. (BTW thank you for the tip on Deoxit, the amp sounds great now)

We of course kept the Oyster. My plan was to put it on my cheap Technics turntable and finally have a turntable on my home theater in the living room. When I went to put it on I was quickly reminded that the Technics is a P-Mount :(. My friend that was visiting reminded me that I had given him another old Technics with a standard headshell with no cart. He never got around to buying a cart for it so I traded him Technics. When I went to put the Oyster on the new player I realised that it was missing the shell spacer between head and the cartridge. So now I don't know what I'm going to do.

Any ideas out there? It's a Technics SL-1300.

I just want to say what a great Xmas surprise...and that she had the foresight to have the Oyster replaced with the Blue Point is just great. That table is capable of far better than the Oyster can produce. Congrats!

I just want to say what a great Xmas surprise...and that she had the foresight to have the Oyster replaced with the Blue Point is just great. That table is capable of far better than the Oyster can produce. Congrats!

Seriously, that's one intelligent lady.

Congratulations on a fantastic Christmas surprise!:yes:

Your wife also deserves congratulations on her research and making a wonderful decision!:yes:

Many wives would have selected the Crosley Stack-o-matic!:D