Advice on ADC ZLM Cartridge

Onegizmobob

Active Member
I recently purchased a NOS ADC ZLM cartridge and was looking for some advice before mounting it. After reading some threads regarding collapsed suspensions on Sonus and ADC cartridges I was wondering what to look for before I potentially damage the stylus on my cartridge. I previously owned a Sonus Silver P cartridge (35 years ago) which was a great cartridge but its suspension collapsed and I replaced it with another cartridge. I have recently gotten back into using moving magnet (induced magnet in this case) cartridges having used moving coils for a number of years now. My intention is to mount it on my Sony PS-X60 turntable. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
The only thing I can recommend at this point is to damp the motion of the arm. I know this requires either significant money or DIY, or the rare DiscTraker (note the goofy spelling) that Discwasher used to sell back in the day.

Meanwhile, attempts to resurrect non-totally-failed suspensions continue. We've had some recent success, but it's early days yet.
 
I'm not familiar with that particular Sony, but if it is fitted with the PUA-7 tonearm it will not be a fantastic match for the ZLM. That tonearm is fairly high-mass, and will do much better with a lower compliance cartridge. However, you can give it a shot... Just because the arm is higher mass doesn't mean that the suspension is doomed to failure, but it will increase the chances. (Don't dispair... If it happens, things can be done to remedy a failed ADC suspension.) I think the biggest problem with this combination will mostly be that the cartridge won't give it's best performance on that arm. As Wualta mentioned, a fluid damping system of some kind would help. Also, using the lightest headshell possible couldn't hurt.
 
I'm not familiar with that particular Sony, but if it is fitted with the PUA-7 tonearm it will not be a fantastic match for the ZLM

Sure looks like the PUA-7. A saving grace is that the headshell is quite heavy, weighing 11g. It wouldn't be difficult to reduce the overall weight of the arm by around 5g. (Also, make sure that the accessory weight is removed from the tonearm stub.)

John
 
I'm not familiar with the PUA-7 arm, but I'm glad you guys are. Did Sony use a proprietary headshell connector on that arm? did they make headshells of differing massiveness? Fitting a lighter shell would indeed help. A lot.

The ZLM is not supercompliant, as its distant ancestor the original XLM was. Still, the less work it has to do absorbing energy stored by the mass of the arm, the better, not only for longevity but also for sound quality.
 
I'm not familiar with the PUA-7 arm, but I'm glad you guys are. Did Sony use a proprietary headshell connector on that arm? did they make headshells of differing massiveness? Fitting a lighter shell would indeed help. A lot.

Standard SME type collet, fortunately. I don't know of another Sony headshell intended as an alternate low-mass one.

The ZLM is not supercompliant, as its distant ancestor the original XLM was. Still, the less work it has to do absorbing energy stored by the mass of the arm, the better, not only for longevity but also for sound quality.

I'm thinking my next significant audio purchase may be a KAB fluid damper. That DiscTraker, if you could find one, looks too weird..... even for me.
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John
 
Thanks for all of your various inputs. I was afraid that the Sony arm (PUA-7) may have too much mass for the cartridge. I do have a low mass headshell that I could use and may still try it. It's too bad that I don't have my old Sony table (PS2251 with an Infinity Black Widow arm) as it would have been a match made in heaven. Do you think I should even try it in my current Sony or am I doomed to failure?
 
Oh no, far from doomed. But the cartridge, like any other TOTL ADC, will perform better in a damped (or low-mass, or both) arm. Arms are plentiful; ZLMs are not.
 
Thanks again for the help. I am really excited about the ZLM cartridge. I have very fond memories of my Sonus Silver P and I am guessing that the ZLM will be even better. I also purchased a NOS stylus for my Empire 2000Z which I am going to try on my other Sony (PS-X6) table. I will also keep an eye out for a DiscTracker as you mentioned. I never had one "back in the day" and now they appear to be like unobtanium. Thanks again.
 
Nobody knows how to spell "DiscTraker", so when you set up an eBay search, use all possible spellings, including the correct one. I managed to find a few for a reasonable price ($40), but that was a couple of years ago.

It rides on the record surface like a Shure brush, but instead of a carbon-fiber brush, it uses tiny replaceable stick-on blue dots of paint-pad material. These little dots seem to go missing frequently, but of course that doesn't stop sellers from providing rotten photos so you can't tell, so ask pointed yes-no questions.
 
Thanks for the EBAY tip. I ended up purchasing my low mass Sony headshell as it was listed incorrectly. I ended up paying $24.99 and shipping was free. Any advice as to the optimum tracking force for the ZLM? I was going to start out at 1gm and adjust from there unless you have some additional input.
 
I'd say start at 1.2g, and increase in tiny 1/4g increments until it plays completely clean. Usually they like to track around 1.25g... On a heavier arm, it may actually be happier with a little more.
 
While the PUA-7 is a fairly massy arm, the bearings are such that it plays nice with cartridges that should be happier on a much more delicate arm, yet will still work well with cartridges demanding a bit more heft. I've run everything from a Shure V15 IV with Jico SAS to a Denon DL-110 and Shure M3D on my PS-X70. I think I've had an ADC QLM 36 on it, too, with good results.
 
I will try starting out at 1.2gm as suggested and work from there. Being an Alyptic stylus it should like the heavier tracking force much like a Shibata or line contact stylus. Sam, you are right about the PUA-7 arm as I used to track an Empire 2000E/III in my PS-X70 when I had one. Glad to hear you finally got yours running. Sounded like quite a project from your rather long thread about it's repair process.
 
I will try starting out at 1.2gm as suggested and work from there. Being an Alyptic stylus it should like the heavier tracking force much like a Shibata or line contact stylus. Sam, you are right about the PUA-7 arm as I used to track an Empire 2000E/III in my PS-X70 when I had one. Glad to hear you finally got yours running. Sounded like quite a project from your rather long thread about it's repair process.

It was running before, it just had an annoying, almost subliminal wobble in the speed control. Just perceptible enough to be aggravating. Still need to tinker with the arm setdown point and cueing system, but that almost seems anti-climactic.

That said, with any of these Sony PS-Xxx tables, I'd get rid of the VD1212 double diodes in the drive amplifier and at least consider a rebuild of the power supply. It's worth it for the peace of mind. Echowars says that he swaps the VD1212s in anything that comes across his bench, working or not, for a pair of 1N4148s. Sansui and Sony were in love with the stupid things.
 
Thanks Sam. I do have the service manuals for both my PS-X60 an PS-X6 and will have to do the power supply rebuild. I read another thread mentioning that the IC chip for the motor speed control is no longer available. I really like both tables especially that PS-X60 and would like to keep it running.
 
i really advise a lower mass arm such as the BW or grace707. the delicacy of the suspension is a reality. set that cart aside until you have a suitable arm. the ADCs are among my very favorite carts and always advise this way.

my original XLM was a joy and in a seemingly more massive arm, that of the st4 rabco tt, it was a spectacular performer. the vertical mass was low and i believe that is the area that the XLMs are vulnerable. i modified that arm for lowest mass and was able to reduce the required vtf from 1.5 to 1.0 grams.

reducing the vtf is recommended ONLY if the cart will pass a tracking test such as a test record or my quick and easy Steely Dan method. the tests are on cut two of either side of the Royal Scam album. because the cymbals are high up in the mix, it is a challenge to tracking.

the cuts are 'the caves of altamira' and 'haitian divorce'. start with the highest recommendation of the cartridge maker and reduce at 0.1gr increments until mistracking is heard., the up it 0.1gr. if you cartridge will cleanly track these cuts, it will track nearly anything.
 
Thank you for your input. I have been on the search for another Black Widow arm for while and was able to find another one. I should never have gotten rid of my Sony PS2251 table with Black Widow arm in the first place. This one is mounted to a Kenwood KD500 table which I'm picking up tomorrow (no EBAY damage in shipping possible). My only complaint with the BW arm is the lack of adjustable VTA. I am really looking forward to using the ZLM. Keep you posted.
 
Onegizmobob said:
... My only complaint with the BW arm is the lack of adjustable VTA...
You can always loosen the mounting screws and shove a wedge of cardboard or styrofoam under the front or back to tilt the cartridge. It's cut and try, but better than nothing.
 
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