replacing Clear Audio MM styli

reddog48

Active Member
A recent entry on this site mentioned that the Clear Audio MM cartridges could be DIY replaced with a Audio Technica AT-95 stylus/grip assembly. Evidently AT is the OEM for all Clear Audio stylii - at least for the MM carts.

I had purchased a Clear Audio TT (Emotion model - now being sold as a Marantz TT-15) bundled with the Clear Audio "Maestro" MM cartridge (the top of the line Clear Audio MM cartridge). This cartridge comes with a "boron" cantilever (unobtainium by another name).

Of course the stylus/cantilever assembly extends about 3/8" of an inch below and in front of the cart body - just asking to be broken off. Which of course it was shortly after purchase.

The "dealer" wanted $600 to replace the stylus/cantilever assembly (evidently referred to as the "grip" by those who are "in the know"). I didn't have clue one as to how this could be repaired - I pictured elves in some German forest busily bending over microscopes performing micron level surgery. Wrong.

The "grip" pops out of the cartridge body using no tool other than a finger nail - rather easy actually (see the attached picture of the original grip - the picture of the small black thing with the text showing where the original cantilever appeared).

I then tried to find an AT-95 "grip" - no luck - as all I could find was an AT-95E - the picture on the web site appeared to be what I was looking for as it seemed to be the same size as what I removed from the Maestro. This website picture of what IS an AT-95 is is also attached.

Unfortunately when the AT-95E arrived it was NOT what was pictured on the website - instead it had a large,green plastic carrier (picture of the green thing with a gap in it) all around it.

However in an "aha!" moment I determined that the "grip" I needed could be removed from the "carrier" assembly via some surgery with a sharp razor knife. And it was so. The "excised" grip fit PERFECTLY into my Maestro cart body.

How does it sound? In a word simply wonderful - better than when it had with the original grip assembly from Clear Audio - I think the AT-95 has a tonal balance that nicely compliments the Clear Audio motor assembly.

Lessons to be learned?

There are a lot of people on this forum who actually possess some very valuable and useful information - so thanks to all of you. Further the folks around here are NOT afraid to experiment and try things that are more than a little outside the box.

The other thing I learned is that Clear Audio and their products are more than a little bit of a "rip" - I would steer clear of any outfit who charges $600 for what I fixed for $35 and about 10 minutes of labor. The very least those rascals could have done is offer me a "cheaper fix" - for say $100 (and they still would have made a pile at that rate). So Clear Audio will be forever banned with me - and I am going to make this clear to as many people as possible.

If you do have a Clear Audio MM cart - you can fix a broken stylus YOURSELF - don't pay the $600 the dealers want to pop in an AT stylus/cantilever assembly.

best to everybody,

Reddog

PS: rest of system? Odyssey Khartago mono-block amps, Vincent SA-T8 tube preamp, AR-9 Speakers (completely rebuilt crossovers and internal wiring), Cambridge Audio 840C CD player, and Kimber KCAG IC's and Cardas "Golden Reference" speaker cables. Took several years to assemble this one but I am very happy with it.
 

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A
I had purchased a Clear Audio TT (Emotion model - now being sold as a Marantz TT-15)

The Clearaudio Emotion is not sold under the Marantz brand. That Marantz TT uses the Clearaudio Satisfy arm and perhaps other parts, but as far as I know there is no direct involvement of Clearaudio in that project. I own an Emotion TT and it is still being produced and sold by CA:

http://www.clearaudio.de/eng/lw_emotion.html
 
Marantz TT-15 is built and designed by Clearaudio

From the MusicDirect website at:

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73850

and I quote:

The TT-15S1 Sounds Even Better Than It Looks!

Marantz really hit the nail on the head with their brand new turntable package, the Marantz TT-15! Designed by Marantz and built for them by Clearaudio (we’re pretty sure you noticed the design similarities).


The "Emotion" has been dropped and replaced by an upgrade with a thicker (40 mm) platter.

The Marantz unit is completely built (and designed) by Clearaudio - it doesn't have the CMB (carbon magnetic bearing). Neither does it have the "carbon fiber" tone arm that my Emotion came with. But all the other parts; motor, plinth, anti-skate, arm bearing assembly, arm itself are pure Clearaudio parts. There are NO parts on that assembly not manufactured by Clearaudio.

As for the Clearaudio Emotion - I more or less like mine - I thought at the time it was a fairly good deal as it was packaged with the Clearaudio Maestro cartridge. I don't see a great deal of value in the table assembly - but turntables are very expensive at this time - I think for an entry level table it is acceptable - especially when compared to many other units out there.

Since I have replaced the "grip" in the Maestro cartridge and finally gotten the VTA right I have actually enjoyed the table.

Of course I have been less than enraptured by the Clearaudio "customer support" philosophy - enough so that I will never buy another item from Clearaudio.

But to each their own.
 
Thanks for that. I have the Marantz TT-15 and am growing equally kind of 'meh' about it. And the clearaudio cart has a bent cantilever. Maybe I can reseat it now that I see this assembly is removable on the Maestro (I have the Virtuoso)? Its not so much bent as it is just crooked from where it joins the cart body. I'll give it a try- nothing to lose as the cart is not usable as it is and they wanted a fortune to fix it (I bought it used so I didn't expect much from them, though). The table itself is nice enough but the motor assembly is a bit small and unstable, causing the belt to fall off half the time when I turn it on. I was going to trade it (plus some cash) for my dealer's Concept demo but they sold it, and are now no longer CA dealers that I can tell. It sounds nicer than most of my vintage decks but doesn't have the weight of sound of my VPI by any means.
 
From the MusicDirect website at:

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73850

and I quote:

The TT-15S1 Sounds Even Better Than It Looks!

Marantz really hit the nail on the head with their brand new turntable package, the Marantz TT-15! Designed by Marantz and built for them by Clearaudio (we’re pretty sure you noticed the design similarities).

My local CA dealer never had this Marantz model for sale and it not shown in the CA catalog (i.e., I couldn´t find it there), so I assume it is not considered by CA as their own.

The "Emotion" has been dropped and replaced by an upgrade with a thicker (40 mm) platter.

I guess this is the Emotion SE: http://www.clearaudio.de/eng/lw_emotion_se.html

My local dealer still sells both models, the Emotion and the Emotion SE (one is seen as an upgrade of the other, rather than a replacement). Perhaps marketing policies are different for different countries.

All the best
 
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Marantz TT-15

JohnVF,

You can fix your Clearaudio cart the same way I fixed mine - the Virtuoso is an MM - and therefore can accept the AT-95 "grip" (the stylus/cantilever assembly). I got mine from LPgear - see their website. Cost $35.

I wrote Ed Saunders today to see if he would be interested in developing one of his exceptional styli for the AT-95 assembly. So maybe we can get some traction in that area.

In re the Marantz (Clearaudio Emotion by any other name) - make sure your VTA is set correctly - and the only help from the manual is the advice to set it by placing your bubble level beneath the cue hydraulic mechanism (it all moves with the arm post). Believe me - the Clearaudio carts are very, very sensitive to VTA - and they seem to like the rear end of the arm assembly to be 'jacked up'. Easy enough to do.

BUT and it is a very large butt - I have found that with my VTA set correctly (bubble level fits beneath cuing mechanism) that "skinny" records will not play - the cuing mechanism will not drop the arm far enough. It does work with 180g or 200g vinyl however. So when I play a "skinny" I put a mat on the platter (doesn't seem to hurt the sound btw).

I set my VTF to 1.5 g (with a little plus) - I use a Shure VTF scale to set it - the supplied Clearaudio VTF scale is worthless - throw that piece of junk in the trash.

If you need any help don't hesitate to email me. I will be glad to guide you through the steps.

Guiller,

I guess marketing is way different as you move around - on my local CA dealers I cannot even find the "Emotion" listed any longer - just the "Emotion SE".

No doubt this was due to Marantz negotiating some kind of deal to allow their "rebranded" CA to have its own "niche" to compete in. Who knows what those folks are doing? ;-)).

Bottom line - a little work and you will be very happy with the CA table - the CMB is the best bearing technology out there - at least imo. The "Emotion" has a ton of potential - so start tweaking:music:

Enjoy.

BTW: what type of phono preamp are you guys using? I use a very old CJ tube preamp (PV-5) that has a built in MM section. I replaced the caps and rolled the tubes - not a bad sound. Sweet and somewhat extended. Tubes don't have as many problems with extended range when they are not pumping power through output transformers.

best
 
CA motor instability

JohnVF,

I forgot this in my other reply. I had a LOT of trouble with my motor assembly when I first got my CA "Emotion" - noisy and unstable as you pointed out.

I determined that the problem was the factory supplied "o-ring" - it wasn't thick enough to keep the motor in its "hole".

Hate to admit but my fix was to put some thick rubber bands around the motor assembly and jam it back down in the hole. These worked to both isolate the motor and to fix it firmly in its mounting hole.

Eventually I will build a new plinth featuring some isolation - and when I do the motor will receive its own completely decoupled mounting pad. I will post pictures when I get this done (probably start in the next month).

So much for vaunted German engineering. Like everything made in that country the maintenance and rework will drive you crazy - ever own a BMW or an MB? Great, great cars - when they are not in the shop receiving the "tender mercies" of Hans and Franz. Broke ALL THE TIME.

Ah well - the potential is certainly there - the engineering was far less than thorough however.

best
 
The motor in the TT-15S1 (and presumably also the CA Emotion) is not supposed to touch the "hole" in any way, shape, or form... o-ring notwithstanding.

I have the Virtuoso Ebony MM cartridge supplied with the TT-15S1 - it is an astonishingly unimpressive-sounding cartridge given its "advertised price".
 
The Virtuoso sounds better on my VPI than the Marantz. Obviously they're different tables but the mass of the VPI arm seemed to match the Virtuoso cart better. It was much more dynamic. Not that its usable right now- but I could at least get an idea of sound. Still, the Benz cart I'm using and the Dynavector 10x5 were head and shoulders above it- just, plainly better sounding carts. I agree that the Virtuoso was very sensitve to VTA. I thought about having it repaired by I bought the Benz Glider instead. I'll try this simple fix, though. Not much to lose.

I have a Shure V15vmr on the TT-15s1 now, I switch that in and out with a AT-150mlx, and they both sound very nice on that table. As for phono stage, I'm using either my DB Systems DB-8 or the phono stage in my Marantz Reference preamp, which is very nice.

As for the motor- there's nothing wrong with mine. Its actually just the limited weight of the thing that bugs me. If it were heavier it would be more steady, and I wouldn't move it when I turn it on and off. It either moves a bit, touching the base, or the belt falls off. Not everytime, but enough to annoy me. Its a nice sounding table but I've learned that I prefer tables with more torque behind them (though I liked how the Concept sounded).
 
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I want to really thank you for starting this thread. I was able to reseat the stylus assembly in my Virtuoso cart and it is no longer crooked. It sounds pretty good- I haven't ran this table in a while and it really is a nice sounding turntable. I still hate the smallish motor and placement of the on/off switch. Knocked the belt off once already tonight.
 
I want to really thank you for starting this thread. I was able to reseat the stylus assembly in my Virtuoso cart and it is no longer crooked. It sounds pretty good- I haven't ran this table in a while and it really is a nice sounding turntable. I still hate the smallish motor and placement of the on/off switch. Knocked the belt off once already tonight.

Is your belt "good"? I've never had a problem with mine popping off. I know that Marantz provides one replacement belt with the tt as supplied new.
 
Virtuoso cart NOT an AT-95

Melofelo,

The CA cart bodies are unique products presumably built by CA. The styli/cantilever assemblies are OEM (that is bought from) Audio Technica. In MM carts there is no connection between the stylus/cantilever/magnet assembly and the cart "motor" (the coils that are in the cart body). The motor is where the signal is generated and where it is passed to the tonearm wiring.

When you go to MC you have to have a wire connection between the "moving coils" and the output. So a stylus/cantilever replacement is much more complicated in an MC - to me yet another reason to stay away from MC.

In all the CA MM carts the stylus/cantilever and its attached magnets are in a very small plastic "grip" that simply fits into a hole in the bottom of the cart body. This grip includes a rudimentary "suspension" - which in the case of the AT-95 is identical to that of the original grip - just two small steel rods that are shaped in an "X" surrounded by a rubber bushing through which the cantilever passes. This suspension supports the cantilever and allows it to flex as it moves in response to the grooves.

The magnets at the back end of the cantilever generate M fields which induce a small voltage ("E") in the coils of the "motor" assembly.

In the CM carts the "grip" can be removed with little more than finger nail pressure - and then replaced by a AT-95 or AT-95E (that has been suitably modified with a razor knife) ($35).

Is the AT-95 grip as "good" as the OEM piece originally installed? To my ear it is "better" - or at least has more presence and is livelier - I like the sound. Perhaps a bit "rougher" sounding than the original but the difference is a less laid back presentation. Sometimes the "high end" is a tad too smooth for my taste.

The AT-95 replacement grip, set at 1.5 g VTF, with a good VTA (set per the CA manual recommendation) tracks wonderfully - even on records with a small warp (my Gladiator pressing warped when it was removed from the album cardboard - good stuff).

Hope I answered your question - the AT-95 cart is NOT a replacement for the Virtuoso - but the AT-95 grip is a replacement.

This idea of swapping grips between cart bodies is very interesting - talk about tweak possibilities - virtually endless.
 
reddog48
Do the CA "grips" have a compliance screw to hold the cantilever, or is it the same as with AT, an expanding pin. The Jico replacement styli has this screw so, in principle, any AT needle can be transplanted.
gusten
 
The Clearaudio plugs, as we call them, do not have a compliance screw like the ATs or Jicos. So you must get a stylus assembly with with an appropriate plug, if you want to transplant styli.

I believe AT is the OEM for all the Clearaudio MM. I also believe that all the CA MMs share the same generator. They all have the same specs for resistance and inductance. I have a Virtuoso and a modified AT-95. The stock 95 has a bonded .4 x .7 elliptical. The compliance is low for AT and it will work in most med mass arms. The Jico ATN95SA is a bonded shibata with the same cu. It sounds pretty good on either one. It's around $80 at LpGear.

Right now I'm trying an ATN7V stylus transplanted in an appropriate plug. It's a .2 x .7 nude square shank elliptical with a tapered cantilever. It also has low cu. It sounds better (to me) than the Jico shibata. The shibata might be a little sweeter and the 7V more detailed and live. If you want a microridge with a boron cantilever, get a 150MLX stylus and transplant it.

I doubt if Clearaudio manufactures anything on these, with the possible exception of wood tops. I would guess that those are also bought, to their specs. The 95 and the CAs are not the same. They only share the same style plug.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=88878.0

neo
 
So if I were to try to get the cantilever from an AT-150mlx to work, would it be possible to use it again on the AT-150? I don't particularly like either cart, so maybe combining them would make something pleasing.

EDIT: nevermind. I just read that I'd have to put it in the AT-95 plug before transplanting it. Too much tiny finnicky work for me. I'll botch it.
 
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