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Turntable experts: help!


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I picked up a gem of a turntable yesterday at a flea market. It's a JVC L-E600, linear. I'm a real gadget freak, so I enjoyed opening it up and seeing all the optical sensors that track the tone arm and all. It works perfectly, but unfortunately, it needs a cartridge. Here's where it gets interesting:

I got an audio-technica P-mount. It was too big and it lacked a screwhole in the top of the cartridge, which the JVC's had. However, I found out that the removeable needle fit perfectly if I removed it from the new cart and put it in the JVC's, provided that I trimmed the plastic around the needle somewhat to accomodate the tonearm. I also noticed that the new a-t cartridge was the same size as the JVC's, under the glued-on plastic shell. I removed that, and I noticed that the metal shell of the cartridge itself had a provision for a mounting hole in the top, in the exact same location as the JVC's cartridge. It was blocked by a piece of plastic, though, and I'm hesitant to drill through it because I'm afraid I'll make a hole in something important.

I don't have much experience with turntables. Does anyone know if it's safe to make a mounting hole in the top of that cartridge, or do I need a different one? The size is identical and would fit in the tonearm perfectly if I could anchor it with that screw. I don't have much experience with turntables, I'm only 18 so I grew up as they were dying out. I can remember when department stores sold a variety of cartridges and stylii, but not very clearly. Smile.gif If anyone could give me some info, I'd really appreciate it!

Oh, and so this post isn't COMPLETELY off-topic: Those old albums sound really nice on my Klipsch speakers! I found an old RCA Red Label classical music album at the same flea market. I was STUNNED at the sound quality, even with the old needle and all.

This message has been edited by xr7segfault on 05-19-2001 at 03:13 PM

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Originally posted by xr7segfault:

I picked up a gem of a turntable yesterday at a flea market. It's a JVC L-E600, linear. I'm a real gadget freak, so I enjoyed opening it up and seeing all the optical sensors that track the tone arm and all. It works perfectly, but unfortunately, it needs a cartridge. Here's where it gets interesting:

I got an audio-technica P-mount. It was too big and it lacked a screwhole in the top of the cartridge, which the JVC's had. However, I found out that the removeable needle fit perfectly if I removed it from the new cart and put it in the JVC's, provided that I trimmed the plastic around the needle somewhat to accomodate the tonearm. I also noticed that the new a-t cartridge was the same size as the JVC's, under the glued-on plastic shell. I removed that, and I noticed that the metal shell of the cartridge itself had a provision for a mounting hole in the top, in the exact same location as the JVC's cartridge. It was blocked by a piece of plastic, though, and I'm hesitant to drill through it because I'm afraid I'll make a hole in something important.

I don't have much experience with turntables. Does anyone know if it's safe to make a mounting hole in the top of that cartridge, or do I need a different one? The size is identical and would fit in the tonearm perfectly if I could anchor it with that screw. I don't have much experience with turntables, I'm only 18 so I grew up as they were dying out. I can remember when department stores sold a variety of cartridges and stylii, but not very clearly.
Smile.gif
If anyone could give me some info, I'd really appreciate it!

Oh, and so this post isn't COMPLETELY off-topic: Those old albums sound really nice on my Klipsch speakers! I found an old RCA Red Label classical music album at the same flea market. I was STUNNED at the sound quality, even with the old needle and all.

I would definitely advise against doing this. You risk damaging the cartridge, both in terms of sonic characteristics and shielding from things like AC hum.

Your better served buying another cartridge, preferably a high compliance one from a company like Shure. Older tables like yours (mine as well, 1978) were generally designed to work with high compliance cartridges with low tracking forces. The newer cartridges tend to be opposite, low compliance and relatively high tracking forces.

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