jeffgeorge Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 The analog bug has hit me since I recently got my La Scalas. I have an opportunity to get (from my father) a Yamaha Direct drive / linear tracking TT circa mid-eighties. I believe it also has the top of the line Signet cart. of the time w/ little use. In this particular case I can't go wrong, because it will be free, but does anyone have any thoughts on this? This has been in storage for around 15 years. Should the cartridge still work? Will the TT have any issues? Remember, it is a direct drive TT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 No experience at all with that set up but Yamaha was pretty serious about audio in the mid 80's and made pretty nice stuff from what I can remember. With nice clean records, I think you'll be stunned how good the vinyl is going to sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Just make sure the cart is aligned properly and let it rip. At worst, you'll have to spray some cleaner on the switches as I had to do when bringing my old technics DD back to life after 15 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 "If it's free, it's for me!" If he has the manual, look where to apply a few drops of lubricant. It will be a good way to get into vinyl without spending a fortune though the compliance will be a little off. Then, as time and money progress, you can upgrade. Maybe your father will get the bug from you and want it back! Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 I would not be at all surprised if that table fired up first time and the timing was very close. The cart I am not so sure about. Check the support for the cantilever - if it is a rubber support it has probably either hardened significantly or whithered away. Either way it may not be rescuable. Carts rarely store well over significant periods of time. Try it and see. If it bounces out of the groove - or bottoms out of the record chances are it is toast - but you might get lucky and it will play OK - although probably not at the level it did 15 years ago. Does the arm have a standard mount? If so there are plenty of reasonably priced carts out there that you can use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffgeorge Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments. Maxg - it is a standard mount cart. What resonably priced carts. are good ones to look for, if the Signet is toast? I listen to everything from Rock to Classical. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 How much do you want to spend? What phono inputs do you have on your amp? Can you run MC or just MM? Do you know how much gain your phono stage has? What arm is that on the TT? (What is the mass?) Matching a cartridge to an arm is a fine art. Not all carts play well on all arms. Generally people on this forum seem to go for Shure's, Blue Points and Denon 110's or 160's - but none of these might be right for your arm - or they might all be. Sorry - all questions and no answers - but it is safer this way - honestly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffgeorge Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 I would be willing to spend around $200 - $300 MM only I don't know the gain Don't know the mass of the tonearm either - How would I find out? Should it be in the manual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 the manual should give you all sorts of info - like what mass of carts it is designed for and the mass. To run a Denon, for example, which is a relatively low compliance cart, we would be looking for a mass of around 10 or more. Blue Points are more forgiving. Not sure about Shure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 ---------------- On 4/15/2005 7:59:47 AM jeffgeorge wrote: I would be willing to spend around $200 - $300 MM only I don't know the gain Don't know the mass of the tonearm either - How would I find out? Should it be in the manual? ---------------- That's a good range. Dynavector, Grado, Audio Technica, Goldring, Sumiko. There's a lot out there. Go to www.needledoctor.com and read up on them. I don't think you can go too wrong with anything in that price range as long as you spend sometime learning about proper cartridge alignment. I mean, if you start getting totally anal about it, then yes, I'm sure some are better than others. But I think for just starting out, you're going to like what you hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 I remember borrowing a Yamaha linear tracking TT from a local dealer some years ago and it was indeed a plug and play unit (referring to its condition). I have no info on the model, arm etc. and shall NOT recommend the usual Garrott as it needs an arm raised at pivot by about 5mm . Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 can't go wrong with an AR ..Xa, or XB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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