khorn51 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I have a nice Throrens td 125 Mk II with SME 3009 Series II Improved . The head shell says Shure and the cart is a Staton 881s, I can't a find a good replacment needle for it . Tghe arm is a very light low compliance arm ,I see all the best reviewed cart all need High compliance arms. Are ther any good choices for this arm today with new a cart ? t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I had a TD 125 mk II with an SME 3009 original series arm quite a few years back, and I found the Denon 103 to be a very good match Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The current forum bargain favorite is the Denon DL-103, available from several eBay sellers new for around $175. You'd need a step-up transformer if your preamp isn't set up for low output cartridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I was never able to get a replacement for an 881 either. If you like Stanton, the 681EEE works great in that arm. However, you'll get super results with almost any cart of quality with an SME. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Thanks for the thread, I have that same TT and shopping for tonearm and cart. Did you ever use the 125II with the original Thorens tonearm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I have a Stan 681 EEE on my old Technics tt, I liked to back cue for recording onto cassettes in the old days. Thinking of getting a replacment stylus for it, but wondering how long a cart will last. Doesn't the elastomeric compounds in the shell deteriorate with time to the point that a new stylus would be a waste of money? Do people like the Stanton short cartridges anymore? M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I have a nice Throrens td 125 Mk II with SME 3009 Series II Improved . The head shell says Shure and the cart is a Staton 881s, I can't a find a good replacment needle for it . Tghe arm is a very light low compliance arm ,I see all the best reviewed cart all need High compliance arms. Are ther any good choices for this arm today with new a cart ? t Do you mean low MASS arm? I'm new to all this tonearm business but from what I gather the high MASS arms need low compliance cartridges and vice versa. Is this right? I am being advised to seek a high mass tonearm for my Thorens. I think the older SME's provided this, and a removeable headshell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The 3009 Series II Improved with the SME removable headshell has an effective mass of 9.5g, about 3g less than the 3009 R and the 3009 Series II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I am being advised to seek a high mass tonearm for my Thorens.Like the ones Catholics use in church? Given your luck with turntables, Michael, I'd recommend getting any new tonearms blessed by the Pope... [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 (Shudder) Backcueing with a 618EEE. I'd get a 580 (I think that's correct) which is specifically designed for backcueing. I have some very old (35 or so years) carts and have not had any deterioration or change of sound (though my ears have probably deteriorated and perhaps I don't notice). [:$] Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khorn51 Posted March 26, 2008 Author Share Posted March 26, 2008 The Denon DL-103 won't match up with the 3009 improved as the arm mass is to low for it. Sucks having this arm today as the choices are hard to come by, guess I'll hold out for some $$$ NOS stuff. The real bummer is my other arm is a Infinity black widow which is even lower mass. I keep looking at the new SME arms but $$$$$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Just to re-iterate what others have said the SME 3009 Series 2 improved arm (the curved version - not the straight arm) is 9.5 grams apparent mass. This is not ideal for a Denon 103 with its relatively low compliance. I would suggest that the ideal match for such an arm would be a high compliance MM cartridge - a grado for example, or a Clearaudio Aurum or suchlike. There are many choices in the MM arena - what budget do you have in mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capo72 Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I'm in the same boat, but I have the fixed headshell version which has an even lower effective mass 6.5g. Right now i'm leaning toward the Grado Reference Platinum wood body cart. I think it sells new in the $300 range. Mathmatically it is a good match and hopefully it is sonically too. Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 A Zu modified 103 adds 5.5g to the cartridge (8.5 to 14). Would that mod allow it to work properly with a 3009 S2 Imp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 A Zu modified 103 adds 5.5g to the cartridge (8.5 to 14). Would that mod allow it to work properly with a 3009 S2 Imp? Yes - from a resonant frequency point of view - no in the real world. The problem is that any given arm is designed to work with a range of cartrdige weights (masses more properly) and this one supports a range of 4 to 9 grams. Even if you could get it to counterbalance properly (with a third party counterweight if there was one) you would be way outside the design specs for the arm suspension / bearings etc. In other words - heaven only knows how it would behave. Badly would be my guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capo72 Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 That's a great question Gregg. I guess we would need a compliance # to know for sure. Are there any specs available for the Zu 103. I would love to know a compliance # and the output voltage. Here is a nice website I use to get info for the SME 3009 - 3012. It has alot of useful info. http://www.analogue-classics.com/html/sme_3009___3012.html Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 A Zu modified 103 adds 5.5g to the cartridge (8.5 to 14). Would that mod allow it to work properly with a 3009 S2 Imp? This is the second time I am posting this - something went wrong - if 2 answers appear - apologies in advance: From the point of view of the resonant frequency - and only the resonant frequency - yes. From a practical point of view almost certainly not. Any given arm is designed to work with a given range of cartridge masses. In this case that range is from 4 to 9 grams. You would therefore need to get a 3rd party counterweight to be able to get the thing to balance in the first place. That aside - we would now be well outside the design specs for the arm and other issues would probably arise with the arm's suspension, bearing stresses and so on. I have no idea how it would work- I suspect badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Ooo, that's a drag. I do have an Ortofon RS-212 here as well. Perhaps that will work with the 103 (that I have sitting in its little box). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 The Zu has the same compliance as the original, which is about 9 at 10hz (5 at 100hz). Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Mike, That's what I read, as well. Higher mass, though. No problems with your setup, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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