Vinyl/LP/Phono/Turntable Accessories Help!!

I can only answer a couple of your questions:

1. The Rega Fono. If the manual says MM, then it will only play MM. For those phono-stages with both MM/MC capability, there is either a switch or there are two sets of input. Usually a switch for you to specify either MM or MC.

2. For good quality, value for money catridges, one of my favourites is Benz Micro. However, I am not sure if there is a Benz Micro MM catridge in your budget range. Actually my dealer, Audio Image, has a used Grado MCZ for sale. That one is MM I think, or rather Moving Iorn is the term Grado uses. Personally I would recommend you visit them to check out whether they have anything to offer to you within your budget. Of course if you can go a bit higher would be good lar. Audio Image 03-79563077, Adrian Wong. Opens from 2pm till 7+pm. They sell Benz Micro and Clearaudio.

3. The stylus is supposed to wear out eventually. But most stylus are diamond so you should get an idea of how long.

4. There are special LP cleaning machines you can buy. But expensive. You should also use a special liquid to wash. Also expensive. Unfortunately everything about this hobby is expensive (though the returns is very considerable as well). I understand the DIY way is to use soap and water (mild concentration), carefully wash the LP and then air-dry it. But I have never tried this way before. The minimum I used was a cheap VPI record cleaning machine.

5. If you play an unclean/dirty LP, your stylus will just pick up lots of dirt/gung. Which brings us to the issue that you really need a stylus cleaner as well.

I think CMY in 1-U sells some accessories. But as explained above, I almost exclusively buy all of my stuff from Audio Image.

Perhaps this is a good opportunity to buy a Rega P3-24 with a Rega cartridge (for least fuss in setup or alignment) since Asia Sound is promoting a great price for all to own one.
You can visit Tong Lee and buy the Pro-Ject carbon brush at a reasonable price. Audio Image have record cleaning machine and service at a fee, perhaps highly recommended you have it all washed this time round.
Mr Wong here have likely answered the rest of your questions.
Good luck!.

Hi adrian,

I concur with cmboy on the value of Rega turntables especially with the P3-24. However most of their cartridges are in MM(there is only 1 cartridge in MC) so you may need a phono MM input if you want to get one of those cheaper MM cartridges.

By the way, if you have any Pat Metheny or John Abercrombie LPs please let me know. You sure are lucky to have inherited a huge collection of LPs from your dad. Most of these records are cheap during their days, some even discarded them off for the price of dirt or into the rubbish bin during the invasion of CDs. Now some of the popular and scarce titles that are highly sought after have caused the prices to rocket-up quite a bit.

Hi Wong KN,
Thanks for the info and knowledge, but I am not into High End approach on this now. So I cant spend much on it.
Need your experience on LP records that have bad scratchy surface, will it damage the stylus prematurely?

Hi CmBoy and Ryders,
Sorry maybe I have got it wrongly, because yesterday I visited Rega site on their Cartridges, it seems like they have all MC. Even the Bias 2.

Between MM and MC cartridge... the different be on the output voltage only right? So, basically Rega Fono Mini should be ok?

Please enlighten me. Thanks.

adrian4454 wrote:Hi Wong KN,
Hi CmBoy and Ryders,
Sorry maybe I have got it wrongly, because yesterday I visited Rega site on their Cartridges, it seems like they have all MC. Even the Bias 2.
Between MM and MC cartridge... the different be on the output voltage only right? So, basically Rega Fono Mini should be ok?
Please enlighten me. Thanks.

Rega Elyse and Bias are Moving Magnet and the Fono will be a match. Its only the very expensive Rega Apheta is MC. OK..for starters, suggest to by MM (or other MM make) and Rega Fono or NAD PP2, Cambridge Audio 540P/640P whichever the price suit you altogether.
For long term, dig a bit deeper and buy the P3-24 and keep this for a long time and make this ONE purchase worthwhile despite perhaps having to put out bit more $$. Or you can spread it out, buy the TT first, wait till later and buy the phono stage if playing the records are not so urgent. Ok..will not speculate how you should spend your money, you'd know best yourself. If I, I'd buy an excellent value TT...ONE shot, even if it'll make me poorer for a while.

I have the P3 in my office system and for the price, it cannot be beat. I also use the Rega Fono to push the signals from the Elys2 cart.

Really P&P that Rega.

Hi adrian, thanks for your purchase. It was pleasent to deal with you. Have fun and good luck in your TT journey

If the record is scratchy it does not hurt the catridge but you might get put off playing LPs. This is because you will hear lots of noise : pops, scratches, and in bad cases the catridge might even skip part of the track. This bane of LPs is what put many people off it, eventhough in the absolute sense, LPs outdeliver CDs in term of sound quality. However if a record is very dirty, e.g. lots of gunk or worse with dirt like broken pieces of record slleeve, or other bits of stuff stuck on the surface, THEN it might cause some danger to the catridge/TT.

I am not sure how to advice you on how to progress. The idea of buying a good Rega is a sound one but what's the point in spending thousands only to have the TT there for show only ? On the other hand, compromising now and then upgrading everything again in the near future means you end up spending more. In the end, the best person to decide is you yourself. But for sure if you can get a system up and running, you will fall in love with analogue sound and you might even find it hard to go back to CD again.

The difference between MM and MC catridge is not only the output level. Generally MC catridges starts off in price and quality around where MM catridges tops off. Listen to some really good MC catridge and you will see, or rather hear what the fuss is all about.

I forgot that Audio Image offers record cleaning service. I think the going rate is quite reasonable because a high quality vacumn based cleaner from Clearaudio is used. Also once cleaned the LP is put into a special anti-fungal sleeve. So for that once off investment/expense, it is worthwhile to pay to get the LPs cleaned at Audio Image. One way is to flip through that 100+ LPs you inherited and then select maybe a portion and have them cleaned first. But really, from what I remember of the charges, you should easily be able to afford having ALL of them cleaned.

I see that you bought that Rega Alex was selling. Good for you. So it seems you just need an MM catridge now. Again, I highly recommend Audio Image. It's worth spending a bit more on the catridge. I like their Benz Micro catridges a lot and feel they offer superb sound for the money. Again that Grado MCZ is very worth considering as well. Also, make sure you bring lots of cash. Or have a very healthy credit card. Audio Image is a heaven of LPs, new and used.

I thought the Rega P1 already comes with the cartridge itself at RM980?

Aiyah, I type like mad just now, but nothing got updated into the thread.

Hi Wong,
Thanks a lot! Your words on cartridge durability has my phobia of broken stylus on a few plays; cured. I've played LPs before in my late teen, ya with little knowledge of setup. It was a Dual and Shure cartridge. My dad stuff of course. I knew the potential of these stuffs. It was good then even with old hi fi setup.

I hope I can extract more sonic goodness from it this time round. Wish me luck.

Hi Guys,
I seriously need to know the price of:
1) The cleaning service offered by Audio Image. RM10/pc?
2) Pro-ject Carbon Brush.

Thanks alot.

I remember it's a lot less than RM10 per LP. It used to be RM2 or 3 per LP but the price could have gone up a little bit now. For the Pro-Ject brush, why not check with the TT dealer, Tong Lee if I remember correctly what someone mentioned earlier in this thread.

No offence but I don't like to deal with Tong Lee. Abit stuck-up IMO. I saw Project Genie being sold at Amcorp Mall at Acoustic Solutions, mayb worth to check with them.

I see. Well, shopping around is always a worthwhile thing to do. As long as it's fun. Some dealers are not exactly friendly (though my luck has generally been good, crossing my fingers). Worth trying out Acoustic Solutions in my opinion. Come to think of it, I am not sure if Audio Image has the cleaning brush for sale or not. I will check the next time I go over (this weekend).

IIRC, Audio Image sells the Clearaudio brush that is also used in their RCM.

I am not sure if Adrian still have stock of those. They are very good.

yup... still got plenty.

Is there any expiry date for cartridges?

yes. When the stylus breaks or when the diamond is chipped.

mugenfoo wrote:yes. When the stylus breaks or when the diamond is chipped.

I mean still new, packed and sealed.
Are cartridges similar like a pack of milk?

car o scope wrote:

mugenfoo wrote:yes. When the stylus breaks or when the diamond is chipped.

I mean still new, packed and sealed.
Are cartridges similar like a pack of milk?

Unless there is a mfg defect, then it should be considered "Mint" condition. How to expire ?


I got a Shure M55E cartridge thats working perfectly fine and its older than me. Still hasn't expired yet

Hahahahaha... I just wanted to find out.
Then, I think it should be fine as I kept it nicely.

Roughly how much for the budgetest Ortofon cartridges?

So, how's the L1P1 flu virus is catching up with you, sivaguru?
A lot of enthusiasts here already kena.

car o scope wrote:Roughly how much for the budgetest Ortofon cartridges?

Look for Audio Technica AT95E. This is an underated budget cartridge. Buy from the internet cheaper.
Dun ask me the price here. No comment.

need some advise from TT expert,,,
Which is better buy vintage amp with phono stage or just buy phono amp...consider both price is RM500 and below..

Tq

cmboy wrote:
Look for Audio Technica AT95E. This is an underated budget cartridge. Buy from the internet cheaper.
Dun ask me the price here. No comment.

Let me check what are the two different models of Audio Technica that I currently have.
Using one of them for many years and another one as spare.

Hi Sivaguru.. Thanks for the advise.. That was a few incidents while playing through the records that I clean personally. I truly afraid I damage my Ortofon diamond tip also...
How do we know it is damaged? It wont track anymore? or highly distorted sound when playing?

I find that the suggested setting by Rega on it Rega P1 is more than 2g. So instead of pushing the weight to the very end. I turn back 1 turn to make thing easy for the stylus.

How important is bias setting guys? how will it affect the sound?
DOes it always follow the weight set on cartridge?

@Adrian, Wow.... If u inherited 100+ LPs, definitely go for a good TT system (phono & all) . I only have a vault of about 50+ LPs and it's a good enough reason to splurge on a decent TT already.


Recommend to get a good Phono amp that can play both MM and MC should u decide to upgrade in the future. Rega Fono is limited such that they make different MM or Mc specific stages only.

Also if u got really old LPs, good if u can find a phono state that has multiple Curve eq. selection.

I'd personally recommend a good Phonostage coz after having gone thru 3 phono boxes in 1 week, it makes a world of difference.

As for the weight for the tracking force, just get a good simple gauge like the Shure SFG-2. It a simple mechanical scale balancer and is good enough to get the force within 0.2 grams. its not entirely critical anyways since mfg specs always give a range for the setting. If u r really gila hardcore, u can get one of those electronic ones (and also use it to weigh white powder if u like).

adrian4454 wrote:
How important is bias setting guys? how will it affect the sound?
DOes it always follow the weight set on cartridge?

By Bias, u mean the anti-skate setting issit ?

Hi Mugen thanks for the advise. Yes, Anti skate setting.
Anyway, I've purchased the most basic and have to make the best of it. I just want to find out what old good songs I can find out from the collections first.

Antiskate is actually a very subjective and controversial issue. Nevertheless in practice, manufacturer usually simplifies the matter and suggest to set at the same value of the cartridge force for acceptable playback. There's no such thing as "exact or precise setting" to suit all playback. The amount of anti skate will depend on the condition or quality of record media itself. As you all know records are not entirely perfect media and may not be perfectly flat. Anti skate may be a bit more than what's been set say the record is at a slope towards the outside and possibly under set if it slopes inwards. Clamping down the LP may give marginal improvement. Its all in the law of physics and anti skate is to compromise in contributing to a more accurate groove tracking.
There's people who set it very nicely with a test record or by ear, but still get various results when playing various LP's.

Thanks CMBoy!
That's another I need to ask all the LP Sifus out there.
the creaking and popping sound on the records.

Is it true that, if you have a record that is perfectly clean and almost free from dust, and minimum static, still exhibit fair bit of these noises?

Does it mean that record is not so good already?

Are there any scratches on the LPs?
Scratches will also give you such sound.

often times there are very fine dirt thats stuck in the record grooves thats why still got some crackle and pops.

At Nova Hi-Fi at Jaya-1, I saw this "groove by groove" cleaner that looks super duper canggih. I dunno how it works except that I saw a tube that probably send the cleaning fluid, and then a very fine nozzle suction pipe that will SUCK the grooves as the liquid is sprayed onto the surface.

Usually this doesnt mean the record is bad. Just that its got some stubborn micro-dirt stuck in the grooves. The advice i got from some LP guru (whom i shall not name for fear of his name being used to lend credibility to opinions or ideas) is just to keep playing these records and eventually the cartridge will "dig" out all these stubborn dirt.

A record is really bad and damaged when there are sonic breakups. They sound horrible and usually no amount of cleaning or pampering or spa will save them.

Another thing to check out for would be physical scratch damages and as advised by that grandmaster LP guru is to run your fingernail very lightly over the scratch area and see if it catches your fingernail or not. If it does, better dont play these LPs coz the damage is very deep and may risk damaging the cartridge by literally pulling the diamond tip out of the stylus and destroying it permanently.

Wow! I'm getting really inspired by the thread here. Any gurus out there who can come and help tune and properly set up my turntables? Also, any recommendations on who or where I can send my stylus for re-tipping?

We must use specific type of fluids to clean the LPs?
Will we spoil them if we use errrrm say those that we use to wash dinner plates?

car o scope wrote:We must use specific type of fluids to clean the LPs?
Will we spoil them if we use errrrm say those that we use to wash dinner plates?

I've been advised to use this AMWAY multipurpose cleaner called "LOC" (liquid organic cleaner) . It must be of the "biodegradable" type (check on the label) so its fully harmless on the vinyls.

Do NOT use regular handwashing soap or dishwashing liquid. Laundry detergent is especially bad because they all contain Caustic Soda (so does hand soap, so don't use hand soap also).

Cleaning must also be done with at least filtered water. Those fibre element types that people install in their garden's would suffice. Don't trust unfiltered incoming water from Jabatan Bekalan Air as sediments can get lodged in the record grooves and damage the records. People staying near Jalan Kelang Lama (KL / Selangor) and PJ old town can especially attest to this.


This piece of advice i got from one particular LP grandmaster guru (whom i shall not name for fear of his name being used to lend credibility to statements or opinions in this forum). Moderators @Wongkn & @bassraptor would know who I am referring to.

igmcheah wrote:Wow! I'm getting really inspired by the thread here. Any gurus out there who can come and help tune and properly set up my turntables? Also, any recommendations on who or where I can send my stylus for re-tipping?

What TT do u have ?

Is the stylus worn already? what cartridge is it ?

mugenfoo wrote:
I've been advised to use this AMWAY multipurpose cleaner called "LOC" (liquid organic cleaner) . It must be of the "biodegradable" type (check on the label) so its fully harmless on the vinyls.

This piece of advice i got from one particular LP grandmaster guru (whom i shall not name for fear of his name being used to lend credibility to statements or opinions in this forum). Moderators @Wongkn & @bassraptor would know who I am referring to.

I have LOC at home. Maybe I should try it out.

Fuh yoh.. Got sifu, master, expert, guru and now got grandmaster guru.

I have a Clearaudio Evolution with its original arm fitted with a Benz Glider cartridge. This needs resetting as the sound is definitely out. I have another Rega P9 with the RB900 arm fitted with a Transfiguration Temper and again, I believed the sound should be very much better, given the quality of the sources. My main concern is my 3rd turntable, a Clearaudio Solution fitted with a Artemiz tonearm and a Shiraz cartridge. I moved the turntable gear when repositioning my set up and the arm went out of alignment. I also need to have the Shiraz to be retipped. Any advice or assistance will be greatly appreciated.

igmcheah wrote:I have a Clearaudio Evolution with its original arm fitted with a Benz Glider cartridge. This needs resetting as the sound is definitely out. I have another Rega P9 with the RB900 arm fitted with a Transfiguration Temper and again, I believed the sound should be very much better, given the quality of the sources. My main concern is my 3rd turntable, a Clearaudio Solution fitted with a Artemiz tonearm and a Shiraz cartridge. I moved the turntable gear when repositioning my set up and the arm went out of alignment. I also need to have the Shiraz to be retipped. Any advice or assistance will be greatly appreciated.

My goodness ... you've spent a FORTUNE on TTs !!!!!! So many Clearaudio TT and exotic tonearms!

OK, can try and align them with my Clearaudio Alignment gauge if u like. U buy lunch .

Actually, why not just refer back to the local Clearaudio dealer. Sure will be able to get all the alignment back in place and your tonearms and carts balanced nicely.

U know who the local Clearaudio dealer in town is right ?

.. hang on .. if your CA Evo has got a tangential arm, then the Clearaudio gauge is not applicable. Its only for unipivot radial tonearms. So mebbe just do for your CA Solution.

[quote="car o scope"]

mugenfoo wrote:
Fuh yoh.. Got sifu, master, expert, guru and now got grandmaster guru.

Yep, many among the auto industry and just as many screwed up cars after repairs,,,hahhah...just joking lah.

igmcheah is a successful businessman so can afford such luxury rigs lah..
In hifi, the $$ factor is very essential, no?

Hey cmboy, no lah, not a successful one yet but trying very very hard to become one, heh heh! $$ is definitely a factor but I believe patience, friendship, and being nice and humble will get you things at very affordable and good prices.

Mugenfoo, you're on. Lunch on me or even dinner is not a problem. Just let me know when and I'll see if it'll be a convenient time. Thks.

Curious question... From whom n where did u buy your Clearaudio TTs from?

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the advise again!
For me, I use Glass cleaning detergent. Non Static. Those u spray on a window and wiping it off with newspaper one.

Of course, I use paint brush as well to run it in circular motion. Wash with lurk warm water and rinse it again with battery water.

tap it with car high absorbing non fabric cloth and air dry...

Still have fair amount of creak and pop..haha, of course, there are some LPs that have much lesser of this. Hope to find some good one in the 100++ records... just managed to wash 10++ only.

Sometimes after playing those not-so-clean LPs, I found things like cloth fiber and dust gathering at the tip of the cartridge.
I use tweezer to remove them.
Scared the cartridge will be damaged by the dirt.

Hi Car o scope, u can get a stylus tip cleaner... it is a bottle of liquid with a tiny brush inside. Not really expensive.
I suspect, it is pure alcohol. So even the smearing PVC stuck to tip can be taken off.

adrian4454 wrote:Hi Car o scope, u can get a stylus tip cleaner... it is a bottle of liquid with a tiny brush inside. Not really expensive.
I suspect, it is pure alcohol. So even the smearing PVC stuck to tip can be taken off.

I think you've to be careful with any cleaner on the stylus. Some stylus are bonded on with some space age adhesive and some press fit on the cantilever. If you're unlucky, the tip may work loose (something like shakey tooth?) and go missing one fine day. Its just a fear..thats all, the risk is yours. I suppose Audio Technica formulates the chemical to suit their own cartridges. Just some thoughts here.

Hi mugenfoo, bought the ca evo from audio image, the other from a friend.