Linn Basik LVX and an MC cart?

[Jas0_0]

Hi all,

I wonder if you can help. I want to improve the sound of my LP12 and feel transducer upgrades always seem to offer the biggest leaps. I currently run an MM cart, and would like to try MC. Though I've read several competing opinions elsewhere on whether my Linn Basik LVX tonearm is up to it. Can the science/measurement-minded of you here shed any light?

The Basik LVX specs are as follows:

• Overall Length: 284mm
• Effective Length: 230mm
• Overhang: 18mm
• Tonearm rear length: 50mm
• Friction: Less than 20mg
• Effective Mass: 12g
• Cartridge Weight Range: 2-10g
• Stylus Pressure Range: 0.3g in 0.1g steps

Some say the bearings aren't up to the rigours of MC cartridges, while others say it's ok if you use a high compliance cart. If the latter is true, how high to go while still maintaining recommended resonance frequency?

I'm currently running an Ortofon VMS30 MkII MM. It was refitted by a Linn dealer during a service. IGD is quite bad, and I'm also getting a bit of sibilance. The Ortofon has a compliance of 22 µm/mN, tracking force range of 1.0 - 1.6g and weight of 5g. Using an online calculator, with the LVX this gives a resonance frequency of 8.1Hz - quite low?

Can anyone recommend an MC cart in the £300-£500 range that might work on the LVX? Or might my money be better spent on a new bearing/power supply/arm before addressing the cartridge?

Many thanks,

James

 

[LTig]

I don't think that the type of pickup depends on the arm, except that its compliance and mass has to match the mass of the arm such that the resonance frequency should be close to 10 Hz.

The type of needle cut on the other hand may be play a role in so far as the sharper it is the more critical is the adjustment of ther pickup (overhang and angle, vertical tracking angle, tracking force). If such a the pickup is not setup precisely distortion may be higher than on a similarly bad adjusted pickup with a round needle cut. As better pickups use sharper cuts and the best pickups usually are MCs this may be the reason for your statement.

 

[Jas0_0]

I don't think that the type of pickup depends on the arm, except that its compliance and mass has to match the mass of the arm such that the resonance frequency should be close to 10 Hz.

The type of needle cut on the other hand may be play a role in so far as the sharper it is the more critical is the adjustment of ther pickup (overhang and angle, vertical tracking angle, tracking force). If such a the pickup is not setup precisely distortion may be higher than on a similarly bad adjusted pickup with a round needle cut. As better pickups use sharper cuts and the best pickups usually are MCs this may be the reason for your statement.

Thanks - really helpful. So any improvement from a better MC cartridge/stylus would likely be lost to bearing sloppiness... Think table/arm upgrades are the priority then.

 

[LTig]

Thanks - really helpful. So any improvement from a better MC cartridge/stylus would likely be lost to bearing sloppiness... Think table/arm upgrades are the priority then.

Nope, that's not what I wrote. You just have to adjust a pickup with higher precision if its needle cut is sharper. This adjustment is not a matter of the bearing at all. Pickup alignment is the proper english word I think, and there are quite a few howtos available. Google threw out this one for example:
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2016/1/17/a-beginners-guide-to-cartridge-setup

 

[Jas0_0]

Nope, that's not what I wrote. You just have to adjust a pickup with higher precision if its needle cut is sharper. This adjustment is not a matter of the bearing at all. Pickup alignment is the proper english word I think, and there are quite a few howtos available. Google threw out this one for example:
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2016/1/17/a-beginners-guide-to-cartridge-setup

Oh right, thanks. So you think I’ll be fine with an MC on my arm?

 

[LTig]

Oh right, thanks. So you think I’ll be fine with an MC on my arm?

Yes.

 

[anmpr1]

I'm currently running an Ortofon VMS30 MkII MM.

Your Ortofon cartridge is no longer supported by the company. They do make a replacement stylus, but it is not as sophisticated as the one in your model. If you are experiencing tracking problems it might be time for a replacement stylus.

Replacing what you have with a MC is an option, but you are then faced with other issues: generally higher initial cost (and long term replacement cost); step up interfaces (head amp or transformer); no user ability to replace the stylus.

All that must be taken into consideration.

 

[Unclevanya]

I was listening to that table with that arm when they were new. Everyone ran a MC cartridge on it at one time or another and it was fine.

 

[DSJR]

The LVX is a pretty frail arm with a few weaknesses now at thirty five years or so old. The headshell socket can work loose if too many headshell changes are made - first hand personal experience of many samples here!!! - but you can 'fix it' with a little stud-loc (the green stuff used for setting tape head adjustment screws) inserted between socket and arm tube (it runs in, or at least did when I used it).

The second thing is the counterweight insert, which turns to a gooey mush at it's age now, the weight then spinning freely on it's threaded 'stub.'

Both things above can emphasise the slightly 'splattery' quality the LVX has - the Basik Plus fixed head arm which replaced it sounding 'lean toned' rather than messy and similar to the Jelco sibling that was current for years (250ST).

Best advice I can give is to check the two things above, and with a #0 crosshead driver, check for gentle but firm tghtness of the screws holding the headshell socket to the tube and the tube to the bearing assembly. With suitable size Allen key, check the pillar screws holding the bearings in place - again GENTLY and using the short end of the key as lever. All these things were shown me at the Linn factory in Glasgow, so not audiophool amateur rambles... I have a Basik Plus here and have no need currently to attend to the counterweight decoupling insert. I believe some suitably sized rubber or silicon piping trimmed to length may do it but haven't got that far yet. The counterweight should 'grip' the stub and not freely spin as they eventually do.

Cartridge choice. If it MUST be an MC, try the latest AT OC9 elliptical models under £300/$300, as I don't think they're hugely low in compliance and the metal body should prevent the generator feeding too much energy into this 'live' structure. The evergreen Denon DL110 is a fair quality higher output MC but can sound too safe and boring to me. It'll work in almost anything though, so you can say you have an MC cartridge installed! My choice would be a good MM such as an AT530 (K9 level in Linn-speak) or 540 or probably preferably 740** (K18 level - sort of) and measurements and soundbites are on the German Lowbeats site. Not sure an Ortofon 2M Bronze might be too much of a good thing in terms of funky exuberance in this arm (it's great in a Rega) and in my opinion, a Goldring 1042 is too much, sounding 'zitty' and one-note at high frequencies (excuse the subjectivist terms here).

Anyone reading who has a Linn K9 needing a stylus, the VM95ML and SH make excellent stylus replacements and fit the K9 and K18 body.



P.S. The VMS30 was a plump toned old thing and not as taut as the previous M20 FL Super. The sound you describe is either a filthy diamond covered in crud or more likely, wear, as fancy tip Otofons go badly 'off' at high frequencies when they wear out, sibilance and so on deteriorating severely long before the diamond damages records. When new, the 30 diamond is beautiful under s proper microscope and I *think* styli can still be got for it.

**After the VMS30, the AT 740 might be where you should be looking today. Same internals and stylus assembly as the 540 but a nice metal mount. if your browser allows translation, try here -

https://www.lowbeats.de/test-audio-technica-vm740ml/

Interesting the review pic shows the nylon washers used between screw head and cartridge. We were told/taught to use stainless steel Allen bolts and nuts (2.5mm I think) and to do them up firmly... hey ho.

 

[Unclevanya]

I was listening to that table with that arm when they were new. Everyone ran a MC cartridge on it at one time or another and it was fine.

I have to amend this comment given the comments from DSJR. I don't have the long term experience with what wear has done to that tonearm over time.

 

[milosz]

I wonder if the preference for MC cartridges is just a matter of fashion. I've used a Shure V15 MK IV in my Rega and VPI turntables, and after a while replaced the stylus with a Jico stylus and it sure sounded OK to me. I replaced it with a Dynavector moving coil and while the MC was somewhat different sounding I can't say it was better.

 

[anmpr1]

I wonder if the preference for MC cartridges is just a matter of fashion. ...while the MC was somewhat different sounding I can't say it was better.

That's a good question. When I was in to the 'hardware' end of the record playing scene I started out with a ceramic 'flip over' cartridge. The step up to a Shure M44 was notable. Then the Shure M7x and M9x series. Then the V15 iterations. Each time I thought there was a significant improvement.

Next I got into the Denon MC scene. I thought the 103D was the best of the bunch, but honestly couldn't tell that it was 'better' in an absolute sense than the 3xx series series. Just 'different'. I currently own a couple of plain jane DL103, a DL160, and DL110. They sound more alike than different. At least the 160 and 110. One is blue and the other is red. So maybe it's just the color.

The 'high priced spread' always eluded me, since I couldn't bring myself to spend the dollars required to get involved in the exotic Japanese MC game. Then there is the transformer/head amp debate. Then, specific tonearms for specific cartridges. It all gets out of hand pretty quickly. That said, I admit that probably the nicest analog sound I ever heard featured a Koetsu cartridge.

The biggest thing with records is how they are recorded (of course the quality of the plastic--pops and ticks comes first). Yesterday I was listening to a Mozart 'early symphony' box set (Karl Bohm on DGG) and the recorded sound was bad. Harsh and limited dynamics. No cartridge would make it better. Just less worse, perhaps. Next I put on a London FFRR recording; it was beautifully recorded with a balanced and dynamic sound. Maybe a Koetsu would have made it even more appealing.