Acquired: Garrard AT6 Idler Drive TT

[Record Player]

This is a difficult one. There is not many, if no, options out there when it comes to ceramic carts these days. You can take the following approaches:

1) find yourself a vintage amplifier which has a ceramic input, most vintage valve amplifiers in the pre-1950s era had ceramic inputs. I've also seen ceramic inputs on some old cosmic and HMV amps.

2) build yourself a valve amplifier. The famous Mullard 3-3 amp is a legend. I have heard a DIY version of this amp play with a ceramic cart and it sounded very good. Mullard 3-3. Three Watt Amplifier

3) build yourself a more complex FET-based ceramic phonostage like this one from Decca:

4) or you can build a simple one like this: http://www.hifivision.com/phono-turntables/48499-ceramic-phonostage-build.html

Lovely. Thanks for such detailed suggestions Reuben. A valve amplifier would be fantastic, however I've been following your ceramic phonostage build closely and I must say its impressive. Not too heavy on the pocket and would be apt as a ceramic phono. So Option 4 it is, however I don't think I can undertake this as DIY. Maybe I get my technician to build this, and just share this KB (your thread) with him for components and instructions!

 

[reubensm]

Lovely. Thanks for such detailed suggestions Reuben. A valve amplifier would be fantastic, however I've been following your ceramic phonostage build closely and I must say its impressive. Not too heavy on the pocket and would be apt as a ceramic phono. So Option 4 it is, however I don't think I can undertake this as DIY. Maybe I get my technician to build this, and just share this KB (your thread) with him for components and instructions!

You don't have to go searching for components or a technician, I will build one for you

 

[Record Player]

You don't have to go searching for components or a technician, I will build one for you

Well, what can I say but Thank you Reuben. Can we name this the RSMC Phono?

 

[reubensm]

Well, what can I say but Thank you Reuben. Can we name this the RSMC Phono?

:lol:

but this is where I got the design from, diy audio: Phono Preamp for Creamic Cartridge - diyAudio

 

[Record Player]

Gents - Can you suggest an alternate Cart for this player apart from any Ceramic carts?

Something cost effective please!

 

[reubensm]

Gents - Can you suggest an alternate Cart for this player apart from any Ceramic carts?

Something cost effective please!

are you moving to magnetic on this one?

 

[Record Player]

are you moving to magnetic on this one?

Absolutely not Reuben. This is till I receive your ceramic phono stage. This is just for the interim. Right now the ceramic is very low on my NAD phono. But the motor on this is so silent so I want to see its complete potential.

 

[reubensm]

Right now the ceramic is very low on my NAD phono.

Something seems wrong here, a ceramic cart is a high-output (upto 500 mv) and high impedance and hence should play loud, when connected to the Aux input of your amp. If you connect it to your NAD MM phono input, it will overload and you will receive high-volume sound, completely distorted. However, if you use the Aux input, you will hear high-volume screechy sound due to the lack of RIAA equalization.

But the motor on this is so silent so I want to see its complete potential.

hyeah: the attributes for selecting a cart/stylus are (not in any particular order)

(1) type of vinyl you listen to
(2) type of tonearm and headshell
(3) affinity towards a particular brand, model or sound signature
(4) type of phonostage and amplification
(5) genre of music listened to
(6) budget
etc...etc...

idlers are supposed to be silent, an idler wheel (or intermediate wheel as Garrard calls it) will start making mild noise as it wears.

 

[Record Player]

I have not tried the Aux mode yet. I will give that a shot. Right now when I connect it to the MM input and when the Bridging Mode is On or Off I guess, it is quite loud.

Something seems wrong here, a ceramic cart is a high-output (upto 500 mv) and high impedance and hence should play loud, when connected to the Aux input of your amp. If you connect it to your NAD MM phono input, it will overload and you will receive high-volume sound, completely distorted. However, if you use the Aux input, you will hear high-volume screechy sound due to the lack of RIAA equalization.



hyeah: the attributes for selecting a cart/stylus are (not in any particular order)

(1) type of vinyl you listen to
(2) type of tonearm and headshell
(3) affinity towards a particular brand, model or sound signature
(4) type of phonostage and amplification
(5) genre of music listened to
(6) budget
etc...etc...

idlers are supposed to be silent, an idler wheel (or intermediate wheel as Garrard calls it) will start making mild noise as it wears.