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In Reply to: ok.. posted by ringwear on October 19, 2014 at 19:18:08:
Should have told you (and i am getting forgetful, sorry), that that Grado logo in the front can come off It is simply slid in and the two runners on the top sides hold it in. You can carefully pry it off with a jewelers screwdriver. Prying from the top is usually better.
On the bottom cartridge I have sliced off the two side rails in preparation for further work , but I screwed up and broke a coil wire
Placement of the magnet as close as possible to the pole piece is advantageous. Idea, incidentally, was stolen from close examination of a Van denHul Grasshopper MC which had a small magnet (looked like neodymium) glued on the front pole piece. Removal of the grado logo moves the magnet slightly closer or you could try a stronger small magnet.
I have enclosed a picture of a partially modified cartridge. I have actually milled out the top and the front. The top to the magnet below, and the front to the pole piece, which is partially visible. No mill or press right now so my work is very messy, (shaky hands). milling is not illustrated, don't know if you want to go that far out...
Usually before the drilling and milling I fill the back section between the pole pieces and the lead outs with a mixture of 30 minute epoxy and ferrite powder to increase the magnetic field. Plus when clamping, it prevents the clamp from ripping the delicate wires. Do not use 5 minute epoxy. it contracts as it cures and can break the delicate coil wires !!!! Trust me on this one.
I use painters tape to form a mold or well to contain the epoxy, being careful to drip in the glue in drop at a time. Take time in the set up and removal of the tape will reveal a smooth finished surface. Let it dry over night though....
For the stylus paint removal I soak the q-tip with the acetone and gently twirl it against the cantilever. It normally dissolves and comes off in a few seconds, with no need for scrapping.
If you try the carbon fiber tweak, use a more dilute super glue. Give more time to position the shard.
Side view shows the application of mumetal with a copper shield, which is what i was going to send you. Gotta glue it, but can use rubber cement initially to play with positioning.
You can cut the mu metal with scissors ( not your wife's favorite sewing ones, though, as the metal will dull it, tin snips work OK, too ). I like to keep the bottom edge parallel to the cantilever angle so that any magnetic field drawn down ( we are attempting to focus the magnetic field on the coils). The bottom edge should run through the middle of the two coils on each side ( this picture is of an early prototype)
When i mill out the top and bottom i place a small sheet of copper lined mu metal to "pull" the magnetic field closer and thus strengthening the motor assembly. I fill up with ferrite epoxy again to insure a strong field.
The modified Grado (I am NOT a dealer, BTW) can sound pretty good. I think it can sound the equivalent to many $1000 to $1500 MC types. The primary difference is the stylus is still elliptical and not the hyper elliptical or lie contact types.
Oh yeah. one other thing, I saturate the coils with ferro fluid. Pretty cheap on ebay.I apply with a toothpick and try to place a drop or two on each coil. Hard to be precise because magnetic field will simply suck the ferrofluid in. Guess I could try a diabetic syringe.
When playing the cartridge, it will sound lousy and you'll be cursing me for an hour or so, but the ferrofluid has to redistribute itself in the coil structure and then settle down. Bass will increase phenomenally, top end will be extended but will be limited by stylus shape.
Might want to try the ferrofluid first. 50 ml or even less ought to last you a lifetime
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Have fun
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Follow Ups
- My Bad - unclestu 20:47:24 10/19/14 (19)
- got the G off - ringwear 05:49:23 10/20/14 (18)
- RE: got the G off - unclestu 12:29:17 10/20/14 (17)
- sibilance - ringwear 14:17:34 10/20/14 (16)
- RE: sibilance - unclestu 13:49:08 10/22/14 (15)
- unmistakable - ringwear 16:49:23 10/22/14 (14)
- no! - unclestu 17:35:07 10/22/14 (13)
- understood - ringwear 18:02:04 10/22/14 (0)
- oh yeah - unclestu 17:40:24 10/22/14 (11)
- cutting - ringwear 19:19:48 10/22/14 (10)
- more radical - unclestu 17:02:57 10/23/14 (9)
- mutual appreciation society - ringwear 18:00:53 10/23/14 (8)
- RE: mutual appreciation society - unclestu 21:47:06 10/23/14 (7)
- ferro fluid - ringwear 05:40:34 10/24/14 (6)
- RE: ferro fluid - unclestu 14:52:55 10/24/14 (5)
- out - ringwear 15:05:48 10/24/14 (4)
- Damn - unclestu 19:21:37 10/24/14 (3)
- breaks over - ringwear 19:54:21 10/24/14 (2)
- RE: breaks over - unclestu 14:23:22 10/25/14 (1)
- i see - ringwear 18:09:48 10/25/14 (0)