As far as headshell weight is concerned (a good way of increasing eff. Mass), be prepared to try several different materials.
You are dealing with subtle energy transmission/reflection issues and the solution for different material combinations (cartridge body / headshell material) varies. Take your time with this, do a good setup and revisit ALL parameters. Don't forget to revisit cartridge loading as you never know what you've been compensating for when you arrived at the "right" solution. Listen for a while (a week?) before trying the next combo. Don't be hasty in your judgment. It takes time to go through the subtleties.
Note that if you implement a shim it on top of the headshell, even in this position you can affect the sound in ways you wouldn't imagine. Those of you who are inclined to do so, can experiment with the difference between the nylon screw washers and the stainless ones. Both washer materials sound different and have a lot less mass than a shim. Nevertheless, you can hear their effect. Surely this is much an issue of compliance (washers) as it is other attributes of the material swap, but the point is that they do sound different - in a position where you wouldn't predict they would (the cartridge is still making contact with the headshell).
You can well imagine that you can influence the sound by changing shim materials. I'd most definitely play with both aluminum as well as brass. I would not hesitate trying the shims between cartridge and headshell. It's a question of how much you are willing to experiment.
As already noted, you might want to Blu-tack a nickel on top of the headshell (re-calibrate your tracking force) - this as a quick try. A nickel weighs a bit over 5 grams which will take you into the 16-17 gm. territory as far as effective mass is concerned.
Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier
You are dealing with subtle energy transmission/reflection issues and the solution for different material combinations (cartridge body / headshell material) varies. Take your time with this, do a good setup and revisit ALL parameters. Don't forget to revisit cartridge loading as you never know what you've been compensating for when you arrived at the "right" solution. Listen for a while (a week?) before trying the next combo. Don't be hasty in your judgment. It takes time to go through the subtleties.
Note that if you implement a shim it on top of the headshell, even in this position you can affect the sound in ways you wouldn't imagine. Those of you who are inclined to do so, can experiment with the difference between the nylon screw washers and the stainless ones. Both washer materials sound different and have a lot less mass than a shim. Nevertheless, you can hear their effect. Surely this is much an issue of compliance (washers) as it is other attributes of the material swap, but the point is that they do sound different - in a position where you wouldn't predict they would (the cartridge is still making contact with the headshell).
You can well imagine that you can influence the sound by changing shim materials. I'd most definitely play with both aluminum as well as brass. I would not hesitate trying the shims between cartridge and headshell. It's a question of how much you are willing to experiment.
As already noted, you might want to Blu-tack a nickel on top of the headshell (re-calibrate your tracking force) - this as a quick try. A nickel weighs a bit over 5 grams which will take you into the 16-17 gm. territory as far as effective mass is concerned.
Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier