Detachable Head shell or Not?


I am in the process to up my game with some phono system tweaking.

I read in these forums of many people here with multiple arms, multiple cartridges and even multiple turntables.  I am guilty of this myself but moderately compared to so many phono hardware diehards here.

All the continued comments on Talea vs. Schroeder vs. Kuzma, Da Vinci, Tri-Planar, etc., etc, on these forums.  And the flavor of the day cartridge.  One easy way to manage the use of many cartridges, easily swapping between them, and getting down to one turntable would be to run with a tonearm that supports removable head shells or arm tubes.  And yet this does not seem to be widely done here.  Is everybody just too proud of all the pretty phono hardware to admire?

Many highly respected arms of the past, FR 64/66, Ikeda, and now Glanz, Kuzma 4-Point, the new Tru-Glider, all with removable heads.  And the Graham and Da Vinci with removable arm tubes.  These products have a huge fan base and yet there seems to be an equal number of those against any extra mechanical couplings and cable junction boxes, din connections, etc.

I can appreciate having two cartridges, one to bring out that addictive lush bloomy performance and another that shows off that clarity and detail “to die for”.  Being able to easily swap between the two, with hopefully only a quick VTF/VTA change, would be mighty nice.  If too painful a process, I can understand the need for two arms here;  like the idea of going through many LPs in an evening and not being obsessed with tweaking the arm for each.  I hope I never get obsessed to do get to that point.  But for different days/nights, to listen to different kinds of music, it could be mighty nice to swap out one cartridge for another in different head shells without the added cluster and cost of oh please, not another tonearm!.  Do a minute or two of tweaking, ONCE, for that listening session, and then enjoy.  There is always the added risk during the uninstall / install process to damage that prized cartridge.

Is running with a tonearm that has a detachable head shell all that sinful / shameful in the audiophile world ……. or not?  I’d like to hear from those who have achieved musical bliss with removable head shell arms and also from those that if asked to try such a product would likely say, “over my dead body”!

John

jafox

Almost every tonearm I own has detachable headshells. I don't give them a second thought. Quality arms and quality headshells are not going to mess up the sound, if it has a good rigid connector and the pins are making contact properly. I don't buy into the BS that every connector causes degradation. Any idea how many connectors in a commercial airliner? Probably thousands.

Fixed headshell tonearms are a royal PIA to deal with.

That said, two tonearms really isn't a bad way to go.

 

BillWojo

One major benefit from having a detachable headshell or arm tube is the ability to remove the cartridge for thorough stylus cleaning.

During Covid lockdowns I used the time to go through all my cartridges and clean them thoroughly. What I realised is that unless you can remove the cartridge to put the stylus tip in good light ( led plus natural ) under a 30 times Lupe - you cannot see the stylus clearly enough to clean it thoroughly.

 

I am a big fan of a single TT with 2 arms, essentially favorite stereo cartridge and a mono cartridge. switch without any hesitation back and forth in a listening session.

I added a 3rd, to avoid needless wear on my MC, thus favorite MC Stereo; Favorite MM Stereo; Mono.

Single Arm, 3 headshells ready to go: if is isn't easy, particularly easy/fast arm height as cartridges are different heights, reluctance increases.