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

Looking to soon change my Audiophile status to Relaxed Retiree.

Welcome to the club! 

Me too.  Have always disliked the label “audiophile” ‘though.  “Enthusiast” works much better for me…..soon to be (more) “relaxed” 😊

@pindac love it and agree. Mostly lost in the music, the journey of discovery and the endless hours of joy. Hard to believe that as a semi relaxed pension drawing retiree, they “

pay me “ to listen to tunes and solder this and that…

carry on in good health !

jim

I'm not done yet, but I know where I'm going and should be there by this time next year. I only have to spend another 64K by my calculation minus any discounts I manage to get. First I'm going to get another motorcycle. My testosterone levels need a little stroking and I need to position my wife for the up coming Corvette ZR 1 which unknown to her I've put in a reservation. You know how it goes. "If I get the Corvette I'll sell the motorcycle." In her eyes that will be a fabulous deal, a 150 HP motorcycle for an 800 HP flat plane crank turbocharged monster. Go figure. 

@mijostyn 

If you get an older Corvette - you know the ones that handle like a tractor - you'll get substantially more testosterone buzz for less money.

But I like your negotiation technique - I always advise my audio buddies to pick the biggest ugliest speaker they can find to show the partner. Anything after that will be an easy sell.