Sony's forgotten VX-23P ceramic phono cartridge

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  • Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
  • Sony's VX-23P showed the world how good a ceramic phono cartridge can sound. Unfortunately, no one was listening.
    Time flow:
    0:00 Introduction
    0:58 Unboxing
    2:04 Good vs. bad
    3:02 Specifications
    5:04 The stylus
    5:29 OEM revealed
    5:51 How it works
    6:38 Installation
    7:53 Turntable & mixer
    8:27 Tracking force
    8:36 AT-LP120 fault
    9:34 Phono inputs
    10:35 Playback tests
    16:01 Conclusion
    For more information on the equipment you need to get the most out of ceramic phono cartridges, see these videos:
    "The world's cheapest phono cartridge -- and why it usually sounds bad": • The world's cheapest p...
    "The BSR Fauxnograph - Vintage turntables aren't always better!": • The BSR Fauxnograph - ...
    #sony #phono #cartridge
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Комментарии • 429

  • @johne5543
    @johne5543 2 года назад +5

    Still puts out a nice warm and rich sound.

  • @CommodoreFan64
    @CommodoreFan64 2 года назад +79

    I'm honestly not surprised with this having been made to a higher quality standard with so much audio gear being build to a price point to make a quick buck on people looking for nostalgia in our troubled times, as an escape, and with that said, it sounded really good to may 41 year old ears even with my Sony WI-C100 Bluetooth earbuds connected to my Android tablet, and I wish they were still made today, as a mid range stylus option.

    • @ct1660
      @ct1660 2 года назад +2

      The closest there was to a high quality ceramic were the ones made by Micro-Acoustics (although they marketed it under "electret transducer" but it uses the same principle). I have a Micro-Acoustics MA282e and the MA2002e, both which are basically high quality and high fidelity ceramic cartridges designed to be used with a standard phono preamp (like the ones for magnetic cartridges). Gonna post a video later today about it.
      The 282e is paired to my Acoustic Research XB turntable, tracking at 0.75g, while the 2002e is pared to my Pioneer PL-530, tracking at 1g.

  • @sachadc
    @sachadc 2 года назад +69

    That AT-LP120 went into Photonicinduction's Extreme Speed Record Player mode

    • @MrDuncl
      @MrDuncl 2 года назад +13

      Any one else disappointed he didn't try it ? (although not with this historic cartridge). I'm sure it would solve the problem of content matches :-)

    • @EgoShredder
      @EgoShredder 2 года назад +5

      Yeah I was waiting for a 50 year old light bulb to be wired to the turntable motor, and then the rest plugged into 50,000V 😂

    • @HostiaRecords
      @HostiaRecords Год назад +2

      Maybe you can put a Laserdisc and watch a movie, jajaja

    • @keremcemayaz2795
      @keremcemayaz2795 Год назад +3

      Great to see another Photonicinduciton fan!

    • @linus-clocksnmusic
      @linus-clocksnmusic Год назад +2

      RIP cheap German Schneider newave stereo system and RIP Audio Technica lp120 lol

  • @stevesstuff1450
    @stevesstuff1450 2 года назад +31

    That's one fine sounding ceramic cartridge!
    When I was younger - child/early teens through the 60s/70s, all the record players I ever heard had ceramic cartridges: Philips, and BSR, and then a Sonotone 9T, and I was 'used' to that sound, so when I heard my first magnetic cartridge, it seemed weird! All the mids were subdued, but the bass was lower and cleaner, and the treble was far higher and cleaner, but, even now, I still like what I remember of those old BSR SC-11 (?) ceramics (which I heard the most).... they just had a certain sound to them, and this Sony brings that back, but with better low frequencies, and maybe cleaner treble; it just has a certain sound that only a good ceramic cartridge has... 🙂
    Thanks for this video - Very entertaining..... 👍

    • @video99couk
      @video99couk 2 года назад +5

      I remember the first time I connected a BSR ceramic cartridge to a decent amplifier and almost forgot what I was listening to. They were not as dreadful as all that if they were on a reasonable turntable. BSR also did nice magnetic cartridges of the induced magnet variety (to keep the moving magnet weight down), such as the ADC QLM-33.

    • @stevesstuff1450
      @stevesstuff1450 2 года назад

      @@video99couk : Ah yes.. I'd almost forgotten about those ADC QLM cartridges! Very light-weight, very high compliance, and very light tracking force....sounded excellent in a low-mass tonearm; they also had a high quality tonearm available, and a series of badge-built turntables (from BSR) with a lower quality derivative of that tonearm!

    • @BillAnt
      @BillAnt 2 года назад +1

      In the early 80's I (well, my parents) had a fine German made Belcanto turntable with a ceramic cartridge. I never forget the joy it brought listening to my favorite ABBA and classical music records on it. :)

    • @stevesstuff1450
      @stevesstuff1450 Год назад

      @Kent Teffeteller : The Philips ceramics were for certain excellent! The one that Mum & Dad had in the 60s was a 'portable' stereo player, with two speakers that clipped-on over the turntable. The whole thing was made of wood, and had a metal chassis inside; a spring loaded plinth which held the platter, motor, and the arm, and had a fully automatic mechanism as well. The amplifiers inside were valve/tube amps.
      The cartridge was one of those long, thin ones that clicked into place on the end of the arm, and had the flip-over stylus.
      It sounded marvellous (to me!!), and I used it for a long time during the 70s as my own record player; I loved it!
      It was sadly replaced when in the very late 70s replacement valves/tubes no longer worked to make it play... 😞

  • @nickmartinez7674
    @nickmartinez7674 2 года назад +5

    Love these obscure records! So fun! 😇

  • @dagobertkrikelin1587
    @dagobertkrikelin1587 2 года назад +7

    VWestlife never disappoints in the choice of music. :)

  • @manolokonosko2868
    @manolokonosko2868 2 года назад +25

    Whether a cartridge can reach 16K, 20 or 30 Khz matters little as you get older because even if you've never been to a rock concert and taken care of your ears, your ability to hear the high frequencies will slowly and inevitably fade. At age 57, I can still hear about 15.3Khz, however, when I play the song "One Of My Turns" (Pink Floyd -The Wall), I can no longer hear the 15.575 Khz television tone recorded in the track.

    • @mrnmrn1
      @mrnmrn1 2 года назад +5

      You are doing pretty well for hearing above 15kHz at 57. I used to hear 19kHz when I was 16-18. Now I am 34 and the rolloff is around 16kHz. And no, I don't go to concerts. I went to a local street party when I was around 20, and my ears were ringing for 3 weeks after it. It felt like my ears were full of water, the high frequency rolloff was around 6-8kHz for that period. I don't know what they were doing, but they surely exceeded any legal sound pressure limits for such a small space. I was hearing my auditory bones rattling!
      It was the mid and the high frequencies that was the worst. I took a peek at the power amps on the stage (while covering my ears), the clipping LEDs were lighting up almost constantly. And there were two huge racks filled with amplifiers, the sound system looked like something I would expect to fill up a stadium with loud music, yet it was used in a street that was ~15-20m across... I would guess the high THD of the overdriven amps was what made this so horrible and irritating.
      I guess they grilled some tweeters that night. And some ears, too. I escaped the scene after about 15-20 minutes, and it took a month to my hearing to recover. I may have suffered some permanent hearing loss that night. I cannot imagine what happened to the ones who were there the whole night. Some of them were standing right in front of the speakers.

  • @failman_hf
    @failman_hf 2 года назад +42

    I already knew it because when Sony came to Brazil in the 80's, their turntable(like the Sony PS 11-BS) had a their own Magnetic cartridge (Sony XL-15)

    • @MartinMartorell
      @MartinMartorell 2 года назад +7

      It's interesting, because the first Sony turntable in Spain was the Sony PS-11W with Sony XL-15 cartridge released in 1978/79. It was based on the Sony PS-5500 from 1976. This turntable was made in Spain except for the cartridge and various parts. They had to make the turntable in Spain because import duties and shipping costs were very huge during the 1970s and 80s.
      It's my everyday turntable since 2017. It cost me 50 euros plus 20 more for a new stylus. I'm really happy with it. Great 70s looks and very sturdy and solid turntable.

    • @ZeusTheTornado
      @ZeusTheTornado 2 года назад +3

      @@MartinMartorell As a matter of fact I found one last year in the street beside a dumpster, it was in very bad shape but I could recover the XL-15 cartridge and the rubber slipmat. I still use the mat, it saved me 50€ on a new one. ¡Menuda suerte!

    • @ZeusTheTornado
      @ZeusTheTornado 2 года назад +3

      Also, the Sony XL-15 was the low end of the line, but the higher end models like the XL-45 are very looked for on the Internet, apparently they some kind of patented technology and they had super light moving mass. Sony excelled at anything they did if they wanted to, they still do.

    • @pietroprogman
      @pietroprogman 2 года назад +1

      @@MartinMartorell Hi Martin, do you know in which part/city of Spain Sony turntable were made?thank you

    • @MartinMartorell
      @MartinMartorell 2 года назад +4

      @@pietroprogman Sony established in Spain buying Kosmos Eléctrica and renaming it as Hispano Sony, S.A. in mid 1973. It was in Las Franquesas Del Valles in Granollers, province of Barcelona. They started selling radios, stereo amplifiers and portable Black and White TVs as far i know. I think that earlier the PS-11W, they made some low-ends turntables during the 70s, like BSR or Dual from the era. The first "high-end" turntable i think it was the PS-11W, dating from the late 70s.
      It's very likely that the turntable was made in Barcelona, with parts imported from other countries. During the 60s/70s, there was a industrial explosion in Spain. In Barcelona and Valencia many manufacturing plants and factories were opening from foreign companys like Telefunken and Dual or national ones like Inter Electronica or Werner. Many young people from villages and rural areas moved to the big cities to get jobs.
      It's kind of sad that Spain now it's more focused in tourism and almost every factory anqd national companys from the era disappeared, and in consequence thousands of people lost their jobs.. Now it's all Chinese manufacturing.

  • @TieDyedShawn
    @TieDyedShawn 2 года назад +5

    Sounded fine to my ears. Wish the companies would not have gone cheap. Thank you for letting us listen.

  • @DanOConnorTech
    @DanOConnorTech 2 года назад +7

    "It was working fine the last time I used it". Whenever I see that on an eBay listing I know it doesn't work and I move on to another one.

  • @garretts91
    @garretts91 2 года назад +39

    Crazy that so many old Technics are still out there chugging along just fine and your far newer AT-LP120 is already broken.. Says a lot about the quality of older equipment.

    • @Grimace_Integ420
      @Grimace_Integ420 Месяц назад

      i own two at-lp120's and they both broke

    • @miawgogo
      @miawgogo 17 дней назад

      there is a big factor of survivorship bias there, a lot of old stuff can be crap too, it's just they are not here so we don't remember them

  • @5argetech56
    @5argetech56 2 года назад +19

    If you did not know, you would think it was a magnetic cartridge...
    Another hidden gem that you've found!!
    Thanks! ☺

  • @glenembrey1187
    @glenembrey1187 Год назад +4

    Great sounding ceramic cartridge. Impressive. With the AT-LP120 have seen this issue before and was a bad solder join on the motor board. I would suggest resoldering any suspect looking connections. Great video.. Thanks.

  • @radiorexandy
    @radiorexandy 2 года назад +10

    You might be interested to know that the Gradio corporation made a ceramic cartridge back in the early seventies called the Gradi B. It was notable for 2 things: it did have a resistive network in it to both lower the voltage to magnetic cartridge levels and also to to change the amplitude-derived output of its ceramic element into the velocity-derived output of a magnetic cartridge. The 2nd unique feature of this cartridge was it had variable compliance -- it actually had a little brass plate that you could slide up and back along the stylus to change the compliance! it worked quite well. It had good balance and virtually no hom. Although, it was not as detailed as a good magnetic cartridge of the day..
    If memory serves me, it tracked at about 2 grams. An audio dealer salesman friend of mine advised me Grado discontinued it because it was too difficult to get ceramic elements that were uniform enough in quality.

  • @ryanaccount3591
    @ryanaccount3591 2 года назад +1

    I've been binging vwestlife videos since last week. you're consistent, not a lot of ego here. you're just looking at stuff and talking about it. you're a cool ass dude

  • @HG_well
    @HG_well 2 года назад +7

    I really enjoyed the Slugbug song. Had to look up the musician. I love a new take on Divo/XTC. Interesting video as always! Please don't ever stop!

  • @ivanpedrero1455
    @ivanpedrero1455 2 года назад +34

    "And it's sad to think that nothing like this, is ever going to be made again"
    Sad indeed...
    Thank you very much for your work.
    Best regards from Chile.

    • @bzuidgeest
      @bzuidgeest 2 года назад

      no it's not sad, we could make a far superior cartridge if we wanted too. there is no need to make an inferior one. even if it is high quality for what it is.

  • @fallwitch
    @fallwitch 2 года назад +2

    How does this account only have 156K subs? Such a great wealth of info, history and know how. Thanks for another great vid.

  • @anneudysheredia7540
    @anneudysheredia7540 2 года назад +7

    I miss the sony of the 80’s, so much innovation and quality and not just sony, but pretty much all the manufacturers and brands of the 70s and 80s.
    Great video as always.

  • @999thenewman
    @999thenewman 2 года назад +59

    This guy is putting in work and churning out some nice videos.

    • @casualretrocollector
      @casualretrocollector 2 года назад +16

      One of the few RUclipsrs that have been consistent since the start

    • @fedepede04
      @fedepede04 2 года назад +7

      Hands down he is my favourite youtuber.
      Not over-hyped like many are , and he knows his subject.

  • @Nobe_Oddy
    @Nobe_Oddy 2 года назад +2

    WOW!!! That sounded GREAT! And you have some VERY interesting selection of music... they were totally different than my taste but I LOVED them both!!
    THANK YOU! :D

  • @KR1275
    @KR1275 2 года назад +55

    Sony had a special devision called Sony Sound Tec. They made a few high end cartridges, in collaboration with AT. Most other Sony cartridges are fully made by AT for Sony. I use an XL-MC3 on my PS-X800.

    • @mvevitsis
      @mvevitsis 2 года назад +1

      The MC3 is a Sony design (not AT). If you can find them the XL-88, XL-88D, MC5, MC7, or MC9 are significantly better; may be worth it considering the level of your turntable.

    • @KR1275
      @KR1275 2 года назад

      @@mvevitsis The XL-MC series were made by SST and developed in collaboration with AT.

    • @northernplacecorporation
      @northernplacecorporation Год назад

      *division

  • @davidmacatangay4235
    @davidmacatangay4235 2 года назад

    It's been a while since the last turntable-related video. Good to see a new one.

  • @andlabs
    @andlabs 2 года назад +24

    My guess for "lord impedance" is that in the Japanese katakana writing system used for foreign words, "lord", "load" (the word they actually wanted), and "road" are all written the same: ロード. I've seen the opposite mistake, where a video game with "Lord" in the title ("Lord Monarch") gets replaced with "load" ("Load Monarch").

    • @aperson6955
      @aperson6955 2 года назад +1

      since you mentioned video game, I believe it's the same reason that Famicom (as in Nintendo's Japanese version of the NES) is sometimes written and pronounced like Famicon.

    • @ruikazane5123
      @ruikazane5123 2 года назад

      Correct though...the Japanese language itself (regardless of writing system) has a "few" pronounciation limits. For example, the words and phrases are made of full syllables. The letter "L" in English would be read as "eru" and "M" would be "emu" (as in "emulsion"). And it's all straight to the point...no special phonetics (e.g. most French words). There's a reason why crossing to the other language (Japanese for the English speaker and vice versa) is pretty tough...
      One oddity would be even though there is no "la" on the alphabet...sometimes on songs and even people you can hear "la" where it would have been "ra"...

    • @joearnold6881
      @joearnold6881 2 года назад

      Load Monarch is Fromsoftware’s Adult game.

    • @AaronSmart.online
      @AaronSmart.online 2 года назад +3

      @@ruikazane5123 the "r" sound in Japanese varies a lot depending on dialect and situation, but generally involves the tongue touching the roof of your mouth (alveolar), similar to an English "L" but usually lighter. Think of it as somewhere in between an "r" and "L", though it is more nuanced than that. And when singing the articulation can be different again.

    • @MrDuncl
      @MrDuncl 2 года назад

      @@AaronSmart.online A Japanese Language teacher told us that for Japanese the difference between Rice and Lice is a small variation in accent.

  • @jcmolero71
    @jcmolero71 2 года назад +8

    Ceramic cartridges were very common in Sony systems with BSR changers across 70-80s
    One example is the HMK 119 for the Latin markets, manufactured around 1979

  • @erics8757
    @erics8757 2 года назад +3

    Love your videos and the work you put into them!!! Keep it up.

  • @richardhalliday6469
    @richardhalliday6469 2 года назад +1

    Another great video, you somehow manage to make the mundane very interesting - first class. ( From Yorkshire, UK)

  • @irtbmtind89
    @irtbmtind89 2 года назад +26

    These seem to have been equipped on Sony's cheaper 3-in-1 systems from the 70s.
    I wonder how much this cost when new vs. an entry level MM cartridge goes for now.

  • @MichaelArchambault
    @MichaelArchambault 2 года назад +1

    Good video as always! I love when you break out the SL1900 as it was my first serious turntable when I bought it over half a decade ago. Since then I’ve moved over to a Denon DP-40F, but I always love to see it! Happy Pride!

  • @michealpersicko9531
    @michealpersicko9531 2 года назад +2

    Actually i'm glad the YT content match is the way it is i've found quite a few new artists I ended up liking from your channel and 0xBADFOOD just got thrown into my music library.

  • @kjanthony
    @kjanthony 2 года назад +2

    Thanks bunches for spinning the Bernie Witkowski track! Great Oberek! Wishing you continued success on your channel!

  • @hunterdavis3003
    @hunterdavis3003 2 года назад +2

    I love this channel. Thanks VW!

  • @TheNugettinage
    @TheNugettinage 2 года назад +1

    Excellent video, thank you for this, needed this today

  • @none8680
    @none8680 2 года назад +1

    Really enjoyed this one, thanks for the great content.

  • @BessieBopOrBach
    @BessieBopOrBach 2 года назад +1

    I genuinely lol'd when you got the AT-LP120 started and it tried to take off like a helicopter

  • @jonsymmonds1120
    @jonsymmonds1120 2 года назад +1

    Very impressive! Thanks for the video!

  • @SeraphinaPZ
    @SeraphinaPZ 2 года назад +3

    Nice touch with the polka, reminds me a ton of klezmer music.

    • @vwestlife
      @vwestlife  2 года назад +3

      It's an Oberek, not a Polka.

  • @Recordeer
    @Recordeer 2 года назад +1

    I had one of these forever ago. Sounded good enough, as far as I can remember, and played many, many records. Happy Pride Month!

  • @rogerchurch3804
    @rogerchurch3804 2 года назад +1

    wow very interesting cartridge I always had a love the old ceramics thanks for sharing this cool old item .

  • @masterargento90x
    @masterargento90x 2 года назад +2

    It's amazing that a Japanese turntable like that 40-year-old Panasonic SL-1900 is still struggling, and that the 12-year-old Audio-Technica AT-LP 120 USB has failed.

  • @Recordology
    @Recordology 2 года назад +1

    Sounds amazing. Great video!

  • @TheBuggyGal
    @TheBuggyGal 2 года назад +4

    Maybe you could do a video opening up that broken AT-LP120 to see what went wrong!

  • @Narayan_1996
    @Narayan_1996 2 года назад +1

    Oh boy, this is amazing ♥

  • @miked4377
    @miked4377 2 года назад +2

    i like how you use what people do not use today....very good ...i like obscure and obsolete equipment the best!

  • @ronaldweed6103
    @ronaldweed6103 2 года назад

    so enjoyed this,thanks

  • @wblynch
    @wblynch 2 года назад +1

    Yay, finally some RUclips love for my favorite SL-1900

    • @wblynch
      @wblynch 2 года назад

      By the way, I modded my SL-1900 to run at 78rpm a few years ago with a turbo button. Great machine

  • @johnstone7697
    @johnstone7697 2 года назад +15

    That cartridge was used in a number of Sony's low end all in one systems from the 1970's. My guess is that the spec for output is incorrectly listed. It should probably be 300 mv. It's really just a regular old ceramic cartridge, albeit a pretty decent one. If you look at any of the old "holy grail" ceramics like the Sonotone 8T and 9T, you'll see nearly the same specs for high end frequency response and stereo separation. They really weren't all that good compared with even cheap magnetics.

    • @glpilpi6209
      @glpilpi6209 2 года назад

      Yes , and probably closer to 600mV. This was made for cheaper record players . The specs. are pretty average for hifi.

  • @driver8sk
    @driver8sk 2 года назад

    Thanks again for highlighting these neglected technologies. I've stopped paying attention to thrift store turntables because nowdays they're all trashed and I assumed the ceramic cartridges weren't worth saving. I'll start keeping an eye open now.

  • @JumbleTasteSpinning
    @JumbleTasteSpinning Год назад

    Super cool! Love this video ❤

  • @selwynandrews9665
    @selwynandrews9665 2 года назад +2

    Another great video. I have the same mixer, it's a keeper!

  • @johnstark5324
    @johnstark5324 2 года назад +2

    Considering it came though RUclips compression hell that sounds damn good! Great separation, seems underrated for sure. Yeah I am impressed!

  • @dmcintosh1967
    @dmcintosh1967 2 года назад +2

    I had a Sony all in one stereo from 70s and it used a Sony vx-23p cartridge. For an all in one system it was very well made and truly stood up to the Sony name. Got the stereo with the original 2 way speakers and the stand. I was able to get the stereo almost all working. The 8 track player do to belt melting and gumming up the motor ( this was years ago and I now probably could of fixed the motor). The record player the Sony stereo had was a BSR with metal platter and the head shell was a half inch mount.

    • @MrDuncl
      @MrDuncl 2 года назад +1

      From the same era I have seen Sony Music Centres fitted with Garrard decks. This was how they came from the factory. Of course back then record decks all had a very similar size chassis so it was easy for a manufacturer to swap decks depending on local import tariffs etc.

  • @macktheinterloper
    @macktheinterloper 2 года назад +6

    I'd like to say I do remember a friend having one of these in his system in the mid-eighties here on the other side of the Iron Curtain, but this could be my memory playing tricks on me. Splendid video as always K, happy Pride :)

  • @ICenobyte1962
    @ICenobyte1962 2 года назад

    Wow! I have grown up with "Ceramic Cartridges" and had really bad times with them. Damage to Styrene singles, skipping! Skipping was the worse. I know you won't be able to sample "Pop stuff" on you tube but, I would love to hear the singles I had issues with. Nice video, I am impressed! I have my computer hook up to my stereo and it is a part of my stereo essentially so, I heard the details I would have never associated with a ceramic cartridge. Wow, just, Wow!

  • @sadwingsofvinyldestinyeddjones
    @sadwingsofvinyldestinyeddjones 2 года назад +1

    Awesome That intro made me laugh. You come up with some interesting stuff.

  • @shiva_MMIV
    @shiva_MMIV 11 месяцев назад +1

    Yes, Sony made phono cartridges, they even made some that connect directly to the tonearm without a headshell, very common in their non standard "ultra low mass" tonearms, in fact I have one of these, a XL-200 in a PS-LX5.

  • @andywavecl
    @andywavecl 2 года назад +3

    Wow really nice sound for a ceramic cartridge!

  • @georgeprice4212
    @georgeprice4212 2 года назад +2

    I vaguely recall seeing that in 1988 to 1994 at Guitar Center, as a discontinued item.

  • @allenboogaard5690
    @allenboogaard5690 2 года назад +2

    I used to play in a Polish wedding band. I should have recognized an Orberek, but I was just hearing the accordion. The thin is, most of us aren't familiar with Slugbug's music and don't connect with it as a comparison of the ceramic cartridge it a magnetic. A good comparison for me would have been something akin to Steely Dan, although I understand the RUclips copyright issue. That's why I said "akin to". Techmoan has several records and CDs that don't break the copyright detection. Due to the high output of the cartridge, I would suggest the specs you found with it or on line weren''t the correct specs for that model. Just a thought. The cantilever and stylus did look pretty well proportioned and of higher quality than one might have thought. Keep up the investigations.

  • @gleny9829
    @gleny9829 2 года назад +3

    I had a Stanton nt-2500 doing the same as your turntable. I found that the glue holding magnet attached to the platter/motor had released with the magnet laying on the pickup. I used epoxy on the magnet and all was good as the motor references its speed by the magnet and coil.

  • @greatquux
    @greatquux 2 года назад +2

    I bought that Slugbug album today on cassette because I heard it in a previous video, it’s pretty cool!

  • @peterstudley1804
    @peterstudley1804 2 года назад

    Nice video again, that cart is from 1978 , shame about the audio technica, but not unusual behaviour for one of these, but your wonderful SL 1900 is a work of art , what a fantastic record spinner you have we need a review on that alone , thanks again for all you do regards from England 🇬🇧 😀.

  • @MilanCekic
    @MilanCekic 2 года назад

    Very nice sound!

  • @JordanWeyh
    @JordanWeyh 2 года назад +1

    It's cool to see a non Uni-body Macbook Pro still in use in 2022.

  • @poisonflour6723
    @poisonflour6723 2 года назад

    my AT-LP120 died after ten years not worth getting fixed - very impressive cartridge great video

    • @mrnmrn1
      @mrnmrn1 2 года назад +1

      Not worth get it fixed, but pretty sure it worth DIY-fix it, if the necessary part is available. Hope you haven't tossed it, but sold or donated it.

  • @gotham61
    @gotham61 2 года назад +1

    I never thought it was a big secret that Sony made cartridges. Their XL series moving coil models are still highly sought after by audiophiles. In the early 80s the flagship XL-88D was one of the most expensive cartridges on the market.

  • @AMDRADEONRUBY
    @AMDRADEONRUBY 2 года назад +2

    Oh nice ! Love vinyl video related too... It's a nice cartridge.

  • @pdmillar
    @pdmillar 2 года назад +1

    Hi Kevin, love seeing the new Slugbug LP here. The cart sounds a little light on bass response to me, but there's much less distortion than I'd normally associate with a ceramic pickup. Not bad overall. The YT upload of this song on my channel has the audio straight from the original 1/4in tape (that was used to cut the LP) if anyone wants to A/B it.

  • @buttguy
    @buttguy 2 года назад

    Thank you for putting me up on Slugbug many, many videos ago.

  • @lookoutleo
    @lookoutleo 2 года назад

    Yes back in the 70s bsr made their own ceramic cartridges, they weren't the quality of this Sony one but they were better than the cheapo ones. I still listen to my music centre everyday it has the BSR cartridge and it's perfectly alright just for listening to daily. Love your test music , going to look for those albums :) thanks for posting

  • @pip5528
    @pip5528 Год назад +1

    This sounds pretty dang good. It even reminds me of moving iron cartridges or my moving pemalloy cartridge.

  • @thevacdude
    @thevacdude 2 года назад +1

    Kevin has gone Low End Mac on us,
    By using a 2007-2008 era MacBook Pro,
    With the notoriously faulty 8600M GT, might I add.
    Thanks for the video, Kevin.

  • @ct1660
    @ct1660 2 года назад +1

    Also regarding the phono input on your Realistic mixer - the input for ceramic cartridges isn't a separate channel, but rather, uses a velocitizer circuit to allow ceramic cartridges to be used on a standard MM preamp. If you use a standard magnetic cartridge on the ceramic phono input, it will sound notably bassier, but it will not lose any output. This is how you can tell if a ceramic phono input is a velocitizer or a dedicated high impedance input. My RCA SA-155 (rebadged Realistic/Optimus unit), which has a switch for ceramic or magnetic cartridges, uses the aforementioned velocitizer circuit to allow ceramic cartridges to be used on the MM preamp. I actually used to have the same realistic mixer, as well as a battery operated one, and both used the same velocitizer circuit.

    • @vwestlife
      @vwestlife  2 года назад +2

      Thanks for the info. For the audio samples in the video, I actually used my IMA PS 2500 "1970s in a box" stereo system, which has a true high-impedance ceramic phono input.

    • @ct1660
      @ct1660 2 года назад +1

      @@vwestlife I actually had TWO of these in the prop library back when I worked at the Gowanus E-Waste Warehouse before we closed down. Kinda wished I took one of them home. At least I still have my Magnavox FM-28 which is a proper tube stereo and has the high impedance input for ceramics.
      On some cheaper stereos, they seem to have moved from 1 megaohm to a 270k ohm input. My Dual KA-25, if I can find a 5-pin DIN plug with both input and output RCA connectors, has a pretty good high impedance input circuit for ceramic carts.

  • @areeko
    @areeko 2 года назад

    I restore and sell all of Sony's record changer-receiver combo's(no tape players). I do video for each one I sell on my channel here. I love this cartridge comparatively to all the other ceramic cartridges that manufacturer's used in these systems primarily for the BSR changers with the exception of the Panasonic Crystal Cartridge EPS42STAD (My other favorite). I am forever trying to purchase one or more but can never find them! That's how I saw this video. Just the title of this is the opposite of my daily existence! Never Forgotten! Great Video, Thank you. Oh yeah, you can send me that cartridge when your dine with it. I always need one!

  • @RockinJohnny
    @RockinJohnny 4 месяца назад

    Interesting, the realistic mixer brings back old memories of the 80s when we had a Tandy shop in Huddersfield where I bought one from but sadly its not there now in fact we don't have an electronics shop at all now.

  • @douglasallen9428
    @douglasallen9428 2 года назад +1

    If only your average Chuo Denshi CZ-800 cartridge (or any Chinese clone) sounded this good…. thanks again for another interesting and informative video!

  • @jamesm90
    @jamesm90 2 года назад

    Looking forward to the AT LP-120 repair video!

  • @frankowalker4662
    @frankowalker4662 2 года назад +4

    I'd love to hear a record played on your Audio-Technica at that speed. LOL. (with an old stylus, of course)

    • @natelax1367
      @natelax1367 2 года назад +1

      Same, I kept thinking drop the needle

  • @KRAFTWERK2K6
    @KRAFTWERK2K6 2 года назад +5

    Gotta say i'm very positively surprised how good this Phono cartridge sounds. A little heavy on the Mid section of the EQ curve but very pretty good and natural highs and lows. It did sound MUCH better than i actually expected it would. WOW!

    • @mrnmrn1
      @mrnmrn1 2 года назад

      Actually some current $2 Chuo Denshi ceramic cartridge clones don't sound too horrible either. He made a video about them a few years ago. They sound better than the original vintage Chou Denshi ones (but not all of them, the clones are probably being made in many different factories, and they sound quite different).

  • @mr.grumpygrumpy2035
    @mr.grumpygrumpy2035 2 года назад +1

    Wow cool cartridge.

  • @cjmarsh504
    @cjmarsh504 2 года назад +6

    I'm not really surprised that Sony made phono cartridges. Seems great quality than the Chinese ones. 8:38 technical difficulties 🤣🤣

  • @martinda7446
    @martinda7446 Год назад +1

    To obtain a flat response these cartridges must see over a meg-ohm impedance. they are not velocity sensitive like a magnetic generator, ie the faster you wobble the stylus it will not give higher output, therefore no RIAA full is required, though a portion of HF expansion and bass compression is applied to lower noise and expand bass on all recordings, but otherwise no correction is required. Also the output is usually an order of magnitude or more greater than a magnetic...But here the specs say different! I can't believe that. So a decent ceramic can be helped in the electronic area by having simple correction and less voltage amplification, so all helping fidelity - if it was decent in the first place. I always wanted a hifi ceramic and this isn't quite it yet. But great review. Sony made some classic carts in the 60s 70s 80s.

  • @lurkersmith810
    @lurkersmith810 2 года назад +1

    I look forward to the video where you fix that AT turntable and get it going again!

  • @willardbelinowicz7786
    @willardbelinowicz7786 2 года назад +1

    The Sony ceramic sounded very good, I have the Bernie Witkowski record you demonstrated so I’m familiar with the sound and old Bernie sounded great. By the way you are correct on the date of that record 1962 , the date is in the record run out area.

  • @CARLiCON
    @CARLiCON 2 года назад +1

    🪗Wow 14:30 that dude from Witkowski Orchestra is like the Eddy Van Halen of accordion, amazing!

  • @princesswalt4010
    @princesswalt4010 2 года назад +1

    i love the background photo of an eprom over broccoli. i’m hungry.

  • @TRONMAGNUM2099
    @TRONMAGNUM2099 2 года назад

    Enjoyed the video as usual. I don't even have a record player, and you made this video interesting. Do they sell records that have test tones and sweeps on them, so you can verify the cartridges actually meet the specs they claim? I bet some low end cartridges probably lie.

  • @PeterMilanovski
    @PeterMilanovski 2 года назад +6

    I'm now expecting a follow up video on the repair of the Audio Technica turntable.... It's an interesting failure mode and those turntables are everywhere! I wouldn't be surprised to crawl under someone else's rock and find one there too!
    And that mixer!!!! It was my first! Not sure what happened to mine but I do miss it!!! Have been trolling eBay for another but there's nothing in my local area, plenty in the US though, where the shipping cost more than the product! I will never understand that....

    • @erlendse
      @erlendse 2 года назад +1

      Totally, my best guess is that it doesn't "know" it's spinning. So likely worthy to check whatever feedback it have.
      Why brake a stationary platter? and max torque to get it up to speed!

    • @MrDuncl
      @MrDuncl 2 года назад

      I just did the opposite on eBay. An American paid £25 + £30 postage for a 1980s Thomas the Tank engine train set. It was a good thing I offered worldwide postage (at cost) as nobody else bid.

    • @davidjgomm
      @davidjgomm 2 года назад

      Just surprised that the AT was first choice and the Technics was the substitute!

  • @blindlemon9
    @blindlemon9 2 года назад +3

    “Preampectomy”. Haha! I knew that VWestlife was secretly a surgeon.

  • @_specialneeds
    @_specialneeds Год назад

    I noticed a lot of stereo amplifiers from the 70s and 80s accept input from ceramic cartridges, however my 78 Marantz 2226B phono input is for a magnetic cartage input. Which must have been fate because I acquired an SL-Q200 turntable at random with a magnetic cartridge. They sound perfect together.

  • @MrDoeboy356
    @MrDoeboy356 2 года назад +2

    Wow it’s been forever since I’ve heard that version of Three Blind Mice.

  • @daviddunmore8415
    @daviddunmore8415 2 года назад +1

    Way back in the early '70s I had a Garrard SP25Mk II (Remember those?) with a Goldring ceramic cartridge. It sounded surprisingly good through a 10W RMS/Ch amp and a pair of Wharfedale Dentons.

  • @PeterPrism
    @PeterPrism 2 года назад

    Tnx Bro

  • @cjpwolf2436
    @cjpwolf2436 2 года назад +2

    The Audio Techinca Turntable malfunctioning was funny. Imagine putting a laserdisc or a dvd to play on it was a laser.

  • @life5161
    @life5161 2 года назад +2

    I'm happy with Teac ceramic cartridge but that's only because Teac uses proper impedance on their stereos. 😏 I only know that from watching this channel. Infact I bought that Teac All In One stereo from seeing your review. Love that stereo.

  • @ct1660
    @ct1660 2 года назад

    Doing a little research, apart from being a standalone product, that cartridge was used in several budget all-in-one systems that Sony sold, such as the SONY HP-170A which has this cartridge preinstalled on its BSR changer.

  • @Nokia2k03
    @Nokia2k03 2 года назад +2

    that slugbug track bangs

  • @ManosS40
    @ManosS40 2 года назад +3

    My PS-434 Sony turntable from the early 80's has a Sony cartridge, the VL-37G.

  • @albear972
    @albear972 2 года назад +4

    8:43 😂🤣😂 Just for schits and giggles you should have played that record! 😁 I think you would have been safe getting around the RUclips music Stasi

  • @subliminalvibes
    @subliminalvibes 2 года назад +5

    Slugbug are so Devo! 👍😎