SAEC Making Tonearms Again!

I think the problematic is the Saec Ceramic Headshell which is very expensive, but it’s impossible to twist the cartridge using this particular headshell. It must be a different headshell to make re-alignment with 308N (short) or 308L (long) tonearms. There is a thread on audiogon where verything has been told about those arms long time ago.

this is what @t_bone said long time ago:

Personally, I had always assumed the 23 was for ~23cm length (the way the 506/30 has a ~30cm length). It is true that at 233mm, to get Baerwald alignment, it almost has to be 23 degrees offset angle, but that won’t get you the cart straight in line with the headshell. And there is no way that the 506/30 is going to have a 30-degree offset angle...

I am not sure of your question. You can twist the cart in the headshell on all the SAECarms (and it might make more sense to change the mounting distance too) to bring them to Baerwald. All but the 317 have original mfr geometry specs which are more aggressive than Stevenson alignment as far as I remember.

There is also Saec 308SX version: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/saec-308n-vs-308sx 

@lewm : But even the 8000 alignment instructions are wrong. The manufacturer set up parameters are near Lófgren A but not even it.

R.

Dear @chakster : The 300 series is the SAEC entry level. Now the real problem with the ceramic headshell is not its price but that's way resonant.

You don't want to mount any of your cartridges in that SAEC ceramic headshells but the series 300 came with a different build material headshells, not ceramic that's an " exclusive " to the 407/506 and 8000.

R.

more about SAEC, posted by @dertonarm

The WE-8000 is the only SAEC tonearm where the offset of the headshell is correct.The SAEC 506/30 was designed to be used with 10" and singles only. It’s geometry does reflect it. Out of curiosity I have calculated a different alignment for the 506/30 which does suit 12" records MUCH better

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@chakster : That gentleman is wrong. The offset angle is incorrect, I said in my post to lewm that's near Löfgren A with out even/coincident it.

It's not true that 506 was designed for 10" recordings.

SAEC is a " pain in the ass " regarding alignment.

R.