I need a headshell recommendation for Technics 1200 GAE

Audio Technica, Jelco, Ortofon... All are great. But so is the stock Technics headshell. If you want something light, get magnesium. 

Something to keep in mind... The original SL-1200GAE headshell including wire leads is approximately 7.6 grams.

Most of the headshells being recommended here are 12-16 grams without wire leads and without mounting screws. Which can add an additional 3-4 grams. S shaped tonearms without headshells have an average effective mass of 4-5 grams, this includes the SL-1200GAE.

Since most of this mass happens to be at the end, effective mass of the tonearm can increase to 19-25 grams, or so.

If we take a modern MM, such as the 2M Black, which has a little above average compliance of 22 and mass of 7.2 grams, this will put the cartridge resonance at 6Hz. A horrible result, which will drastically and negatively impact performance, sound, trackability, etc.

These modern headshells and a lot of other turntable related components, are geared towards modern low compliance MC cartridges. It’s unfortunate.

One MC exception is the Audio Technica ART9. It is a very high compliance cartridge, unlike any other MC on the market. Compliance is rated at 18 (Japanese 100Hz), or 27-32 (European 10Hz)! It needs the lowest mass headshell, or lowest effective mass tonearm, such as SME 309 or vintage SME III.

@chakster Yes absolutely you can change effective mass by adding mass to the tonearm, especially at the headshell. It's just very difficult to calculate exactly what the new effective mass will be.

But the exact number really doesn't matter. Example, extra 10 grams at the headshell may calculate in the end to increase the overall effective mass by 8 grams. It may not be the entire 10 grams, but it's still a lot.

@chakster I understand what effective mass is and the required calculations. What I wrote earlier is correct. 

@martykl Incorrect. Adding mass at the headshell will also increase the center of counter weight to pivot distance. In addition, you’re also using the equation wrong for the calculation you’ve made.

I honestly don’t understand what the confusion is. Adding mass directly over the stylus, will increase the effective mass of the system proportionately by the same amount. The equation proves that.

Now the heavier headshell does not concentrate all of the extra mass over the stylus, but for all intents and purposes it’s close enough.

Micro Seiki had a tonearm with a sliding weight on the wand, the closer the weight was positioned to the headshell, the higher the effective mass became.

Technics had a small weight that attached directly over the cartridge.

SME Series III tonearm had lead weights that attached under the headshell to increase effective mass.

This is really a very tired discussion and has been beaten to death.

OP, since you have the ART9, I recommend keeping the effective mass as low as you can. The Technics headshell is a great aluminum made in Japan part. And it’s relatively light. You just got your turntable, play it several hundred hours to break it in and get used to the sound, before making any tweaks.

One recommendation that I can make is to replace the headshell leads to either Ortofon silver leads (they sound great, I use them) or silver van den Hul leads. SME also makes silver leads using van den Hul MCS150 wire. Great stuff. You can get any of those leads from www.analogueseduction.net they usually have the best prices and ship worldwide.

@martykl and Z is equal to twice the mass... According to chakster's posted equation anyway.  

@rauliruegas That link is spot on. Easy to follow calculations. Any mass added over the stylus increases the effective mass by the same amount. 

Detachable headshells are a great way to fine tune the effective mass of the tonearm and cartridge resonance. 

@ericsch It will be close enough to 16.4g.