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Signet TK100 LC cartridge. - Looking for Info

I acquired this cartridge as part of a larger purchase and briefly demo'd it on a Luxman PD 121 with the SME III low mass tonearm. It sounded great and very detailed with surprisingly good bass response to what I was expecting. As I am a LOMC guy I kept the demo brief and went back to my Fidelity Research FR1 MK3F on heavy tonearm. I since sold the SME and Luxman but kept the Signet as it intrigued me. 

I would like to ask if there are any other owners of this cart out there, and if so what are their thoughts on its performance and where you would rank it with other carts in your collection. Also what is the highest tonearm mass you would feel comfortable with putting this cart on. I have a Linn Ittok I would like to try it on but I'm not sure if this is too heavy.

Any comments or observations on this cart would be most welcome.

Thanks advance.




ateal
ateal OP
97 posts
 
Wow that is a very prestigious collection of comparable carts. And to think I was contemplating selling it as I love LOMC carts so much. What I really need to do is find the time to swap out my current cart on the Ittok and audition the Signet for a while.

Apart from the Fidelity Research that I use in a heavy tonearm I also use an Audio Technica AT 32e II on the Linn Ittok. I do really love the presentation of this combo as it is lively and detailed yet reasonable smooth, with a good balance of both the upper and lower registers. It is also very very quiet in the silent passages. I am now wondering whether the Signet can offer me a better presentation. If it is close to the AT ART7 then maybe so.

BTW, did you ever hear the rumour that the Signet was a limited edition and retailed at a crazy US$1,200 in the eighties. Not sure if it is true or just some urban myth.

Thanks again.



   
ateal OP
97 posts
 
Well after further searching on google I finally found a 94 page Billboard magazine from June 1981 and lo and behold on Page 42 and 48 was an article about the many HiFi products showing up at the CES show.

In this article there was this to say about the Signet TK 100 LC.

"CARTRIDGES:  Phono cartridges are getting lost at the jewelry counter. After ADC and B &O used sapphire cantilever last year, Dynavector and Signet are using rubies this year. The Signet TK -100 LC, new top of the line cartridge retailing at over $795 employs a tapered hollow ruby cantilever and silver wire coils. The former top of the line TK 9 receives new treatment with a tapered beryllium cantilever and new linear contact tip shape dubbed LCa, which adds $25 to the price. Signet is a desirable line for dealers because of its limited distribution but muscular support from the Audio-Technica parent company".

So there you have it. The Signet TK 100 LC has a tapered hollow ruby cantilever and silver wire coils and retailed at $795, or $2,000 if adjusted for inflation to 2015.

I am going to continue to see if I can find any more info on this elusive cartridge and if I do I will post here.
pdionne
2 posts
 
Hi Ateal,

I just listed a TK100LC on ebay that unfortunately needs a stylus. It does have a sn of 047 on it so I do believe the myth that there was a limited edition. I got it from my brother in law who absolutely has to have the best of everything! I'll monitor this thread if you have any questions about it.
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