SME style headshell recommendations

In terms of being the Intermediary Connection for the Cartridge to be attached tje the Tonearms Wand.

The SME Bayonet Connection is typically loose, not to the feel of the hand, but for the rigidity the Cartridge requires.

Investigating how to reduce play in the Connection will give a Cartridge a very noticeable uplift in performance when addressed.

The learning should not prevent the Cartridge being put to use immediately, other additional tweaks can be a follow up.

The Best One I known for this, which includes a interference fit part, is not as convenient to use as the original design when put in place, but the effect on the end sound is night / day when heard.    

Most of us go on the assumption that any head shell with a bayonet mount will fit any tone arm with a bayonet receiving mount. While it is true that you can almost always make that work in the loose sense of the word, I have found that not all head shells mount securely to all tone arms. So it is unfortunate that you do not like SME head shells, because without a doubt they were made to fit the SME tone arms securely. If you look elsewhere for head shells, I would recommend Ortofon. They have a wide range of head shells in various weights and materials. I would choose one of their models that most closely Supplies the needed mass along with your cartridge body. Ortofon head shells have in my experience mated well with other old line brands of tone arm; like Fidelity research. But other than that, it is a matter of trial and error to find an aftermarket head shell that fits securely. Yamamoto are excellent as well.

I use the old SME/Sure headshell on my 3009 non-improved but was impressed (years ago) with the stock head shell off a Technics 1200 deck.

I started looking at other rigid head shells in the 7-8 gram range, but got sidetracked.

DeKay