While browsing the other day, I came across the Ortofon Verso range of cartridges which have threaded studs in place to be be inserted upward into the slots of a “underhung Headshell”.

I’ve only owned eight turntables in my lifetime, and they have all had similar head shells,  be they fixed or detachable, but have never come across the term underhung before in relation to them.  Just trying to get a picture in my head as to what the difference would be?

Underhung  or not, i.can see that the Verso range would be easier to use on some fixed head shell type tone arms where there may not be much room for working, but not on the likes on an LP12 where the arm can be removed.  

Anyone have ave an Explanation?

My understanding of the term is in reference to headshells that have cartridge mounting threaded holes on the underside of the headshell only.
The holes are blind meaning they do not go right through to the top. They do not have the more conventional slots or top accessed mounting holes.
I have seen this arrangement on a number of Audio Technica headshells.

Yes, they suck.

The holes have to be in the right place for your cart, which might be fine with an AT arm/cart. But for me most of the time they aren't, so this one sits unused. (Not sure how I ended up with this AT headshell in the first place!).

Hmm, yes, had forgotten about that style of Headshell. There is one like that fitted to the Yamaha YP-400 I bought for my.daughter, which was repaired by Graham.
Searched Google for an answer, but the only thing I find is a reference to straight arm tonearms favoured by DJs which is designed to be set up with an underhang rather than an overhang. But I do not see the 2M carts being used by DJs? 
Had a look at the Ortofon website, it seems if you take the stylus off you have access to the slotted head of the small nut pointing upward!  

If you visit the Ortofon website there is a rather vague explanation as to how to mount a cartridge using this 'Verso' system.
It seems to imply that the top plate of the cartridge is removed and then the threaded studs are inserted into the headshell using an allen key.
As to how the assembly is then reassembled I haven't a clue. The 2M body is very wide and therefore completely prevents the usual access to mounting screws from underneath.

Thanks Graham, I had forgotten all about headshells with threaded holes, I'd thought that you just put the nuts on the top in the reverse of what you would usually do,though I dont know why anyone would perceive that as a benefit ?

Speaking of which, is there a way you are suppose to orient your nut and bolt in the headshell?

Nut on top? Or nut below? Any sound benefit or just convenience?

I find that aesthetically the nut below looks better but can be trickier to install.

I'm sure it doesn't really matter but I always install with the nuts below.
It just looks so much better.
To me the look of nuts on top, particularly with excess thread protruding, just looks tacky.
Sound engineering practice calls for nuts below so that should a nut come loose and fall off the bolt will still stay in place and help secure the device.
Of course this doesn't really apply to cartridge installation but old habits die hard.

I tend to do the same, nuts below purely for aesthetic reasons.

Which is why I like Pre threaded carts - no nuts!

Plus one for threaded mounting holes on carts, but otherwise yes I like my nuts on the bottom too LOL. If you need to adjust the alignment you can just hold the nuts while you loosen the screws from above. Seems safest to me or maybe I have just got used to that way of doing things.

If only all carts were pre threaded.

It should be made an industry standard!

I've never had any threaded headshells myself.

Apr 26, 2020 16:45:51 GMT 12 Citroen said:

Speaking of which, is there a way you are suppose to orient your nut and bolt in the headshell?

Nut on top? Or nut below? Any sound benefit or just convenience?

I find that aesthetically the nut below looks better but can be trickier to install.

It really depends....
Yes, nut underneath arguably looks tidier, but it depends on the cartridge. And headshell. And screw type.

Nut underneath can work with some cartridges, but with other cartridges, the nut is best fitted on top.

Many cartridges seem to be designed for 'screw-head below' fixing.
eg. with the DL-103, the screw head is best underneath - because the cartridge body cutout below is too narrow for a nut.
The same applies to a Koetsu.
The Miyajima Kansui/Shilabe probably similar, with a small u'side recess.

With the screw head on top, you may need to use a washer if you're fussy about the screw turning & damaging the headshell, especially if the headshell has a plain flat top (no recess around the slot, eg Jelco, Ortofon). However usually I prefer to omit the washer, because it sounds better that way to me

An allen socket screw head is also smaller than the M2.5 nut, so a the nut is usually preferable sitting over the slot, because there is more load-bearing contact surface straddling the sides of the slot. (You could theoretically use a bigger button head or pan head screw, but I've seldom seen these in M2.5.

With headshells that have a slot with recess around it (eg Linn, Rega...), a nut also usually sits in the recess nicely without turning.
So, there is often a good case for the nut on top.

Of course, it's always handy to have different length screws on hand (10mm & 20mm covers most cartridges), if you are fussy about screw length showing on top.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

You've reminded me of some very good points.

I've had carts where the nut was too large to fit underneath, and screw heads that were slightly too small to fit securely on top of the slots.

Again a point to have pre threaded carts in m2.5 as an industry standard.

I should qualify the above observations, which refer to modern M2.5 machine screws & nuts which I tend to use...

Traditional older cartridge screw fixings have small nuts, as below.
Many cartridge makers still supply screws like this - so these can usually be fitted either way around.


Shure cartridge fitted with traditional screws - M2.5 SS screw with larger nut on RHS.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Ah but if you are borderline anal about it these are the type of nuts i always use. 
M2.5 thread and only 3.9mm OD.

Some say that I'm borderline anal, because I insist on brass cartridge screws & nuts

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

open side mounting lugs like the classic shures, denons, old shelters et al are  

Worst I have found are the old Pickerings and Stantons that have the thin sheetmetal lugs which also have a lot of slop in them so are inclined to easily move about until fully tightened.