New Stylus for Sony XL200 Cartridge

[MONSTERZONE]

Hi, I have just bought an used turntable; a Sony PS LX22. It came with a Moving Coil Sony XL200 Cartridge. The salesman suggested that I should replace the stylus. It is written on the stylus: ND200G.

Now: the problem is:
I COULD buy the ND200G stylus on ebay,
BUT; I can also buy a similar stylus, which is called the "ND150G", in a store nearby where I live and don't deal with the shipping. Does this "ND150G" work instead of the "ND200G"?
-MZ

 

[Balifly]

Hi, I have just bought an used turntable; a Sony PS LX22. It came with a Moving Coil Sony XL200 Cartridge. The salesman suggested that I should replace the stylus. It is written on the stylus: ND200G.

Now: the problem is:
I COULD buy the ND200G stylus on ebay,
BUT; I can also buy a similar stylus, which is called the "ND150G", in a store nearby where I live and don't deal with the shipping. Does this "ND150G" work instead of the "ND200G"?
-MZ

Welcome to the AK turn table forum.

The Sony XL 200 can not use the the Sony ND 150G stylus as a replacement stylus.

Two very different cartridges and therefore incompatible stylus.

 

[MONSTERZONE]

Welcome to the AK turn table forum.

The Sony XL 200 can not use the the Sony ND 150G stylus as a replacement stylus.

Two very different type of cartridges and therefore incompatible stylus.

Ok, thanks for the advice. )
I think the ND 200G stylus is a saphire stylus. How would I go about changing to a diamond stylus? Do i have to change the whole headshell + cartridge or can i just change the needle?

PS: If i just have to change the needle: is this legit? - http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIAMANT-DRE...906725?hash=item54427f86e5:g:t1IAAOSwUKxYfmih

 

[Balifly]

Ok, thanks for the advice. )
I think the ND 200G stylus is a saphire stylus. How would I go about changing to a diamond stylus? Do i have to change the whole headshell + cartridge or can i just change the needle?

Here are some links to reputable sources:

http://www.pickupnaalden.com/english/turntable_needles.asp?M=Sony_XL-200__8073

http://www.stylusplus.co.uk/sony-xl200-stylus-448-p.asp

http://www.musonic.co.uk/xl200-elliptical-stylus-p-14792.html

 

[MONSTERZONE]

Here are some links to reputable sources:

http://www.pickupnaalden.com/english/turntable_needles.asp?M=Sony_XL-200__8073

http://www.stylusplus.co.uk/sony-xl200-stylus-448-p.asp

http://www.musonic.co.uk/xl200-elliptical-stylus-p-14792.html

Ok, but I am still unsure if i need to replace the stylus.
Here's an audio sample from the turntable, the pre-amp and the amp:

PS: I have not grounded the pre-amp. Is this a problem? And how would I go about doing this, considering that my turntable do not have a ground cable?
-MZ

 

[ETI_5000]

Ok, but I am still unsure if i need to replace the stylus.

I didn’t hear any distortion there, so the stylus is probably in good condition, but as you don’t know how much life the current stylus has had, it might be only hours away from wearing enough to turn into a chisel and damage your records irreversibly. So it’s a good idea to buy a spare stylus, and at the first hint of distortion, or even to safeguard your records before then, replace the old one. Better safe than sorry.

Depending on record and stylus tip cleanliness and stylus tip shape, styli generally have a life of somewhere between 300 and 2000 hours according to cartridge and turntable manufacturers. It’s impossible to predict user habits, so it varies greatly, and it’s impossible for manufacturers to be absolutely precise. Some probably err on the side of caution, since a reasonable record collection will usually cost far more than a stylus. A worn stylus tip can cause record damage, so it pays to change styli regularly to protect records.

PS: I have not grounded the pre-amp. Is this a problem? And how would I go about doing this, considering that my turntable do not have a ground cable?
-MZ

There wasn’t a great amount of hum audible, so you have no problem with grounding. The PS-LX22 tonearm is grounded via one channel of the signal lead grounds, eventually leading back to the sole ‘star grounding’ point of the power amplifier via the signal cables, printed circuit board tracks and internal amplifier cabling, so no separate ground wire is needed or provided.

 

[MONSTERZONE]

I didn’t hear any distortion there, so the stylus is probably in good condition, but as you don’t know how much life the current stylus has had, it might be only hours away from wearing enough to turn into a chisel and damage your records irreversibly. So it’s a good idea to buy a spare stylus, and at the first hint of distortion, or even to safeguard your records before then, replace the old one. Better safe than sorry.

Depending on record and stylus tip cleanliness and stylus tip shape, styli generally have a life of somewhere between 300 and 2000 hours according to cartridge and turntable manufacturers. It’s impossible to predict user habits, so it varies greatly, and it’s impossible for manufacturers to be absolutely precise. Some probably err on the side of caution, since a reasonable record collection will usually cost far more than a stylus. A worn stylus tip can cause record damage, so it pays to change styli regularly to protect records.



There wasn’t a great amount of hum audible, so you have no problem with grounding. The PS-LX22 tonearm is grounded via one channel of the signal lead grounds, eventually leading back to the sole ‘star grounding’ point of the power amplifier via the signal cables, printed circuit board tracks and internal amplifier cabling, so no separate ground wire is needed or provided.

Okay, so there is no need to ground the pre-amp?

I am still unsure on which styli I shall buy.
What is the difference between "Elliptical Diamond" and "Diamond Stereo"?


Is this a diamond needle? What is the difference between this "Elliptical Stylus" for 31.50 and the other "Diamond elliptical Styli" for 41.00?

 

[ETI_5000]

Okay, so there is no need to ground the pre-amp?

No.

I am still unsure on which styli I shall buy. View attachment 879494
What is the difference between "Elliptical Diamond" and "Diamond Stereo"?

I've got no idea, but I suspect that with the 'Diamond Stereo' stylus the 'S' might mean a spherical tip, rather than an elliptical. So the elliptical stylus would be better, seeing that they are made by the same company, which is why it costs a bit more.

Is this a diamond needle? What is the difference between this "Elliptical Stylus" for 31.50 and the other "Diamond elliptical Styli" for 41.00?

They should all be diamond - the only other material which has been used in the past 50 years or so, mainly for very cheap ceramic non-hi-fi cartridge styli, is sapphire, which doesn't last as long as diamond. I haven't seen too many sapphire styli recently - perhaps they may still exist, but I hope they'd never be used as a replacement for what was originally a diamond stylus. My first record player (long gone, thank goodness) had a sapphire needle in the early-70's, but certainly wasn't hi-fi, long before I knew anything about spending a bit more to get better sound - I was a poor schoolboy at the time.

What is the difference between this "Elliptical Stylus" for 31.50 and the other "Diamond elliptical Styli" for 41.00?

Well, the one from Musonic in Britain is £31.50 (British pounds), and a 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical, and the other from Pickup Needles (pickupnaalden) in Holland is €41.00 (Euros) and an elliptical (size not specified), so you’d need to work out the exchange rate (if any) based on where you are to find out which one is cheaper (see Yahoo Finance's currency converter for that). One is also a slightly different colour, but that should make no difference to sound quality! They are probably quite similar.

 

[MONSTERZONE]

No.



I've got no idea, but I suspect that with the 'Diamond Stereo' stylus the 'S' might mean a spherical tip, rather than an elliptical. So the elliptical stylus would be better, seeing that they are made by the same company, which is why it costs a bit more.



They should all be diamond - the only other material which has been used in the past 50 years or so, mainly for very cheap ceramic non-hi-fi cartridge styli, is sapphire, which doesn't last as long as diamond. I haven't seen too many sapphire styli recently - perhaps they may still exist, but I hope they'd never be used as a replacement for what was originally a diamond stylus. My first record player (long gone, thank goodness) had a sapphire needle in the early-70's, but certainly wasn't hi-fi, long before I knew anything about spending a bit more to get better sound - I was a poor schoolboy at the time.



Well, the one from Musonic in Britain is £31.50 (British pounds), and a 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical, and the other from Pickup Needles (pickupnaalden) in Holland is €41.00 (Euros) and an elliptical (size not specified), so you’d need to work out the exchange rate (if any) based on where you are to find out which one is cheaper (see Yahoo Finance's currency converter for that). One is also a slightly different colour, but that should make no difference to sound quality! They are probably quite similar.

Okay, but what about this one;

Is this a good alternative or is this a Sapphire styli?

 

[Jampot]

Hi Monsterzone,
are you in UK? That last stylus you linked to is priced in pounds sterling.

I bought a Sony TT with an XL200 fitted a few months ago. Seller had fitted a 'new' stylus before offering it for sale and it worked BUT I bought an eliptical stylus listed in Amazon market place by Wm Thakker for (about) £24 and it was Soooo much better it sounded like a different cartridge.

Unfortunately it seems to be sold out.

I have checked out the obvious places for alternatives and drawn a blank other than this -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REPLACEME...796599?hash=item3d31759d37:g:1OAAAOSw4DJYiJSX

I know it says ND30 rather than ND 200 but the ND20, 30 and 200 seem to be interchangeable.

If you can run to it, go for that or the £31 job from Musonic. as they are both elliptical rather than spherical.

Jim

 

[Jampot]

This one!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nadel-ND2...618364?hash=item3c9bc8133c:g:OMEAAOSwT6pVmmS8

No idea why I didn't find it before I posted last night, must have made a typo in the search box or something.......

Thakker has a good reputation and postage from Germany to UK should take less than a week.

Jim

 

[MONSTERZONE]

This one!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nadel-ND2...618364?hash=item3c9bc8133c:g:OMEAAOSwT6pVmmS8

No idea why I didn't find it before I posted last night, must have made a typo in the search box or something.......

Thakker has a good reputation and postage from Germany to UK should take less than a week.

Jim

Thank you for your links Jim! Is the german stylus a diamond stylus?

BTW: I live in Norway, so i think buying the german Stylus will reduce shipping costs etc... )
-MZ

 

[Jampot]

Definitely a diamond stylus.

After market supplier brands can be very fickle, but the one I bought (from Thakker, same price) was by Jico.
Hopefully his stock is still from that source.

After posting and while I had the ebay listing open I pulled the trigger so will have a spare!

Jim

 

[Jampot]

My stylus arrived this morning from Thakker in Germany.

Pleased to confirm that although the label on the box has less text it does still indicate that it is by Jico.

The cantilever is MUCH finer than some of the others linked to up thread.

Jim

 

[MONSTERZONE]

My stylus arrived this morning from Thakker in Germany.

Pleased to confirm that although the label on the box has less text it does still indicate that it is by Jico.

The cantilever is MUCH finer than some of the others linked to up thread.

Jim

My stylus arrived 1 week late, but so far I am pleased with the product. Thanks for the link Jim!
-MZ