NOS Shire n111he stylus

[Tstar]

I bought one of the above on the Bay. Thought it didn't sound as good as it should, comparing it to my original v15rs stylus, so I put some rubber rejuvenatory on the cantilever grommet. Now, it distorts like crazy on low frequency transients and loud bass. Did I screw it up?

 

[Balifly]

I bought one of the above on the Bay. Thought it didn't sound as good as it should, comparing it to my original v15rs stylus, so I put some rubber rejuvenatory on the cantilever grommet. Now, it distorts like crazy on low frequency transients and loud bass. Did I screw it up?

Welcome to the AK turn table forum.

You did not screw up.

You can not salvage/save them all.

Nice try.

 

[malden]

That N111HE is (was) an excellent stylus.

Get this one and don't look back...

https://www.jico-stylus.com/product_info.php?products_id=1005

 

[Tstar]

The thing I'm wondering about is why the distortion now when it wasn't there before using the rejuvenator liquid. I have used it on grommets of other styli ( 881e, 881s ) and it actually resulted in an improvement.

 

[Tstar]

Well, good news. I used some WD40 on the grommet and low and behold it's sounding okay. So add me to the list of those who believe it works on hardened rubber.

 

[jrtrent]

Well, good news. I used some WD40 on the grommet and low and behold it's sounding okay. So add me to the list of those who believe it works on hardened rubber.

I have no practical experience with trying to rejuvenate hardened rubber, but I've been curious about how well it works. That is, if the rubber is old and hard, then a product is applied that loosens it up some, how can the user be reasonably certain that it is working as the manufacturer intended? That the suspension's compliance and related issues of tracking force, arm/cartridge resonance, and trackability are still what the user is expecting from his cartridge? For myself, after a very small sample set of bad experiences with NOS and third party product, perhaps I'm just too timid, but I feel safer in terms of protecting my record collection by sticking with original, factory fresh styli.

 

[Vinylmasters]

I have no practical experience with trying to rejuvenate hardened rubber, but I've been curious about how well it works. That is, if the rubber is old and hard, then a product is applied that loosens it up some, how can the user be reasonably certain that it is working as the manufacturer intended? That the suspension's compliance and related issues of tracking force, arm/cartridge resonance, and trackability are still what the user is expecting from his cartridge? For myself, after a very small sample set of bad experiences with NOS and third party product, perhaps I'm just too timid, but I feel safer in terms of protecting my record collection by sticking with original, factory fresh styli.

I think we all do - IF you can find an original, factory-fresh styli anyway.

 

[Lorenzo47]

I wouldn't take the chance on OE stylus that were 30 years old. I had a spare stylus for my Shure V15 Type IV that had never been used. I installed it a couple of years ago and it sounded terrible and then the stone fell off. A big risk (and big bucks) to take for something old. A crap shoot at best in my opinion. I run a SAS in that coil now and while not sounding that much like the original is very nice.

 

[jrtrent]

I think we all do - IF you can find an original, factory-fresh styli anyway.

For anything currently being produced, they shouldn't be that hard to find, and I don't buy anything that has been discontinued by the original manufacturer. I have a local dealer with good turnover of stock for Grado and Sumiko, and while my local Shure dealer has retired, I've gotten good N97xE styli through Amazon.

 

[boreas]

I wouldn't take the chance on OE stylus that were 30 years old. I had a spare stylus for my Shure V15 Type IV that had never been used. I installed it a couple of years ago and it sounded terrible and then the stone fell off. A big risk (and big bucks) to take for something old. A crap shoot at best in my opinion. I run a SAS in that coil now and while not sounding that much like the original is very nice.

I do it all the time and rarely regret the decision. The problem is that some of the cartridges I like either have lousy replacement styli or none: Empire, Sonus, so if you want to get the best out of these, NOS is the only option.

I've had the odd bad one and some that didn't respond to reconditioning but, on balance, these NOS styli have done well for me.

John

 

[Tstar]

Well, I kinda look at it this way: if after treatment it isn't mistracking and still works OK at the specified tracking force, there isn' t much to lose by using it. If it's a really valuable stylus, it can still be retipped, right?

 

[boreas]

If it's a really valuable stylus, it can still be retipped, right?

Yes, as long as the suspension is still good.

John