Pickering and Stanton Users and Collectors.

What makes that cartridge special? Is it’s uniqueness only skin (paint) deep?

Primarily the rarity. And for a Pickering and Stanton collector, these are pretty much as rare as it gets! This particular example looks like it has the sapphire coated cantilever (unique to this series). My understanding is that these were "built" on the XSV-3000 and indeed have similar specs (both having 270 mH inductance) but with most of these samarium-cobalt PickerStant bodies, there's enough differences electrically that each had their own specific stylus to get the "correct" sound. However, I've mixed and matched various original styli between the 3000, XUV and others and haven't heard much difference, but it may be due to my aging ears.

I've read some reviews from people who own the CS100 that it sounds a bit bright to them, a description you don't usually hear with regards to Pickering cartridges. Richard Steinfeld himself (who wrote an authorative book on Pickering and Stanton) doubts that there's a meaningful audio difference between the CS100 and other top-tier Pickering and Stanton cartridges. I just know that I'd love to own one, silk screened logo and all! I'd probably use a D3000 stylus with it to preserve the original. Except for those incredibly special occasions that is :)
 
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Any chance that this is actually a Stereohedron stylus, like the original 680SL stylus was?
 

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I'm unfamiliar with that repackager, but I'd suspect it's a heavy tracking fairly cheap knockoff (elliptical? very little info to go on from the image). And it looks like something's going on with that cantilever (not in a good way).
 
Move on Stylus suspensions become stiff and the stylus gets worn and originals are no longer available. Its like finding a set of 20 year old Michelin tires. They may look good but we know they are not safe.
 
I owned Stanton 680 and 681 everything. 881 and 981 also. I gave up 10 years ago trying find good styluses for Stanton, Shure V-15 iv and V, too. T hats why I said move on. We were a Stanton and Shure dealer for many many years.
 
I owned Stanton 680 and 681 everything. 881 and 981 also. I gave up 10 years ago trying find good styluses for Stanton, Shure V-15 iv and V, too. T hats why I said move on. We were a Stanton and Shure dealer for many many years.
Good for you. This thread is for folks that like Stanton / Pickering cartridges and want to continue to enjoy them. Don't like them? Move on.

Go play that Dynavector you are usually telling people that they need.:)
 
Finding a good aftermarket stylus for a Shure V15 IV and V is relatively easy, just look at Jico. Plenty of satisfied customers would attest to their quality. Finding the same for a Pickering and Stanton is a bit trickier, but there are lots of threads on AK (including this one) that should help people keep those beloved cartridges humming along happily, and *close* to their original sound.
 
Good for you. This thread is for folks that like Stanton / Pickering cartridges and want to continue to enjoy them. Don't like them? Move on.

Go play that Dynavector you are usually telling people that they need.:)

well, Stanton fan here, the best aftermarkets aren't terrible, but they are not the same as a Stanton original, the original styli are the best, hands down. Anyone who was ever able to compare will tell you the same. I have a Stanton 980, not many hours on it. the suspension is sagging and getting lower by the week.. NOS is not the same as new. it is a huge risk spending that much money on something that is NOS . thats how I bought my 980. it was actually completely unused when I got it.

He was not saying he didn't like them. A Stanton isn't truly a Stanton without the original stylus, they had proprietary design characteristics in them. it would be great if someone could start making true OEM styli for these great carts again. in their day, they were among the best available, even their low end carts beat others at the same price points. I have not listened to Shure aftermarket styli, but I think it might be the same.

But, I just paid less than that CS100 cart for an AT 33Sa. yeah the 980 is much closer to it than you might think, but it does edge it out enough to make a worthwhile difference. better definition, greater sound stage.

once A cart starts approaching 40 years old, are you even still hearing it's original sound?

it's like the higher end Vintage Sansui's......nothing wrong with them, in fact they sound great, but most of the price you pay isn't for the sound, but the rarity. rarity does not make it sound better. It just makes it cost more.

I am not telling people they need an AT 33sa, I'm just saying as good as they are, they are getting to cost more than they are worth at this point and are prone to failure at any moment you can pay less and get more UNLESS you are collecting them more than wanting to listen to them.
 
well, Stanton fan here, the best aftermarkets aren't terrible, but they are not the same as a Stanton original, the original styli are the best, hands down. Anyone who was ever able to compare will tell you the same. I have a Stanton 980, not many hours on it. the suspension is sagging and getting lower by the week.. NOS is not the same as new. it is a huge risk spending that much money on something that is NOS . thats how I bought my 980. it was actually completely unused when I got it.

He was not saying he didn't like them. A Stanton isn't truly a Stanton without the original stylus, they had proprietary design characteristics in them. it would be great if someone could start making true OEM styli for these great carts again. in their day, they were among the best available, even their low end carts beat others at the same price points. I have not listened to Shure aftermarket styli, but I think it might be the same.

But, I just paid less than that CS100 cart for an AT 33Sa. yeah the 980 is much closer to it than you might think, but it does edge it out enough to make a worthwhile difference. better definition, greater sound stage.

once A cart starts approaching 40 years old, are you even still hearing it's original sound?

it's like the higher end Vintage Sansui's......nothing wrong with them, in fact they sound great, but most of the price you pay isn't for the sound, but the rarity. rarity does not make it sound better. It just makes it cost more.

I am not telling people they need an AT 33sa, I'm just saying as good as they are, they are getting to cost more than they are worth at this point and are prone to failure at any moment you can pay less and get more UNLESS you are collecting them more than wanting to listen to them.
I am fully aware that old styli can have age related problems. I've read it a thousand times, and have seen it in person. I have an AKG where the cantilever was completely rigid because the suspension turned to stone. That's why I don't often bother with NOS unless they are cheap and I have little to lose if they are junk.

I like the Stantering sound, and to me it is worth looking for good styli. Soon, I plan to try the new Swiss nude ellipticals on my 500 and 680. Maybe they will be somewhat faithful to the originals. I have read good things about them.
 
When was the CS100 sold, what years?

In the 1980s, many carts were engineering triumphs and marketing flops. Advent of CDs didn’t help. Plethora of T4P didn’t help, either.
 
From the audioreview forum link that Blewpernt provided, they were sold at least until 1996 (according to one owner). A lencoheaven poster also mentions it being reviewed in a January 1995 issue of Hi-Fi World, so definitely one of the last true audiophile cartridges Stanton offered before they started to cater to the DJ market.

Great info Blewpernt! The company at this point was definitely manufacturing some amazing cartridges, a "last gasp" before cds ruled the world. But like you mention things got odd and at times misleading as to their styli. There's no way I'd pay what that CS100 is going for, but as one of the pinnacle cartridges from a classic American company, it would be fun to own. I paid $150 for an XLZ-7500S (body only) through Vickers a few years back and I'm more than satisfied with it's performance, even with an elliptical Walco aftermarket stylus.

Here's some info from Stanton

Publication1.jpg STANTON-881S-981-CS100 spec.jpg
 
I’ve got a Shure M91 I’m selling for $30. If I sign it, maybe I can sell it for the rock bottom price of $25. Sure! I think that’ll work!
 
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