Vintage / Classic Cartridges / Stylus

Which Vintage Brand Do You Prefer

  • Shure

    Votes: 21 29.6%
  • Audio Technica

    Votes: 9 12.7%
  • Pickering / Stanton

    Votes: 17 23.9%
  • Empire

    Votes: 4 5.6%
  • Grace

    Votes: 4 5.6%
  • ADC

    Votes: 4 5.6%
  • Benz

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 6 8.5%
  • Grado

    Votes: 2 2.8%
  • Ortofon

    Votes: 4 5.6%

  • Total voters
    71
  • Poll closed .
AT140LC :)

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Empire 2000Z, T or S. Unlike many of the better vintage cartridges, original styli are still to be found.

Also the Shure V15 Types IV and V but original styli are effectively gone and when one pops up on eBay expect to see a price in the neighborhood of $300.00.

John
 
I'm liking the Excels at the moment
Excel ES-75QL not much info Shibata
Excel es 70 ex4 cd-4 shibata
 
The one auditioned here was pretty impressive
I just picked one up on a table I was after. It was a nice surprise. Need to save up for one of the soundsmith stylus before I use it regularly, but it's a great sounding MM cartridge.
 
This is going to be an interesting thread as it goes on!

I really only have one late model cartridge (Shure M97xE) to use as a comparison to my vintage cartridges which far outperform it. I am not saying I don't like my M97xe, in fact I rather enjoy it on occasion; I used it last night for a couple of hours and was thinking to myself "this sounds pretty damn good", its got a balanced sound, there's plenty of bottom end, mid's and high's. It's a solid performer that lets you enjoy the music at times at very high levels and not shred your hearing.

But now to the point of my favorite cartridge which is very vintage; my favorite of all is my Empire 2008 ( a clone of the 2000Z/ 2000T/ 2000S). This a classic that just gets everything right, very balanced in all respects equal amounts of bass, mid's and high's. And that's why it spends the most time on my turntable!

Other vintage cartridges in order of preference:
2) Stanton 881S w/Jico PC3000 (VoM 4608-DEV) Pickering stylus, Pfanstiehl 4822-DEE, 4825-DEZ.
3) Sonus Gold/Blue with Sonus White P stylus
4) Shure V15-TypeIV w/ Shure VN45HE and EVG 772-DE
5) Empire 4000D/I with aftermarket Shibata's
6) Shure M97xE stock stylus (I want to try a Vividline!)
7) Audio Technica AT15XE with Pfanstiehl *679-DE, and 4679-DE
8) Technics EPC-25U with EVG Elliptical
9) Ortofon OM-10

I like them all! It was tough to put them in an order of preference, the bottom order moves around some.
 
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My AT440MLa is I believe officially vintage now, since discontinued.
That said, of older carts I have a Grado M+ with original stylus is nice.
edit: Add Shure M91 which found new life with LP Gear Vivid stylus. Very nice.
 
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Lately my Pickering XLZ 4500s is getting the most play time.I still rotate in the Stanton 881s or the Pickering XSV 3000 all with oem stylus
 
Audio-Technica AT-125LC

Absolutely love this cartridge / stylus combo. Original styli are still available for it even though it's a "vintage" cartridge.

Surprised Grado isn't one of your survey selections, they've been around for a very long time and make some very fine cartridges too.
 
Garrott P77, B&O MMC20CL( I really thought it was a bunch of hype then I heard one) Grace F9 with SS ruby CL.
 
I like a whole bunch of them. Start withShure vintage. I have a few NOS stylus that make me happy.

Would love to hear a nice Pickering, only been about 40 years.

Love Grado vintage bodies like the Signature series with the current MCZ stylus.

Like Ortofon ok.

Would like to get an Empire some day, had one back in college. Way back.

Yes, listening to a variety is nice.
 
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