Which stylus for my ADC XLM MKIII cartridge?

nickrobotron

una bella tazza di caffe
I need to buy a stylus for my cartridge ASAP. The top of the cartridge (the part covered by headshell) is blank with no lettering. The original stylus that came with the cartridge simply says "XLM-III" and the ADC replacement stylus that was purchased almost a decade ago says "ADC XLM MK III". I assume that this is an ADC XLM MKIII non-improved cartridge.

Which of these styli is the best way to go? Are all of them compatible? I'd like to hear this cartridge in all of its glory but I don't want to spend an unnecessary amount of money if I can't hear the difference. I wonder if my system is revealing enough for it to make a difference.

My system: Yamaha YP-D6 turntable > Yamaha CR-2020 receiver (restored) > Sony SS-M7 speakers

Stylus options:

There are a ton of different options at the $40 mark. I wonder if they are all exactly the same. It definitely makes things very confusing. Here are three options that seem to make sense.
http://www.lpgear.com/product/ADCSXLMIII.html
http://www.lpgear.com/product/ADC200.html
http://www.lpgear.com/product/ADCSXLMIIIIMP.html

This one has a finer diamond.
http://www.lpgear.com/product/ADC214I.html

Vivid Line.
http://www.lpgear.com/product/ADC250.html

Shibata.
http://www.lpgear.com/product/ADC211.html
 
What you are looking at are aftermarket replacement styli not made by ADC. Some are probably decent, but will sound different than the original. The original was a nude .2 x .7 mil elliptical "tombstone" style stylus mounted to a tapered cantilever. The aftermarkets are undoubtedly bonded, to inferior cantilevers.

You can find the original here:

http://www.turntableneedles.com/ADC-XLM-MK-III-RSX-our-Needle-108-DEX_p_847.html

I got one, it's the real deal, and it sounds fantastic. The suspension on these seem to have held up well, too.

Addition:

For a few more $$$ you can upgrade to the ZLM stylus, which is "alliptic." (Equivalent to hyperelliptical perhaps?) This stylus is supposed to track lighter and more accurately, while retrieving more detail. I haven't heard this one, but it has a reputation for being a little colder and analytical sounding than the XLM.

http://www.turntableneedles.com/ADC-ZLM-Needle-108-DEQ_p_845.html
 
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Nope

What you are looking at are aftermarket replacement styli not made by ADC. Some are probably decent, but will sound different than the original. The original was a nude .2 x .7 mil elliptical "tombstone" style stylus mounted to a tapered cantilever. The aftermarkets are undoubtedly bonded to inferior cantilevers.

You can find the original here:

http://www.turntableneedles.com/ADC-XLM-MK-III-RSX-our-Needle-108-DEX_p_847.html

I got one, it's the real deal, and it sounds fantastic. The suspension on these seem to have held up well, too.

Addition:

For a few more $$$ you can get the ZLM stylus, which is "alliptic." (Equivalent to hyperelliptical perhaps?) This stylus is supposed to track lighter and more accurately, while retrieving more detail. I haven't heard this one, but it has a reputation for being a little colder and analytical sounding than the XLM.

http://www.turntableneedles.com/ADC-ZLM-Needle-108-DEQ_p_845.html

Don't believe the WAITING LIST...I was on for months, contacted them and they said NO MORE/DONE.

The XLM is just not around however; agree the ZLM while pricey is awesome..But as point out before...I personally feel the AT440MLa blows it away and full boat costs less than a ZLM stylus...BTW..I owned/own both and I say this from experience...
 
Oh, didn't see the waiting list. They were available a very short time ago. Damn! I should have bought a second one when I still could. They really were a deal.

The AT440MLa isn't the deal it once was, unfortunately... It just received another price hike.
 
Sad that the RSX is gone. However, you can still get the close equivalent of the XLM Mk III Improved stylus from TTN.com, though you won't like the price ($122).
I'm talking about the RXM-III, the stylus that came with the Integra cartridges. It has the same goodies as the XLM Mk III Improved: "tombstone" nude mount 2x7 elliptical on a tapered canti. This stylus is labeled simply "XLM-III", just like the one the OP has.
For $80, TTN.com has the Super XLM (it's labeled a Mk II but really belongs in a Mk III body.) A true nude Shibata stylus for half the price of the ZLM's Aliptic, but it doesn't have the thinned-down lower-mass cantilever of the real Mk IIIs.
Alternatively, Needle Doctor has the VLM Mk III Improved for $67: 3x7 round-shank nude elliptical on a straight canti and a little less compliant than the XLM Mk III-- a better match for the typical Japanese table with an S-arm.

I haven't tried any of the current aftermarket ADC styli.
 
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Sad that the RSX is gone. However, you can still get the equivalent of the XLM Mk III Improved stylus from TTN.com, though you won't like the price ($122).

I'm talking about the RXM-III, the stylus that came with the Integra cartridges. It has the same goodies as the XLM Mk III Improved: "tombstone" nude mount 2x7 elliptical on a tapered canti. This stylus is labeled simply "XLM-III", just like the one the OP has.

For $80, TTN.com has the Super XLM (it's labeled a Mk II but really belongs in a Mk III body.) Shibata stylus for half the price of the ZLM's Aliptic, but it doesn't have the thinned-down lower-mass cantilever of the real Mk IIIs.

Alternatively, Needle Doctor has the VLM Mk III Improved for $67: 3x7 round-shank nude elliptical on a straight canti and a little less compliant than the XLM Mk III-- a better match for the typical Japanese table with an S-arm.

I haven't tried any of the current aftermarket ADC styli.


I have only used NOS or the best deal for the sound (to me) was the $67.00 stylus.... on Pop's old Pioneer "S" arm it was great:music:. I have sold many XLM is different stages, the Mk III Improved with a Shibata type stylus is Awsome on this consumer TT. Down side the cantilever is hard to see when aligning with protractor. I am looking at a mirror one thinking I could see the length of the cantilever better to line it up with the grid lines. These NEED to be aligned really close for the best sound. Elliptical are a bit more forgiving in many areas for a bit of top end loss... too my old ears. I also noticed a ADC head shell with all the XLM hardware sure gets a cart lined up close. Try one you will see. Or I have gotten Lucky several times with it before I sold it too. If the mirror works I will purchase another one, when you can find one.

I have not heard the AT cart but if it's close and NEW stylus can still be purchased GREAT when Pop's Pickering XUV (my favorite) quits or NOS stylus dry up the AT sounds like a good back up for my cheep TT. Some of these old carts and NOS stylus that have set for a long time, sometimes sure take some play time to fully sound Great. I am sure there are many other cart brands that sound this good I just have not played one yet. I am working on it.:thmbsp:
 
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No one has anything to say about the replacement styli! It's so weird. I cannot find a review at all. Every time the cartridge gets brought up, people talk about NOS original styli.

What about the Vivid Line for $90?
 
I've seen a Japanese blog post a while back about the shibata replacement from JICO, and it had a favorable opinion on it. If I can dig up a link, I'll post back.

I think most people talk about the NOS replacements because they are (or were, seemingly now) easy to get for a reasonable price. We'll probably see an uptick in comments on the replacements now that the NOS sources appear to be drying up.
 
The reason why people talk about the NOS ADC styli, is because they were truly great. These were from the era before CDs, when analog was king. The upper-end ADCs were among the best cartridges available in those days.

What makes them special still, is how affordable the NOS styli (you can still find) are. You'd have to pay lots of money to get a new cartridge with a nude stylus and a tiny low-mass tapered cantilever. As far as I know, there is no such animal anywhere near the $100 mark. The AT440Mla is probably the best deal, at $170+. Most other manufacturers' similar products will set you back $300+. (Ortofon 2M series, anyone?)

Most of the aftermarket styli are probably very good, but you will lose what really made the XLM series so cutting edge in their day: the low mass components. As far as I know, the Jicos have bonded round-shank styli, and simple tubular cantilevers. Not that that's a bad thing... They just don't do justice for all the years of R & D, polishing and perfecting that ADC committed to their products.
 
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The reason why people talk about the NOS ADC styli, is because they were truly great. These were from the era before CDs, when analog was king. The upper-end ADCs were among the best cartridges available in those days.

What makes them special still, is how affordable the NOS styli (you can still find) are. You'd have to pay lots of money to get a new cartridge with a nude stylus and a tiny low-mass tapered cantilever. As far as I know, there is no such animal anywhere near the $100 mark. The AT440Mla is probably the best deal, at $170+. Most other manufacturers' similar products will set you back $300+. (Ortofon 2M series, anyone?)

Most of the aftermarket styli are probably very good, but you will lose what really made the XLM series so cutting edge in their day: the low mass components. As far as I know, the Jicos have bonded round-shank styli, and simple tubular cantilevers. Not that that's a bad thing... They just don't do justice for all the years of R & D, polishing and perfecting that ADC committed to their products.

Excellent advice Multiplex :thmbsp:

Dave/ChairSpud
 
Congrats! hope you enjoy the stylus, I recommend 1-1/4 Grams tracking force for the RXM-II.

Dave/ChairSpud
 
Which ADC XLM Stylus? Old Thread, but still a good question:
Nickburton has a list of possible stylus above that the links still work!! All LPGear options for the ADC Integra cart!
By now I don't find any NOS under about $300 ... is there any feedback on the LPG options above? Which are at least rea$onable if not original.
Really interested what results Shibata and Vivid Line have given people.
mike in SC
 
Which ADC XLM Stylus? Old Thread, but still a good question:
Nickburton has a list of possible stylus above that the links still work!! All LPGear options for the ADC Integra cart!
By now I don't find any NOS under about $300 ... is there any feedback on the LPG options above? Which are at least rea$onable if not original.
Really interested what results Shibata and Vivid Line have given people.
mike in SC
If I was gonna spend $300 ish on an ADC replacement stylus I would just go to cartridge_retipping-5/ebay (former AKer Needlestein) and get the best diamond/cantilever I could afford. Beside getting what I want I would know the suspension would be good as NOS can be a gamble in this regard. A
Shibata on a sapphire cantilever- very Astrion-like.
There are, of course, other re-tippers.
I currently am using an ADC VLM (have back up NOS stylus I got for reasonable dollars) and XLM MKIII improved waiting for the proper tonearm.
 
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