Biradial stylus? Confused about differences.

Detailman

Addicted to tweaking
I've been trying different cartridges that I have lying around.
Grado Blue, Shure M55EM, and an AT3500E.
The AT sounds about as good as any and with the E I just assumed it was elliptical.
When I checked the cartridge database it said biradial and I don't quite understand the differences in conical etc.
Would anyone enlighten me?
 
Good Question...

The thing is, ALL "Elliptical" labeled styli are truly Bi-Radial, not Elliptical. In a 2-d world, I guess you could say the stylus is Elliptical, but in the "real world" they are really Bi-Radial in design. Even Shure originaly called them Bi-Radial untill it became cool to say Elliptical.
 
it's the small radius of the ellip that contacts the groove more better than conical. conical is just that, shaped like a cone, 1 radius. Nothing wrong with them but biradial/elliptical is much better for tracking and getting the most info out of the groove. ie: hi'er fi.
Altho conical is used extensivly in lower cost stylii, it is a good choice for 45s and 78s, where grooves are larger.
 
Thanks all.
Good link with understandable explanation.
Cleared up my question. Just like a college course with the experience and knowledge on this forum.
The help is really appreciated.
Found this AT3500E on a thrift tt and must say I don't think it's an expensive one but a pretty good all around cartridge.
 
Thanks all.
Good link with understandable explanation.
Cleared up my question. Just like a college course with the experience and knowledge on this forum.
The help is really appreciated.
Found this AT3500E on a thrift tt and must say I don't think it's an expensive one but a pretty good all around cartridge.

Yep, decent cartridge. It's either a rebadged AT11E or AT12E depending on whether it's green or blue.
 
It's green and one time when ordering some stuff got a new stylus cause the orig suspension was shot. It's pretty decent but I have a hard time making up my mind about what is best.
Guess that's what keeps us going!!!!!!!!
Sometimes it's amazing what you can get for a couple bucks from the thrift with a beat up tt.
 
I've been trying different cartridges that I have lying around.
Grado Blue, Shure M55EM, and an AT3500E.
The AT sounds about as good as any and with the E I just assumed it was elliptical.
When I checked the cartridge database it said biradial and I don't quite understand the differences in conical etc.
Would anyone enlighten me?
Anyone familiar with the Shure E96M Designer series cartridge with the EJ stylus. Cannot find any info on this cartridge/stylus at all.
 
Anyone familiar with the Shure E96M Designer series cartridge with the EJ stylus. Cannot find any info on this cartridge/stylus at all.
E = elliptical
J = i think J stood for "cheap" or maybe "high tracking force", while "D" = deluxe or nude elliptical, and "G" (alone) is deluxe nude spherical.
 
Anyone familiar with the Shure E96M Designer series cartridge with the EJ stylus. Cannot find any info on this cartridge/stylus at all.


1701790528716.png1701790661008.jpeg

1701790722706.jpeg
E96M cartridge = OEM version of Shure DC Cart HE (Designer Series Cartridge). It may have been sold by a chain of American hi-fi or electronics shops in the 1980’s, who contracted Shure to make it for them.

Stylus choices included (as pictured above, from the Shure 1982 Stylus Replacement Guide, copyright Shure, for info purposes only):

NDC-HE, nude hyperelliptical (line contact), tracking force 0.75-1.5g - this was the original stylus for the E96M.
NDC-EJ, 0.4 x 0.7mil elliptical, tracking force 1.5-3g - this would be a better match with higher mass tonearms, such as many s-shaped ones.
NDC-ED, 0.2 x 0.7mil nude elliptical, tracking force 0.75-1.5g

I suspect that the N75 styli may probably also fit the cartridge – either N75ED, N75EJ or N75HE, but can’t confirm it for certain.

Incidentally, 'EJ' styli all seemed to be 0.4 x 0.7mil elliptical (bi-radial) styli, tracking at 1.5-3g - they work OK at about 2g or slightly above.
 

Attachments

  • 1701790600933.jpeg
    1701790600933.jpeg
    33.4 KB · Views: 0
NDC-HE, nude hyperelliptical (line contact), tracking force 0.75-1.5g - this was the original stylus for the E96M.
NDC-EJ, 0.4 x 0.7mil elliptical, tracking force 1.5-3g - this would be a better match with higher mass tonearms, such as many s-shaped ones.
NDC-ED, 0.2 x 0.7mil nude elliptical, tracking force 0.75-1.5g

You can also see how the EJ has a thicker cantilever versus the finer canitlever on the ED and HE models.

Coincident with my "J" = "Cheaper model" thesis.
 
I think that I was correct about the N75 styli fitting – the Realistic R47XT was the Radio Shack version of the Designer Series Cartridge EJ, and as well as the original Realistic (by Shure) R3X stylus, Shure’s Discontinued Cartridge and Stylus document from 2004 showed the NDC-EJ and N75EC styli as possible alternatives. So any N75 styli should fit.
 
You can also see how the EJ has a thicker cantilever versus the finer canitlever on the ED and HE models.

Coincident with my "J" = "Cheaper model" thesis.

The EJ series, N75EJ, M95EJ, M97EJ, SC39EJ, etc. may have been less expensive (cheaper) than the ED series but they were designed for slightly heavier tonearms so the thicker cantilevers were a necessity rather than a cost-cutting or price-point compromise.
 
Last edited:
I think that I was correct about the N75 styli fitting –
:idea:
the Realistic R47XT was the Radio Shack version of the Designer Series Cartridge EJ, and as well as the original Realistic (by Shure) R3X stylus,
The "EJ" series usually has a green plastic grip, a .3 x .7 elliptical tip and tracks between 1.5 and 3 grams
...the 5X stylus...also has a green plastic grip but a .4 x .7 elliptical tip and tracks between 1.75 and 2.25 grams
....the 3X stylus has a brown grip, .4 x .7 tip and tracks between 2.5 and 3.5 grams
Shure’s Discontinued Cartridge and Stylus document from 2004 showed the NDC-EJ and N75EC styli as possible alternatives. So any N75 styli should fit.
The 3X, 5X & 8X styli will fit a M75 body...but...the N75 series styli will not fit the Designer Series or RXT (Realistic) series cartridge bodies.

The NDC (Designer) series styli will not fit the M75 cartridge bodies, the stylus grips are too tall
 
Last edited:
Here's something else to consider when ordering a replacement stylus....Shure Designer Series and Realistic R1000XT (R47XT, R25XT) styli, although they look identical, closer examination shows that the NDC styli have taller plastic grips than the Realistic 3X, 5X, & 8X. You can use a 3X, 5X & 8X stylus in a Designer Series body but not the other way around

designer he realistic 8x 1.JPGdesigner he realistic 8x 2.JPG
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom