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ADC Cartridge Identification

Scott Serpa

New Member
I have an ADC cartridge with no identifiable markings. I got it without a stylus and am trying to find one for it. It has gold body, closed mounting holes, no color rings on signal pins. It reads 825 ohms on one channel and 842 ohms on the other.

I found a chart that helps identify these things but I can't seem to find this one.
 

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Within a given XLM-type body style like yours, there are several styli that were/are intended to work with it and give a flat response curve. There's no way to know which exact stylus came with your cartridge body from the factory, but practically speaking, it doesn't matter. When the stylus largely determines the model, whatever stylus you can find that will work becomes the name of the cartridge.

You have an example of the final (and, some would say, best) generation of ADC's cartridge bodies. ADC produced their most advanced styli for it. The problem, as you know, is finding any of them and being able to afford them when you do find them.

To get you started listening to ADC sound, and assuming you live in the US, I'm going to recommend starting with an inexpensive NOS conical, the K8, available in either blue or dark gray. I'm hoping that while you listen to that, this thread will gather in some recommendations from those who've shopped the current market for the higher-class ADC styli, including the aftermarket offerings, and who have experience with them.
1a.jpg adc rk8 1566.jpg
^ About $24 shipped from one known-reliable vendor (one you've already contacted, but there are others). Does this sound like the/a way you'd like to go? let us know.
 
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Thanks. Since I have no history on this cartridge I think I'm just going to use one of the Pfanstiehl 4111-D7C to start with.
 
Let us know how it goes. Some generics dispense with the induced-magnet layout, so I'll be curious to know how it sounds but also what it looks like.
 
Spend the extra $5 and get the genuine ADC 110-D7C (RK8) that tracks between 1.5 to 3.0 grams versus the Pfanstiehl that tracks between 3 to 5 grams. Pfanstiehl styli are hit and miss with many (if not most) being a miss. An ADC cartridge deserves better.
 
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