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ADC's Bricks

I’ve got 4 original ADC styli for my 220X cartridge. 2 are elliptical R-20XE and 2 conical R-20X styli. All 4 have no issues and track at 1.3 grams just fine.. ADC used butyl rubber for its suspension blocks, and I haven’t found silicone oil or grease to affect the rubber at all. But what it DOES affect is the interface between the armature and square hole in the rubber block. The armature is a crimped “square” profile in the middle of the soft iron tube. So lubricating the interface between the rubber and iron can affect how the cantilever rotates/vibrates about that pivot point. One point to watch: The armature can easily slide out of position. The normal vibration and pull on the stylus can cause the armature to get out of position in the rubber block.

Later in 1978, ADC changed the square armature profile from pressed/crimped to machined cut. This cut profile locks the armature into the square hole of the rubber block suspension. This is the “Improved” Omni-pivot version of the MKIII ADC styli.
 
Yes. But it doesn’t disagree with what I just posted. And it discusses post-1980 design/production. NOT 1967-1970 production of the “X” series.
 
Now the NOS styli are presumably not from 1970, but from a later batch (both are obtained from Thakker). So we do not know for sure whether the material has been altered. And be it only to make the purchasing of materials more simple.
 
An original ADC stylus for the X series will have been made during the X series manufacturing run. Same for subsequent series cartridges and styli. Otherwise, it’s likely an aftermarket stylus sold as an original. Planned obsolescence was a marketing ploy used by all cartridge manufacturers.
 
Ok, update on the 220X body. Meanwhile the cart sits in my Dual 1019. That was a better home for it than the CEC (which I have further optimized, it sings with an AT13Ea with original NOS ATN13 now). And I was able to get a second NOS original N90XE stylus. And what a surprise: I was able to lower the vtf from 1.7 p to 0.8 p with that stylus! It tracks the Ortofon Test Disk 70 µm track without distorsion, the 80 µm with slight distorsion.

And how does it sound? Well it should be forbidden that such old and (the cart) cheap stuff is so good!
 
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