Diamond tests for Empire 2000 E III – NOS diamonds still available online and substitute diamonds
About a year and a half ago, seeing the resurgence of vinyl, I thought I would bring down one of my record players from the attic. On one of these turntables, I had and still have an excellent cartridge of American origin, known to aficionados as a high-end cartridge that is still very performant, provided, of course, that you pair it with a diamond worthy of the name.
The cartridge, known as the EMPIRE 2000 E III, still had a diamond stamped Empire, but post 85. In fact, Empire, at the time, seeing that vinyl was gradually but surely falling into disuse, sold the 'Cartridges and Diamonds' department to another company, which continued to manufacture and distribute diamonds for Empire cartridges.
Having bought this cartridge back in the late 70s or very early 80s (I’m not quite sure…), it was equipped with a diamond still manufactured directly by Empire, or by one of the other well-known manufacturers of the time, namely Pfanstiehl or Fidelitone. Its cantilever had a slightly conical shape, and the diamond was elliptical in shape, hand-cut, measuring 0.2 x 0.7 mil (5.08µm x 17.8µm). Then during the re-manufacturing, it was possible to find diamonds post-85, with similar characteristics, but this time with a cylindrical cantilever and a black dot designating an elliptical-shaped diamond.
Having still many vintage records, and yielding to the wave of vinyl renewal, I began to search for diamonds worthy of equipping the Empire 2000 E III. I started with a spherical diamond, with a radius of 0.7 mil, but it did not sound like the post 85. Moreover, it required at least 1.5 grams of pressure to produce a correct sound, and sometimes, depending on the records, it even needed to go up to 2.0 grams. Then, I found a good diamond from Tonar, the 667-DE, elliptical, at 0.3 x 0.7 mil (7.6μm x 17.8µm), but which required, according to Tonar, between 1.5 to 2.0 grams of pressure for proper playback. From 1.75 grams, it’s true that it started to play correctly, but nonetheless, there was sometimes a certain sibilance in the highs in specific passages of some tracks. With 2.0 grams or a bit less, it improved things. But despite that, I still did not quite find the original Empire sound.
While researching on the internet, I found an equivalent reference for the 2000 E II and 2000 E III, in fact, the reference 237-DET from Pfanstiehl. The size of the diamond is exactly the same, only the color differs (blue for the 2000 E II cell and clear for the 2000 E III cell). Then I was lucky to find a diamond for the 2000 E II, and then several others, and finally another one for the 2000 E III.
After conducting several tests, ultimately the two diamonds sound the same, I can't find any differences. I calibrated them to 1.25 grams of pressure, they both perform wonderfully and compared to the post 85, I find the famous Empire sound! Moreover, they are NOS, which means "New Old Stock," or new old stock, which means original diamonds, never used and new, but coming from an old stock. They have a conical cantilever, so they were manufactured before 85.
The person who provided me with these diamonds also has more diamonds for Empire 2000, namely spherical ones, but also some Empire 2000 E II. I therefore suggested testing a spherical diamond 2000 on my cell, as many users are asking questions about it to equip their Empire 2000 cells.
So here I am involved in testing the different diamonds, NOS or not...
I listen to different styles of music, but certain references allow us to measure or appreciate the dynamics of music, such as 'Brothers In Arms' by Dire Straits or 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson. Of course, for classical music enthusiasts, there is also 'The Four Seasons' by Vivaldi. Other pieces or benchmarks include the Beatles, Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here or The Dark Side Of The Moon), AC/DC, and many more...
I then started listening to these different vinyl records, swapping the diamonds and maintaining the same sound level with the same bass/treble compensation settings. For your information, the amplification part is entrusted to a vintage Pioneer SA-506 amplifier (2 x 25W RMS) which has a very 80s sound, and the speakers are a pair of 3A Auditorat Phase Plus, also vintage (60W nominal, 92dB/1W/1m) powered by 4.0mm² section cables per strand. As for the turntable, it is also vintage and has been refurbished for the occasion (overhauling the arm lift system and new silicone grease with a rating of 300,000, new belt, revising the speed management system of the platter, changing the shielded cables, adjusting the arm, new feet (the original ones were no longer up to the task), ...). For your information, the base is a Sherwood PD-701, well refurbished, stable and very quiet (Sherwood is still known today for its models for DJs, but less so for individuals).
It is worth saying that numerous music styles were then used to assess the qualities and sounds of each diamond…
Presentation of the diamonds
Starting from the top left, then going to the right, and ending at the bottom, a spherical diamond from Y Diamond (brown smoked), then a NOS Empire 2000 post 85 (spherical), followed by an elliptical diamond from Tonar, the 667-DE, which represents a good replacement solution for a fair price, then a NOS Empire 2000 E II, and a NOS Empire 2000 E III. In the center, a second perfectly functional Empire 2000 E III cell equipped with a NOS 2000 E III post 85. I also still have a Zafira diamond for Empire 2000 E I, an excellent clone of the time, which was sold under the reference 5588, but which, unlike the Empire diamonds, is no longer available today (or only with extraordinary luck!!!). I did not include it in this test.
The same goes for diamonds that have been removed from their original packaging, first with the guard down, then raised.
The tests
Different chosen pieces are listened to, along with the various diamonds. It is evident that the current remakes, even if they allow the cell to be equipped, do not reach the level of NOS diamonds. The sound remains good, but is lacking compared to that of NOS diamonds. Therefore, I classify the diamonds in this order (from least good to best):
- the diamond from Y Diamond, spherical, weighing around 1.75 to 2.0 grams for tracking. The sound is good, but its definition is not sufficient. It somewhat feels like the volume level is lower, and especially as if a cloth has been placed between the speakers and the listening point. It is far from bad, but after listening to an Empire sound, it is indeed lacking. Some sibilance may appear in a few tracks, and depending on the turntable, it might be necessary to add a bit more weight to eliminate it. For an average ear, it will remain a good sound, much better than with other more or less exotic or mid-range cartridges. In terms of distortion, I did not notice or record any exaggerated values, especially since the diamond is still relatively new, not used for very long. For someone who wants to listen to music without breaking the bank and without seeking a certain perfection in the playback, this can be a temporary alternative, but no more than that.
- the diamond from Tonar, under reference 667-DE, elliptical 0.3 x 0.7, is a good compromise between quality and cost. The sound is good, warmer than with the spherical diamond from Y Diamond, especially when the tracking force approaches or exceeds 1.75 grams. Tonar also recommends between 1.5 and 2.0 grams for good tracking. However, it requires good break-in, at least about thirty hours, and there can still be a little sibilance on certain tracks. In terms of any possible distortion, I have not noted any that could be bothersome or exaggerated. At the risk of repeating myself, it is truly a good price/quality compromise.
- the S2000 diamond, spherical, post 85 because its cantilever is cylindrical, is labeled Empire, and it is worthy of the Empire sound. It comes from the Le Bon Coin website. With the 2000 E III airframe, it even becomes difficult to differentiate with the following elliptical ones (E II and E III). It gives a precise, soft, detailed and balanced sound, the bass is present, the mids are soft and silky, the treble is very present. I was expecting a softer sound than with an elliptical, so be it, it will be a little, but without exaggeration and so subtle that it's difficult to tell which one is spherical and which one is elliptical (between NOS Empire diamonds). There is no sibilance, it's fluid, precise, and the Empire sound is very present. Comparing for example listening to the tracks "Time" or "Money" by Pink Floyd, and at the risk of repeating myself, it is very difficult to say whether it is a spherical or elliptical diamond, as the comparison with an E II or E III diamond is almost impossible. The suspension has retained all its flexibility despite the years, proof that it has been well stored. Moreover, while browsing the forums dedicated to Empire cartridges, I have rarely read that users have had surprises in this area (this is not the case with other vintage diamonds from other cartridge brands where the suspension has become too rigid or on the contrary too flexible). Here, it passed without any problem with a tracking force of 1.25 grams (1 to 3 grams recommended at the time by Empire).
In spite of my French family name (Gaucher, Americanized to Gosha), and my ancestors, 3 generations back undoubtedly well spoken in the language, I know very little French, myself.
