Audio Technica 8008 cartridge info/opinions - Also, need a replacement stylus

Gang-Twanger

Gang-Twanger

Resident Wharfedaliophool
Hey, everybody,

I have an Audio Technica 8008 that came with a Dual 506. The stylus seems to be shot - When you lower the tonearm onto a record, the cantelever looks to be flexing too-much to the point where the bottom of the cartridge drags on the record (Cartridge seems mounted properly - Not off-axis or anything and sits parallel with the record/platter, plus the cantelever definitely-looks like it's over-flexing).

Anyway, what do you guys recommend for a replacement stylus, and also how's the performance of the 8008? I did a search, but I could only find a few small mentions of it.

Thanks in advance.
 
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jdre said:
I'd check the tracking force, it might just be too high. Counterweight too close to pivot.
Click to expand...

Funny thing is, I can't remember if I ever checked it the last time I messed around with this thing (Maybe I'd had a few that night.... Who knows...). Anyway, I'm trying to balance the tonearm out, and it won't float, and it sure seems like the counterweight's cranked out about as far as it can go (To the point where it get's really-tight - I'm assuming the counterweight on the 506 doesn't just completely-unscrew like on, say, a Technics 1200 series - judging by the looks of it). Tracking-force is at zero. Am I missing something here?
 
One thing's for sure, this table and cartridge have some major-league depth for a lower-end table. Wow. I'm seriously-impressed. I'm using a not-so-minty Camden stereo pressing of the Living Strings. This is one of those records that's just leaps and bounds ahead of CD. Amazing sound (I haven't been able to play a record for a while because I recently-lost power on my 1019 - That's another thread). Well, it's not dragging anymore, but the cantelever still looks weak. But damn, does this 506 sound good (and it's clearly a very-early stereo recording, and yet it still sounds amazing - Now I see what people mean about the Living Stereo LP's and that sort of thing). This is one hell of a cartridge. The music is schmaltzy with 2 pianos and a bunch of strings (Very-Vegas), but I'm totally-digging it. It's so-warm. I'll have to give a listen to some of these other Living Strings LP's I have kicking around. The schmaltzy stuff is easy to find cheap/free - It's the classic-composer ones that are tough to score. Nice table. Way-better than I expected.
 
I spent a few hours playing some 'expendable" records (Right now It's the noisiest of 3 copies I have of Van Halen's "5150" - Van Halen MUST be heard on vinyl to truly be appreciated - That's where Michael Anthony's bass lives). I'm liking this table more and more (and liking the sound of this cartridge A LOT). It seems to match very-well with the 2000x (I'm not sure whether synergy is a big issue as far as matching a turntable to a receiver/amp, but there are no problems here - Finding the right receiver for a certain turntable is a different story). I'm still gonna' have to figure out exactly-why the tonearm won't float, but I am VERY-impressed with this thing - especially-considering it was a freebie.

By the way, I have to say I've been EXTREMELY-impressed with the sound of the phono-preamp on the 2000x. With either the 506 or the 1019, this thing's been just incredible. Best I've ever heard from a solid-state receiver, bar-none. The warmth, smoothness, and musicality is off the chart. Even at the lowest levels, the sound still has you nodding your head up and down. Very-lively and enjoyable - no matter what record's playing. I can't see spending several hundred dollars on an outboard preamp - There's no point. The phono section is the best part of this receiver - even-better than the tuner-section IMO - I seriously-doubt there's a modern receiver with a better one).
 
koseltri said:
Start looking for Jackie Gleason. It (he) is easy to find, schmaltzy 'listen in-the-dark' stuff. :thmbsp:

As for the stylus, here's the equivalent:

http://www.turntableneedles.com/Needle-213-Dshibata_p_960.html
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was afraid it would be that much. That's a lot for a stylus. I mean, isn't this like a $100 or less cartridge?

Anyway, with a little creativity, I've managed to get the tonearm to float - It involves a rubber band and paper clips to put a little extra weight on the end of the counterweight - Whatever floats yer' boat, er... yer' tonearm, right? I still don't know why it wouldn't float on it's own, but I cranked it way-out as far as it would go, and it was very-close, but needed a couple extra grams of weight on the end to get it there (I literally-backed it out as far as it would turn - At that point it got really-tight and wouldn't turn any further - If I tried turning it anymore than that, I might have snapped the thing off, but like I said, it was almost backed off to the floating point, so I just helped it the rest of the way with a few grams of extra weight on the end). I assume the tracking-force for this cartridge is half a gram to maybe 1.5g. I set it for half a gram, and the cartridge'a she no drag a' no more. I'll look up the proper tracking-force and check it again, but I think I might be okay without needing a new stylus (Hopefully). My biggest concern (besides the dragging) was having too-MUCH tracking force. This thing hasn't skipped once, so at least it's on it's way to being a decent tracker. I DO think the belt may be up for a change soon, but at least the things working and I can try a few of my more-precious LP's on it. I just got a Spin-Clean and just washed the drying cloths that came with it, and I'm looking forward to getting started on my collection (LOTS of new [old] stuff from flea markets that I haven't even heard yet - At least 50 or more).
 
Well, according to what I found online, the tracking-force is 1g to 1.5g, so I set it to 1g and still no drag (It's a low-rider, but there's enough clearance between cartridge and record that I can see from front to back in a pretty-dark room, so I think I'm okay - Perhaps it's just how this one rides). Well, that's good. I really-don't have $80 to blow on a new stylus. The sound seems to have improved a bit with the additional gram of tracking force, and still no skipping at all. I wish I didn't have to go play a gig tomorrow-night because I'd like to spend tonight and tomorrow cleaning and playing LP's, but instead I have to learn a few songs that I don't already know (It's a fill-in gig - I'm taking the place of one of the guitarists who can't make it tomorrow). - Derek
 
Depends on your ears, I suppose, but you've heard this cart with a Shibata stylus, anything less may be a disappointment. Hard to go back...have you checked to see if the Vertical tracking angle (VTA) is close to optimum?
 
That stylus cantilever sounds like it's shot--the cartridge hasn't been sold with that model number in years, so not surprising. It was also known as the AT-331LP. LPgear sells the equivalent Series V-HE and the step up V-SA styli.

P-mount carts should be run at 1.25g. The reason you're having trouble balancing it is that there's probably a metal weight sandwiched between the cartridge and the headshell. Once you remove that, it should balance fine.
 
G-T: Does your 506 have the standard counterweight or rather the anti-resonator version? In the latter case the halfinch-mount adaptor kit would have come with two extra weights (instead of just one) to screw onto the back of the stock counterweight, of which you're supposed to use one for carts weighing up to ca. 6.5 g (incl. screws et cetera), while the second is required from ca. 6.5 g to 10 g. So a missing second extra weight could be the reason. However, a T4P/P-Mount cart plus halfinch-mount adaptor already is a good bit heavier compared to typical halfinch-mount MM/MI carts anyway. So at least in combination with heavier mounting material (e.g. brass or stainless steel screws & nuts compared to alu) that might suffice to hit the balance range limit, I'd assume...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Ditto on some of the other comments

Any of the styli from that family will fit (including the ones made under pioneer brand name, Akai brand name etc...)

Out in the market you will find conicals, elipticals, hyperelipticals, shibata and Line Contact styli.

The Elipticals and up will provide good sound

HyperEliptical and up provide a line contact patch rather than a "spot" contact - so improved sound, reduced noise, longer stylus life.

Quality of stylus pretty much follows that list (more or less) with HE, Shibata and LC being pretty similar. Small LC = HE = Small Shibata (small major radius), Large Shibata = most Large LC's - the ultimate is the MicroRidge/Fineline/SAS styli - but I have not seen any for that type of cartridge.

Most manufacturers won't tell you details like major/minor radii - so in general HE is a step down from Shibata and LC... and prices pretty much follow that progression.

Ed Saunders also has a Shibata stylus for that cartridge type. (and is reputable)

Good luck with it

David

P.S. going HE and up will save money in the long run as stylus life tends to be more than doubled over elipticals... with Shibata being the best (by reputation) in terms of minimal audible degradation as the stylus ages.
 
Hope I'm not too late here..

I bought a real cheap JVC linear a few years back. The turntable (obviously) was a real disappointment, but along with it came not only an AT 8008 but an AT 6006 as well. Both of these are part of AT's "reference" series. I can go see if I can find the exact specs, but (for example) the FR on the 8008 is somewhere around 5hz to around 35Khz. Very good sounding.

The stylus on my 8008 is a big on it's last legs, so I went ahead and put the one on that came from the 6006. Good combo from what I can hear so far. Yeah.. I'd say if it fits you don't "necessarily" have to go with the caddy stylus, but hey.. yep, you might be spoiled already by it.. :thmbsp::banana:
 
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