Best Jico or LPGear stylus to suit a Stanton 785LZE

[mjw21a]

Ok, so I picked up a NOS Stanton 785LZE LOMM cartridge today. This was the base model in their LOMM range with a lowly elliptical tip.My understanding is that the styli were interchangeable across the entire range so theoretically the stylus from a Pickering XLZ-7500S would work.

So my question is, what would be the best stylus to get for this cart?

Would the LPGear PICSD3000 I purchased for my Pickering XSV-3000 work well in it? Or perhaps the Jico D2000Q I bought for my Pickering XV-15 625E?

If not these, what would be best? I'm not too keen on tracking down a rare NOS stylus so rather looking for something from LPGear or Jico.

 

[JFRACE]

I ran the 4822 on my 7500 while it was cleaned and polished and another stylus was rebuilt. It sounded extremely nice. Instead of buying a different stylus why not just do a diamond retip. That way you keep the cantilever and suspension and just get a better diamond. Although it should be nice stock.

I did my stylus through andy Kim at needle clinic and can not tell the difference on the original stylus and his entry level rebuild with aluminum cantilever and linear trace diamond, so that should give another option.

I thought about doing the upgrade similar to needlestein but am going a different direction. I also use mine with a custom SUT and load it at 600 ohms. You can get some punchier bass at lower loads, but it's more bloated to me. At 600 ohms, it's super quiet and smooth across everything.

I found using an xsv3000 or d81s to be brighter than the 4822 or original , if you do go that route maybe try the d4000 aftermarket as well through needle lady.

Did you purchase one of the two in ebay?

 

[mjw21a]

Hey, thanks Needlestein, you're always a wealth of information. I've ordered the LPGear XLZ-7500S Vividline stylus for this. A Pickering/Stanton LOMM has long been on my list of desirable and esoteric carts, although the only one on my list I don't have now is the Empire Mc5.

Yes JFRACE, I bought this one on eBay. More than I really wanted to spend though I know the value of these will continue to go up so perhaps not so bad. I don't really intend to sell it anyways. It will be on a shootout with the Grace F9E + Soundsmith Ruby stylus.

 

[JFRACE]

It will be on a shootout with the Grace F9E + Soundsmith Ruby stylus.

I'd be interested in hearing your feedback when you do it.

 

[mjw21a]

I'd be interested in hearing your feedback when you do it.

I'm not great with describing what I hear though I'll certainly be able to indicate which one sounds more pleasant to my ears.

My current top MM remains my Empire 4000 D/I just now. The Pickering is punchier sounding, though with this stylus at least not as natural. I recieved a Denon DL107.... Not really anything special. Not in the same league as the Empire, Grace and Pickering carts.... Or Even my Grado Reference Platinum or modified Shure SC35C really. So far my Hana EL LOMC beats the MM's also though by less than you'd imagine.

 

[muovimies]

I'm not great with describing what I hear though I'll certainly be able to indicate which one sounds more pleasant to my ears.

My current top MM remains my Empire 4000 D/I just now. The Pickering is punchier sounding, though with this stylus at least not as natural. I recieved a Denon DL107.... Not really anything special. Not in the same league as the Empire, Grace and Pickering carts.... Or Even my Grado Reference Platinum or modified Shure SC35C really. So far my Hana EL LOMC beats the MM's also though by less than you'd imagine.

Interesting one the DL-107. AFAIK it was an MM equilavent to the DL-103 and there was also a low-impedance low-output version. Do you happen to have a DL-103 you could compare it to? I've heard some needledrops of some of the Denon MMs (no 107 but 109 and 108 if I recall correctly), but to be honest I wasn't impressed at least with those, yet still curious about them.

I have an XLZ-7500 myself, though sans original stylus. I've been using it with a Stanton 890e DJ-stylus which is a nice combo especially for some not-so-pristine records. Didn't really get along with the 4822-DEE, at least my example of that stylus has some pretty nasty resonance in HF. Those Stanton/Pickering low-impedance MMs are quite sensitive to loading, and from about 200 ohms and down you start to experience some HF-rolloff. IMO it's a big drawback of the cartridge, though on the other hand it permits you to somewhat adjust the treble response. I've been using mine with 100 ohms since that's the easily available option and though that already makes the ultimate treble extension less than optimal I find it better than ~400 ohms (another easily available option for me). Based on that and the electrical modeling I once did, I'm guessing somewhere between 100-200 ohms there would be a sweet spot to be found.

I like the cartridge, though I'm not ecstatic about it - maybe it would deserve a better stylus, but on the other hand what I'm hearing with it doesn't really make me want to invest more money than I already have in it. I got a bunch of those N890E styli for cheap a while back, and as such it's a great "beater cartridge" that's capable of certain transparency and refinement that is out of reach for most high output MMs even with fancier styli. If that combo was the only way to hear vinyl for me, I could live with it, but it's not my favourite.

 

[mjw21a]

The Denon DL103 is significantly better than the DL107 in all areas. The 107 simply lacks sufficient detail and imaging capability to compare to the DL103. I had read a review with someone waxing lyrical over this cart. The DL103 I understand, not the DL107 though. Sounds like the Nagaoka MP20 I had a few years ago.

I can hear potential in the Pickering XV15 625E, though nothing like I heard with the Empire 2000 E/III or Empire 4000 D/I running a cheap EVG elliptical (DET237). Going to a Shibata on the Empires transformed them into something simply spectacular.

I'm rather hoping that the Stanton 785LZE and Pickering XSV3000 turn out to be something special as I've read so many positive user reviews. I suspect that the Stanton is different enough that it may surpass the performance level of the Empire 4000 D/I. If it can better that, then it has a real chance of either equalling or bettering my Hana EL LOMC.

 

[mjw21a]

I'll be interested to hear your observations regarding the LOMM Pickering and the Hana. The Hana has been on my list of "must try" cartridges for a while.

Yes, that's currently the one to beat. Perhaps something I have coming can beat it. Maybe not. I'm betting either the Supex SD900 Super or one of the Fidelity Research air core LOMC's can do it