Empire 2004?
- Thread starter PureQuill
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Balifly
Listening
Here is an after market stylus from a reputable source, no idea about the quality though. :scratch2:
http://www.turntableneedles.com/S913E-S66PEX-type-Needle-for-Empire--our-Stylus-239-PDE_p_989.html
http://www.turntableneedles.com/S913E-S66PEX-type-Needle-for-Empire--our-Stylus-239-PDE_p_989.html
Thanks for the link but they don’t have them in stock ...only a waiting list.
Thinking about a new cart in the $100- $150 range.
Ortofon , AT , Shure & Grado make carts that seem to be pretty well thought of carts at that price point ( Sadly high $ cartridges are wasted on my 55 year old abused ears).
3 1/2 decades of performing live on stage @ rock & roll volume have taken it toll on my hearing.:guitar:
Thanks to all that have posted with helpful info.
PQ
farflungstar
Active Member
The Empire 2004 is I think designed for quad playback. It's a very good cart and deserves an original styli if at all possible. I don't have the link to hand but Google William thacker - I got mine from there but be warned they are very expensive.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
No, not the quad series. That was the 4000 series. I think the OP has one of the seemingly infinite myriad private label/OEM variants of the Empire 2000 series.
To the OP: It might be helpful if you measured the inductance of the cart to give us a clue to where this cart falls in Empire's "real" series for future reference.
Hi Purequill,
I have that identical cartridge and I can tell you, it is quite good! I would put it in the same league with the AT31E as I have both and run them in the same system, the AT on a Thorens 160D and the 2004 on a Yamaha PX-3.
They are nearly identical in tonality. I was gifted the 2004 by a friend and when I researched it here, I found out that Empire made these carts for specific retailers back in the day (see empirelvr's post) and the variants of colors and sometimes the last number, in our case a "4" could also perhaps have had to do with which company it was made for. I got mine in the original box and the retailer was identified with a sticker under the jewel-like satin base it was mounted upon.....really pretty cool.
As far as getting a replacement stylus is concerned, you may have to search a while but I don't think you will be disappointed when you find one.....I'd get on that "waiting list" and wait!!! :yes:
The other possibility would be to have Soundsmith put a new cantilever/stylus on there and at $150, it might be a really good way to go. Can't tell from the picture for sure, but looks like it had the cant broken off, is that correct? In any case, I've had really good luck with Soundsmith and they will tell you if it's worth doing or not before you spend the $$$ for it.
Good luck.
I have that identical cartridge and I can tell you, it is quite good! I would put it in the same league with the AT31E as I have both and run them in the same system, the AT on a Thorens 160D and the 2004 on a Yamaha PX-3.
They are nearly identical in tonality. I was gifted the 2004 by a friend and when I researched it here, I found out that Empire made these carts for specific retailers back in the day (see empirelvr's post) and the variants of colors and sometimes the last number, in our case a "4" could also perhaps have had to do with which company it was made for. I got mine in the original box and the retailer was identified with a sticker under the jewel-like satin base it was mounted upon.....really pretty cool.
As far as getting a replacement stylus is concerned, you may have to search a while but I don't think you will be disappointed when you find one.....I'd get on that "waiting list" and wait!!! :yes:
The other possibility would be to have Soundsmith put a new cantilever/stylus on there and at $150, it might be a really good way to go. Can't tell from the picture for sure, but looks like it had the cant broken off, is that correct? In any case, I've had really good luck with Soundsmith and they will tell you if it's worth doing or not before you spend the $$$ for it.
Good luck.
empirelvr is correct-- with those DCR numbers, that particular cartridge is a clone of the 2000E/I,II,III series and takes styli with the Pfanstiehl prefix 237 [not the 237-DEZ!]. Ideally, you'd like a 237-DET (clear), but a DEC (green) would do just about as well. The problem is, of course, finding the original versions of these. I hope some folks who've had good experience with the aftermarket versions, especially the 4237-DHE line-contact one, will pitch in with good reports.
UPDATE 1: Every 2004 cartridge I've found here on AK (four or five of 'em) has come with the purple S912E stylus, not a 2000E/I,II,III stylus! So I'm looking for someone to confirm PureQuill's measurements. MUCH LATER UPDATE 2: Empire's published spec sheet for the 2004 show that it was indeed meant to be a 66-family cartridge and came equipped with the S912E. However, in the transition from the 66es to the 2000Es, factory mixups occurred, so there are many 66es that measure like-- and therefore are-- 2000Es.
UPDATE 1: Every 2004 cartridge I've found here on AK (four or five of 'em) has come with the purple S912E stylus, not a 2000E/I,II,III stylus! So I'm looking for someone to confirm PureQuill's measurements. MUCH LATER UPDATE 2: Empire's published spec sheet for the 2004 show that it was indeed meant to be a 66-family cartridge and came equipped with the S912E. However, in the transition from the 66es to the 2000Es, factory mixups occurred, so there are many 66es that measure like-- and therefore are-- 2000Es.
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