Empire 888
- Thread starter kaplang
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The 888 series was very decent, especially the TE version with the purple stylus grip and the SE version with the white stylus grip. In it's day it was a highly regarded cartridge, but it's day was roughly around 1967-1970 and it's very hard to find a decent stylus for that series now. There are so many carts out there that you might be better off with something a little more modern and easy to get a replacement stylus for.
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I'm going to resurrect this thread, since today while biking I stumbled upon a family throwing things in the dumpster. I inquired, and found out the father of the family had passed many years prior, and they were emptying his stuff.
After getting permission, I went thru the heap, and found a small briefcase FULL of cords, cartridges, stylus here and there, you name it.
Brought it home, and after some reading, looks like I have two Sonotone carts, and an Empire 888 TE. Found the stylus for it for 30 bucks, and was about to order it.
Anyone besides Mr. Jones above have any experience?
After getting permission, I went thru the heap, and found a small briefcase FULL of cords, cartridges, stylus here and there, you name it.
Brought it home, and after some reading, looks like I have two Sonotone carts, and an Empire 888 TE. Found the stylus for it for 30 bucks, and was about to order it.
Anyone besides Mr. Jones above have any experience?
vinyl fiend
Active Member
I have an 888 on my Garrard Lab 80. I was just rockin' it yesterday - It sounds good
Well, I'm gonna pull the trigger on a NOS stylus. Should be around 70 or so.
I also picked up a Shure M7N21D, but the stylus is slightly tilted. I've been tinkering with it, slowly trying to lean it over. Slow going.
I also picked up a Shure M7N21D, but the stylus is slightly tilted. I've been tinkering with it, slowly trying to lean it over. Slow going.
Don't own one [yet, but I will ], but you might find this page from the 1969 Allied Radio catalog useful.
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Hey, thanks Wualta!
I did get that Shure's stylus nearly back to true, and WOW, this is a great cart.
can't wait to order the Empire's stylus.
I did get that Shure's stylus nearly back to true, and WOW, this is a great cart.
can't wait to order the Empire's stylus.
whoa. No kidding?? I'll be ordering a JICO stylus, then. Thanks for the heads up! If it bests the mighty V15 III, that's lofty praise indeed. :yes:
And where did you find a JICO for that 888, Lman?
One to investigate: http://www.turntableneedles.com/Needle-232-SDE_p_969.html UPDATE: No longer in stock
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wualta, I've checked that out. I don't mind spending for the NOS, but I've heard horror stories about sagging cantilevers, etc..
Perhaps spring for both, see how it goes??
I dunno, but I been really enjoying the other cart I found, the Shure M7N21D. Apparently, it was the first true 20-20k Shure cart back in 1963. I have fastidiously leaned the stylus back to almost true position, and it sounds, well, warm, pleasant, and fun. No fatigue, no igd, just good music. Amazing cart, tho I'll fiddle with that needle til I end up breaking it, I'm sure.
Perhaps spring for both, see how it goes??
I dunno, but I been really enjoying the other cart I found, the Shure M7N21D. Apparently, it was the first true 20-20k Shure cart back in 1963. I have fastidiously leaned the stylus back to almost true position, and it sounds, well, warm, pleasant, and fun. No fatigue, no igd, just good music. Amazing cart, tho I'll fiddle with that needle til I end up breaking it, I'm sure.
You'd be taking one for the team, certainly. I know Stevedel mentioned on the Big Empire Thread that he was having collapse trouble with the NOS styli he had, though I don't think he told us where he got them. He mentioned the TTN.com stylus but was going to try to find an aftermarket alternative. I think he ended up with a NOS from Gary at thevoiceofmusic.com.
Think of it as an adventure.
I got the headshell from walmart.com for less than 30, works fantastic, and the stylus from Gary at thevoiceofmusic.com I THINK is the website, but he sold me the very last nos stylus.
I'm sure Wualta would recommend you going with the 999VE/X stylus, since it is supposedly better, and fits.
Wualta, please correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm sure Wualta would recommend you going with the 999VE/X stylus, since it is supposedly better, and fits.
Wualta, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Maybe better (that depends on preferences, speakers, etc) but definitely technically more advanced, newer, and not famous for the collapsey problem.
Yes, unless Gary tells you he stumbled over an original 888TE stylus, I'd get the best available stylus from the next generation. Gary has the 235-SDE, which would include the white 999TE/X stylus, roughly the equivalent of the 888TE. I know nothing about the Duotone generic 1000ZE/X and 999VE/X styli Gary's got. Maybe I should, like, buy one. UPDATE: I bought both, and as far as I can tell, they're identical, a not-unexpected outcome. Odd that the 4235-VDE costs more than the 4236-ZDE. Both (of course) turn out to be excellent, though I won't promise they're exact copies of the originals. Again, these styli are aftermarkets made for the generation of cartridges that came after onwardjames' 888TE, but they're similar enough mechanically and magnetically to work just fine. It helps that the top 888 bodies (SE,TE,VE) had lower inductance than the lesser 888s, which means the voicing of, say, the TE and the TE/X styli is almost identical.
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Yes, unless Gary tells you he stumbled over an original 888TE stylus, I'd get the best available stylus from the next generation. Gary has the 235-SDE, which would include the white 999TE/X stylus, roughly the equivalent of the 888TE. I know nothing about the Duotone generic 1000ZE/X and 999VE/X styli Gary's got. Maybe I should, like, buy one. UPDATE: I bought both, and as far as I can tell, they're identical, a not-unexpected outcome. Odd that the 4235-VDE costs more than the 4236-ZDE. Both (of course) turn out to be excellent, though I won't promise they're exact copies of the originals. Again, these styli are aftermarkets made for the generation of cartridges that came after onwardjames' 888TE, but they're similar enough mechanically and magnetically to work just fine. It helps that the top 888 bodies (SE,TE,VE) had lower inductance than the lesser 888s, which means the voicing of, say, the TE and the TE/X styli is almost identical.
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I've noticed in the few weeks since mounting and calibrating that 888-TE with NOS stylus, it has improved quite a bit.
Slight harshness in the highs is almost non-existent, and everything sounds more cohesive.
Would have never believed it.
Slight harshness in the highs is almost non-existent, and everything sounds more cohesive.
Would have never believed it.
dean man jim
Active Member
Late to the thread, but I agree that the 888TE is still a very good all-arounder. It satisfies with energetic rock and pop, small scale chamber music, acoustic jazz, fusion, orchestral, etc etc etc. I keep one mounted and ready to go with a NOS stylus acquired on that auction site, and have a spare NOS stylus at the ready. I've used it with the Magnepan Unitrac, heavy broadcast arms, and with a Micro Seiki 505S, and it has seemed at home on all of them.
These still sometimes show up and are worth keeping an eye out for
These still sometimes show up and are worth keeping an eye out for
