Empire Scientific & Shure Cartridge Question!

[dnpainting]

I was going through some tool boxes my dad gave me and came across 2 cartridges. One was a Empire Scientific LTD 400 (Looks Pretty New), the other is a (looks to be) very old Shure M91ED. Neither one have a stylus on them. I don't know much about these cartridges and wanted to know if either one is worth getting a stylus for.

I currently use 2 types of Grado's on each of my Technics. I use a F1+ on my 1700 and a M+ on my 1200.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[catman]

G'day mate, I have a Shure M91ED and it's a fine cartridge. I also have a Jico SAS stylus for it which makes it even better. To my ears it seems to have a slight bass emphasis which gives it a 'romantic' sonic aspect, but typical of Shures of that generation, it tracks beautifully at 1.25 grams, is very 'quiet' in the groove and sounds like a million dollars right across the full audio spectrum, even with the standard elliptical Shure stylus.

Its recommended load capacitance is 400 to 500 picofards which is higher than typical gear today, but mine sounds fine at 250 picofarads. It's a top cartridge! :thmbsp: Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[dnpainting]

thank you Catman. How do you know if the cartridge is still good without buying a new stylus? Is there a way to check to make sure there is nothing broken inside?

 

[catman]

G'day mate, if the cartridge is well made there isn't really too much to go wrong despite the passage of many years.

Using a high impedance digital multimeter on the ohms test function, you can check for coil continuity, but in all probablity, they (it) will be fine. http://www.shure.com/americas/support/user-guides/discontinued-products/phono/index.htm?PageNumber=2

Just get a new stylus, mount the cartidge correctly (overhang etc) http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/vinyl07.html

and away it will go! Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[dnpainting]

Thank you again Catman? I am looking into a new stylus for this cartridge now. Just curious to how this will compare to the Grado's I have. I'm still looking for my original specs on one of them. One of the specs are FR: 10-60,000Hz., Output of 3MV @3.54, Channel Separation- Adverage 25db, 10-30,000hz. No Hum what so ever, mounted on a SL1700 MKll Technics.

Take Care!

 

[catman]

G'day mate, I have no personal 'listening' experience with any Grado cartridge but the Grado's have a particular 'sound' that some love and others don't!

I personally like the general Shure 'sound'. Interestingly enough, I find the Shure M91ED excellent sounding with the 'ordinary' Shure elliptical or equivalent after market stylus.

The Shure M91ED output level is relatively high, typical of Shure cartridges of that vintage, probably most likely it will play 'louder' than your Grado. Hum pickup has never been an issue with any Shure cartridge as far as I know. Give the Shure M91ED a try mate, I think you'll like it. Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[Grainger49]

Why didn't my father leave me something like this. This is tongue-in-cheek, my father died in spring '68.

 

[HalM3]

I am rebuilding a B291/Empire Scientific Micro Reference. Does anyone know the ramifications of not bypassing the mute circuit? If have the unit spinning and the arm operating. Not sound from cartridge expect intermittent blasts of noise. I have used a B291 donor circuit board but have not bypassed the mute circuit or transferred the Van den Hull cable. The cartridge was retipped years ago and been in storage. I am assuming the cartridge is not defective. FYI, there is a B290 with Audio Technica oc9mk2 playing as I write this.