• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Help from some Stanton experts, please

redpackman

redpackman

Active Member
i have come across two vintage Stanton cartridges. One is clearly an 881S. The other says Stanton on the top but does not have any other identifyng marking except for the numbers etched on the side.

Both styli seem to be in good condition.

First what do the numbers etched on the side indicate? They appear to be individual readings of some sort that were factory applied.

Perhaps help in IDing the cartridges: The 881s has continuity in both channels around .760k. The cartridge with the D81 stylus has continuity in both channels around 1.25k

What do I have here?

Thanks in advance.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7339.jpeg
    IMG_7339.jpeg
    83.7 KB · Views: 26
  • IMG_7340.jpeg
    IMG_7340.jpeg
    84 KB · Views: 25
  • IMG_7341.jpeg
    IMG_7341.jpeg
    82.4 KB · Views: 26
  • IMG_7342.jpeg
    IMG_7342.jpeg
    73.4 KB · Views: 24
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
redpackman said:
i have come across two vintage Stanton cartridges. One is clearly an 881S. The other says Stanton on the top but does not have any other identifyng marking except for the numbers etched on the side.

Both styli seem to be in good condition.

First what do the numbers etched on the side indicate? They appear to be individual readings of some sort that were factory applied.

Perhaps help in IDing the cartridges: The 881s has continuity in both channels around .760k. The cartridge with the D81 stylus has continuity in both channels around 1.25k

What do I hve here?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
If they are original stylus they will almost for sure need a retip, you can't tell just by looking at a,stylus you need 250x magnification.
Don't be tempted to buy a Jico ir similar stylus non of them sound right, a retip is the only way forward.
Chris
 
redpackman said:
i have come across two vintage Stanton cartridges. One is clearly an 881S. The other says Stanton on the top but does not have any other identifyng marking except for the numbers etched on the side.

Both styli seem to be in good condition.

First what do the numbers etched on the side indicate? They appear to be individual readings of some sort that were factory applied.

Perhaps help in IDing the cartridges: The 881s has continuity in both channels around .760k. The cartridge with the D81 stylus has continuity in both channels around 1.25k

What do I hve here?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I haven't owned Stanton for quite a while, but it appears that your 881S body has a 681 series stylus on it. The 881S is moving magnet while the 681 is moving iron. The S after the EEE designates a Stereohedron stylus tip, which was discontinued about 1993. With stylus assemblies, there is not only diamond wear to consider, but deterioration of the rubber suspension for the cantilever. I once bought a new old stock Stanton stylus that proved to track horribly. Stanton told me that it was likely the suspension had simply hardened up. Both they and Shure told me that any stylus over 10 years old could have this problem even if it had never been used. A retipper likely has some means of checking the suspension, but my solution was to simply stick to cartridges for which original styli are still in production and to buy factory-fresh stylus assemblies.
 
Sticker fell off, huh?

I believe those numbers etched on the side are the secret decoder ring to identifying what you have there. Google Stanton 681 etching.

Failing that the resistance and inductance of the coils should also help.
 
The etched numbers are a serial number. Its typically found on a 681 series, which would have come with a certificate when new that documents its performance. Its only valid with the originally installed stylus so it doesn't mean a whole lot.

and +1 on the stylii are probably flipped around. the EEE-S is a 680 family stylus and the D81 is an 881 family part. The 680 series typically read around 1.3k of DC resistance so your measurement of 1.25k is right there. Internet says 900 ohms for the 881.
 
I agree with gadget73. The D81 Stylus should be on the 881 body & vs. versa. As gadget73 pointed out, measure the resistance of each body to tell what you have. I bet the K7401 body measures close to 1300 ohms & is a 681 body.

Here's a photo of the certificate included with one of my 681EEE's.
Stanton 681 EEE - X5105.jpg
 
^ I have one of those around, not in the cool wood box though. Mine is the older leatherette case with a "flat ear" for a 681EE that I have mounted on a second headshell for my TD-160.
 
D81 is Stereohedron stylus (if still original) so worth inspection before retip or replacing. Stereohedron was the best tip Stanton/Pickering produced. Now very hard to find. However modern Micro Ridge is better. 881S was Stanton TOTL cartridge, now I use it with D-827 for 78RPM.

Here is 881S brochure (from VE if I remember right):
 

Attachments

Last edited:
:banana:Thank you so much for all the information so quickly. One question. It was affirmed that the styli ought to be switched between these two cartridges because the 881s is a Stereohedron stylus, and yet the brochure posted just above this post advertises the 881 as having a Stereohedron stylus.

What am I not understanding?

Thank you for identifying the unmarked cartridge, though, as a 681. That makes sense.

Also, what cartridge(s) was the D81 stylus usually associated with?
 
redpackman said:
:banana:Thank you so much for all the information so quickly. One question. It was affirmed that the styli ought to be switched between these two cartridges because the 881s is a Stereohedron stylus, and yet the brochure posted just above this post advertises the 881 as having a Stereohedron stylus.

What am I not understanding?

Thank you for identifying the unmarked cartridge, though, as a 681. That makes sense.

Also, what cartridge(s) was the D81 stylus usually associated with?
Click to expand...

Here is Stanton catalog:

 
If you put the stylus meant for the 681 into the 881, you will get no output from the 881 cartridge. Vice versa, you will get output from the 681 but it may be distorted.

Doug
 
jrtrent said:
I haven't owned Stanton for quite a while, but it appears that your 881S body has a 681 series stylus on it. The 881S is moving magnet while the 681 is moving iron. The S after the EEE designates a Stereohedron stylus tip, which was discontinued about 1993. With stylus assemblies, there is not only diamond wear to consider, but deterioration of the rubber suspension for the cantilever. I once bought a new old stock Stanton stylus that proved to track horribly. Stanton told me that it was likely the suspension had simply hardened up. Both they and Shure told me that any stylus over 10 years old could have this problem even if it had never been used. A retipper likely has some means of checking the suspension, but my solution was to simply stick to cartridges for which original styli are still in production and to buy factory-fresh stylus assemblies.
Click to expand...
It is unusual for Stanton suspensions to go hard, as a retipper i have seen a lot of carts and I have never seen a hardened Stanton suspension. Shure on the other hand I have seen many V15III go hard. They can be regenerated very successfully.
Not all cart suspensions go hard, some last many decades, some like Shure go hard and some like the Technics MCs go sticky, but a lot of vintage carts are totally fine. My feeling is there was some other issue making the Stanton track bad, maybe a damaged tie back or very worn tip.
Cheers
Chris
 
Is the Stanton D81 stylus a stereohedron too? I'll do the switch and get it right.

By the way what is the price range for a 're-tipping" of one of these stylus? I can't imagine the precision work involved in that endeavor.
 
cafe latte said:
My feeling is there was some other issue making the Stanton track bad, maybe a damaged tie back or very worn tip.
Cheers
Chris
Click to expand...
That could be; it was sold to me as new old stock, but, of course, 'tweren't necessarily so! I believe the dealer told me he had obtained some styli from another dealer who was going out of business, so who knows what it's history actually was. In any event, a phone call to Stanton and a new stylus purchased and shipped out soon fixed the problem and made beautiful music for me.
 
redpackman said:
Thank you so much for all the information so quickly. One question. It was affirmed that the styli ought to be switched between these two cartridges because the 881s is a Stereohedron stylus, and yet the brochure posted just above this post advertises the 881 as having a Stereohedron stylus.

What am I not understanding?
Click to expand...
It isn't the shape of the tip that's important but, as mentioned above, the operating principle. The 681 is a moving iron design while the 881 is a moving magnet design.

I was using a 981LZ, a model designed to be used in a moving coil input. It was discontinued in 1993, and both the 881 and 681 series went from Stereohedron to elliptical. I replaced my 981LZ with the 681EEE Mk III elliptical, and didn't notice any loss of musical satisfaction mounting it up to my new LP12/Ittok setup.
 
Those LZ series cartridges were wonderful. Wish I'd bought more from Zalytron when they were blowing them out for 50 and 75 bucks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom