Hitachi HT-50S

[Kalininov]

Good night everybody!
I bought a 1981 Hitachi HT-50s at a flea market. The condition is good, everything works, I just need to polish the lid, but the question is different. A needle called PDE is installed. It is very old, it was changed a long time ago or never changed. I know that this player has an MT-35 cartridge and a DS-ST35 stylus. What can you recommend, which stylus is similar to the MT-35 or replace the DS-ST35 cartridge.
Thank you!

 

[wualta]

That PDE stylus is installed in an old (1960s) Pickering cartridge, the moving-magnet V-15, which is substantially the same as a Stanton 500, and the PDE stylus (Pfanstiehl index 604-DEC) is a heavy-tracking (2 to 5 grams) elliptical. Hitachi's MT-35 was made by Audio-Technica and was the same cartridge as the AT3400, basically an AT95E with a conical stylus. You might want to start a separate thread related to the V-15 cartridge and its styli, or ask for recommendations of modern cartridges that would suit the lightweight arm on the HT-50S.

 

[Kalininov]

That PDE stylus is installed in an old (1960s) Pickering cartridge, the moving-magnet V-15, which is substantially the same as a Stanton 500, and the PDE stylus (Pfanstiehl index 604-DEC) is a heavy-tracking (2 to 5 grams) elliptical. Hitachi's MT-35 was made by Audio-Technica and was the same cartridge as the AT3400, basically an AT95E with a conical stylus. You might want to start a separate thread related to the V-15 cartridge and its styli, or ask for recommendations of modern cartridges that would suit the lightweight arm on the HT-50S.

Very useful information, but I would like to know what modern cartridges are compatible with the HT-50S, but this information is not available on the Internet.

 

[wualta]

First, I should assure you that any modern cartridge can be used, but the arm on the HT-50S is low-mass, meant for the high-compliance styli popular 40+ years ago, ones that tracked at 1.5g and below, often around 1.0g. Not very many cartridges today have light-tracking styli fitted, so unless you enjoy hunting down vintage cartridges and styli-- and many of us put ourselves through that even now-- you can enjoy your turntable with modern cartridges/styli that track at twice that and more. Remember: you can always add mass to an arm/headshell that's too light for a low-compliance cartridge.

Investigate Audio-Technica's current version of the MT-35, the ATVM95 family. Many stylus choices, likely available anywhere in the world.

The topic of why a low-mass arm is best suited to a light-tracking stylus and a high-mass arm is best suited to a heavy-tracking stylus is a much-discussed topic.

 

[Kalininov]

I agree with you. I like to hunt for old vintage things, but this does not apply to consumables or spare parts, and the cartridge is just a consumable part. I'm not a turntable expert, but what will be the consequences if I use a 2 gram needle?

 

[wualta]

Virtually none. A cartridge that tracks at 2g nicely bridges the two worlds we tend to think of as separate: low-compliance and high-compliance. What you want to pull away from is a stylus like the PDE that tracks at ~4g or more. What's at stake is low bass (also record and stylus wear), but it's not a day/night, go/no-go sort of thing.
I hear you about not loving to hunt for vintage consumables. Ten years ago, it was a different matter. Now? Nuh-uh.
Enjoy that HT-50S. It's a very competent turntable.