how to test AT and Ortofon Cart w/o stylus?

[John Parkey]

Holiday greetings everyone. I have an AT311EP cartridge without stylus and a Ortofon VMS 3E cartridge without stylus. I am thinking if the 3E is good, I could get a 20Eiii stylus. But anyway, is there a way to test to see if these cartridges still work before I spend the money on a new stylus? Thank you for your help.

John

 

[beat_truck]

Testing them with a miltimeter is about the only way.

 

[John Parkey]

Testing them with a miltimeter is about the only way.

yes, but how do you do that. The pins are all the same so would need to understand pretty specifically how to do that. Thank you.

 

[beat_truck]

yes, but how do you do that. The pins are all the same so would need to understand pretty specifically how to do that. Thank you.

Check the resistance on the left + and - pins and the right + and - pins. The reading should be close to the same. If one or both reads open, then the cartridge is obviously junk.

The colors should be:

White = left +
Blue = left -
Red = right +
Green = right -

 

[John Parkey]

Well, thank you sir. My goodness. Both cartridges appear to be good as the right and left were exactly the same on both.

 

[BilboBaggins]

That is normally the case with cartridges. Occasionally, you get a nice cartridge that is open on one channel. I got a Shure V15 that is like that.