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P-Mount Cartridge Database

dylan_k

dylan_k

Member
I'm building a spreadsheet/database to list as many P-Mount ( aka T4P ) Turntable Cartridges as I can. I wish there had been something like this available during my recent search for a cart. I started making one for myself, and why not share it!

So I'm curious, to begin with: what are the most important details to consider? So far my spreadsheet has columns for:
  • Maker (e.g. Shure, Audio Technica)
  • Name/Model (e.g. M110He, 8008)
  • Cartridge Type (e.g. MM or MC)
  • Stylus Type (e.g. elliptical, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, etc.)
  • Specs (ideally a link to published/measured specifications)
  • Discontinued? (yes/no. helps to suggest current availability)
What do you think? Would this be helpful? Are there any specs/details that would be helpful to add here? I know that these cartridges generally adhere to a standard spec, but there are some notable variations that might help to highlight.

Once I figure out the right set of information to collect, I think I can start somthing along the lines of the Grado Hum database or maybe something on the Audiophile Wiki (RIP?). With helpful and structured contributions from the many knowledgeable folks on here, I bet we could make quick work of a comprehensive list (assuming there isn't one already). Thoughts, anyone?
 
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I like the idea a lot. I’m new to this but some things I’ve read about in my search is the tracking force and something about the stylus being nude (maybe that’s part of stylus type)
 
To me, I find it interesting how the Audio Technica T4P are a bit short of 20mm which is a deviation of the T4P standard. Stanton and Pickering were always right on the money 20mm.
 
This a list of the early Shure P-mount cartridges that some of us put together.

Shure LT Series Cartridge Photos/Specifications

Shure LT Series P-Mount Cartridge Photos/Specifications Posted for information/educational purposes. Below are photos of the Shure V15LT, M97LT, M96LT, M94LT, and M92LT cartridges with their correct original styli installed. The "Shure" logo is faded on the M92LT (best example I could find)...
audiokarma.org
 
I've made some progress on this. My draft list has around 175 different P-Mount cartridges. All of these were mentioned here on audiokarma and elsewhere, but sometimes only in passing. Since data can be sparse for some, I think it might be most helpful to start out with the list of what's currently in-production. That's of course a very small list, and much smaller than the list of what's available second-hand. An advantage to starting small, though, is that I can get the database set up with the right fields more easily, and grow it later. As a database, I think it would be interesting to correlate cartridges with their original/compatible stylus options, but I'm just brainstorming here.

Here's a sample of what I've got so far, using 2 Audio Technica options for example:
Model/NameMakerCart. TypeStylus TypeStylus Model(s)Discontinued?SpecsNote
AT85EPAudio TechnicaMoving MagnetEllipticalATN85EPNOAT85EP
AT81CPAudio TechnicaMoving MagnetConicalATN81CPNOAT81CP

Would it help to add a column to indicate whether a cartridge is strictly-compliant with the T4P standard? It's clear that while a great many cartridges are compatible with the P-Mount mounting system, not all of them are exactly to spec, as defined by T4P (and what is the definition of that spec, exactly?). Since some turntables are more adjustable than others, it could be important to note what's off-spec? Or maybe the differences are too minor to matter. Thoughts, anyone?
 
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