Pickering V-15 Micro IV

[ChairSpud]

Thanks Rob and Danj, I've been wanting to buy a 681eee but put it off because I felt used prices were too high. Now I can get an XV-15 625e, essentially the same cartridge but because it's less well known commands a lower asking price, good deal!

 

[Stanton681EEES]

Thanks Rob and Danj, I've been wanting to buy a 681eee but put it off because I felt used prices were too high. Now I can get an XV-15 625e, essentially the same cartridge but because it's less well known commands a lower asking price, good deal!

Well not anymore thanks to sites like this and AS.
It's really great we share this info and this site has been a great source of info, and help and i've met a lot of great people but unfortunatly depending on ones veiw has also led to every Tom Dick and Harry finding this info as well.
Have ya looked at ebay prices these days on certain cartridge stylus combos?

 

[ChairSpud]

Well not anymore thanks to sites like this and AS.
It's really great we share this info and this site has been a great source of info, and help and i've met a lot of great people but unfortunatly depending on ones veiw has also led to every Tom Dick and Harry finding this info as well.
Have ya looked at ebay prices these days on certain cartridge stylus combos?

The man himself, was hoping you'd weigh in too. I agree, the information we share can cut both ways and you could say I'm contributing to the problem by even asking the question, sorry. :worried: I have been looking at e*ay prices and just can't believe it. I'm guessing Stanton made millions of the 681 series cartridges and still do, so they should be cheap.

 

[Metalownz]

So, i got the Pickering V-15 Micro IV AM in the mail today. Now keep in mind, this cart and stylus has never been used.

Believe it or not, i like it more than the Realistic/Shure R1000 EDT. I like that the Pickering has a neutral sound to it. I dont have to get up and tweak a record everytime i put a new one on. And this stylus is a Spherical too. The sound is warmer, less bright, and it just flat out wins in my opinion. Dont get me wrong, the R1000 is a great cart, and eventually ill get a head shell for it. There is also absoultely no inner groove distortion either with this Pickering. Eventually, im going to get another stylus for it, because im worried about the spherical wearing out my records.

 

[jrtrent]

Eventually, im going to get another stylus for it, because im worried about the spherical wearing out my records.

A spherical stylus has a larger contact area than an elliptical (though not nearly as large as a line contact). Studies I've read indicate that a .7 mil spherical tracking at 3 grams cause about the same amount of record wear as a .2 X .7 mil elliptical tracking at 1 1/2 grams. An age-stiffened rubber suspension that doesn't allow the stylus to track properly could damage records, but I wouldn't worry about the spherical shape.

edit: I had to dash out the door to work this morning, but had wanted to add that it sounds like your cartridge and stylus assembly are in good shape. When I've gotten a stylus with a stiff suspension, it was a most unpleasant-sounding experience, with audibly obvious mistracking. Also, I'm currently using a Stanton 500.V3 tracking along at 3 1/4 grams and sounding great--no worries here about record wear.

 

[Metalownz]

A spherical stylus has a larger contact area than an elliptical (though not nearly as large as a line contact). Studies I've read indicate that a .7 mil spherical tracking at 3 grams cause about the same amount of record wear as a .2 X .7 mil elliptical tracking at 1 1/2 grams. An age-stiffened rubber suspension that doesn't allow the stylus to track properly could damage records, but I wouldn't worry about the spherical shape.

Well that makes me feel alot better. Thanks you!

 

[beatcomber]

When I asked Stanton, they told me that all the Pickering V-15, NP/AC, and Stanton 500 series bodies were electrically identical. Output differences are due to the type and size of the magnet at the end of the cantilever. For example, when I put an N500 stylus on my Stanton 500 body, the output is considerably higher than when using the D71EE stylus in that same body.

I found this statement interesting, so I did some experimenting last night.

I own both a Pickering NP/AC with PDO7C stylus and a Stanton 500-II with D-5100ALII stylus. In their stock configuration, the NP/AC is louder and considerably more boomy and compressed than the 500. I experimented with swapping the styli on these carts and made notes of what I heard.

The 500 was slightly more boomy with the PDO7C, but not as boomy as the NP/AC was with it.

The NP/AC was slightly more detailed with the D-5100ALII, but it was definitely louder and more boomy than the 500 was with it.

My conclusion: the cartridge bodies are NOT the same, and one can come up with some new Stanton/Pickering “flavors” by mixing/matching carts and styli.