Radio Shack RXT6 aka Shure M111E

[koseltri]

Back in Sept '07, Paul C wrote:

I have an LPGear.com N97HE stylus plugged into this RXT6. It required trimming a little angled plastic section on top to fit, but that was quick and easy. That piece interfered with the plastic block glued on top of the cartridge body that sticks out, as can be seen in later photos. (Is there any reason that plastic piece on top can't be pried off and discarded? I'm tempted.)

As to your question at the end: In a word, no. I have three bodies here, all identical externally except for the ID--an RXT6, 800E, and RXP3. They all have that same 'cap', except the cap on the RXP3 was loose, and came off easily. Just a little epoxy under it.. With some gentle prying, I just popped the cap off the 800E. Any of the aforementioned styli should now fit with no trimming. Pop! there goes the one on the RXT6. Many thanks to hakaplan, Paul C., et al. for the info. I might have tossed my RXT6 otherwise. When you have a dozen 'tables to feed, good sound on a budget is a must!

 

[hakaplan]

Yes, Scott, the only reason for that plastic is to add weight. P-mount carts are all supposed to weigh the same for use in p-mount arms where the tracking force is usually factory set at 1.25g. If you're using them in adapters or arms with adjustable TF, that plastic serves no purpose and removing it makes using almost any stylus made for a type 2 (hexagonal) body a snap (literally ). These carts are all basically the same, and with a decent stylus like the N97HE, you end up with a top notch result--better IMO than the current M97xE.

 

[koseltri]

I'm going to order the N111HE from Jico, and most likely the LP Gear improved (Hyper-e) R16X stylus and see if there is any appreciable difference. The
N111HE is, as you have stated, a fantastic bargain, but I do want to see if the brush is worth the extra expense. I actually have two M97ED styli kicking around somewhere, but I'll be jiggered if I know where they are. :dammit:

 

[SPAM]

Yes, Scott, the only reason for that plastic is to add weight. P-mount carts are all supposed to weigh the same for use in p-mount arms where the tracking force is usually factory set at 1.25g. If you're using them in adapters or arms with adjustable TF, that plastic serves no purpose and removing it makes using almost any stylus made for a type 2 (hexagonal) body a snap (literally ). These carts are all basically the same, and with a decent stylus like the N97HE, you end up with a top notch result--better IMO than the current M97xE.

Paul said his M99E has the molded plastic piece on top, however this one does not.
If the additional weight is required to total 1.25g, does this make it unsuitable for the T4P arm it's in?

 

[hakaplan]

I don't know why I said that about the plastic adding weight--the brain wasn't working right that day--whatever weight it adds is insignificant. Yes, the M99E was specifically designed as a T4P cartridge, so it's fine. You misunderstood Paul. When he said it was the same body as the other carts, he meant the metal part of the body was the same.

 

[lini]

Well, in his initial post Paul had written " (...) That little plastic part on top(with "Realistic" molded in) is the same shape as the one on top of the Me94P, Me96P (both with "Encore" molded in), and M99E (with "Shure" molded in). (...) ", so I also wondered why my two M99Es are capless...

But btw, Howard, would the M104E (N104E) be a nude stylus? The 99E only sports a bonded one with pretty large bushing and rather tiny diamond, and the cantilever sure is quite a fatty...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

P.S.: Spam's M99E in Technics T4P headshell pic visibly explains the purpose of the cap: Without, the transition between cart and headshell doesn't look nice on the top side...

 

[hakaplan]

Manfred, I think Paul was mistaken about the cap on the M99E--I've never seen one with a cap. The M104E is not nude, and it's also a thick cantilever. I'm pretty sure the last nude elliptical was the M97ED. If it were nude it would have the D in the designation.

 

[Paul C]

I'm going to order the N111HE from Jico, and most likely the LP Gear improved (Hyper-e) R16X stylus and see if there is any appreciable difference. The
N111HE is, as you have stated, a fantastic bargain, but I do want to see if the brush is worth the extra expense. I actually have two M97ED styli kicking around somewhere, but I'll be jiggered if I know where they are. :dammit:

I think it is the N110HE replacement from Jico that Hakaplan suggests, the $19 bargain. Jico does not list a N111HE replacement that I can find.

The LPGear R16X replacement is like the N111HE, including the brush.

I thought I had a photo somewhere of an M99E with the plastic cap. May have been an Me96P. My mistake.

 

[Paul C]

Since this thread was started I have obtained a NIB Shure Pro Track 6. This is like the 1000E, same blue stylus.

 

[SPAM]

Thanks all, for the clarifications.
Glad to know it wouldn't track too lightly without the plastic, although I agree with lini it doesn't look very good with the bare end of the tonearm exposed.

 

[lesW]

I was a cartridge designer at Shure long ago. I actually did some of the
Radio Shack ones but have forgotten which!

I can say that they were made with the same top quality components
and quality control as the regular Shures. They weren't all just rebadges though. I remember I changed some things.

Les Watts

 

[Paul C]

Les!

Wow! Nothing like hearing straight from the horse's mouth!

Would love to hear more about all this.

 

[lesW]

Hi Paul.
Sure, anything you want short of secrets!

Frankly I have forgotten some of the details. It was nearly 30 years ago.

I do see you guys have defeated my on purpose stylus incompatibility.
I did that so Radio Shack was the exclusive and only place to get
replacement styli. That's what they wanted.

Really the reason I'm on this forum is because I am seriously considering making a limited edition of cartridges again. I want to bring back some of the
high end beryllium cortridges of the past. You see, the originals are very old and the damping and suspension system hardens up with age. We made the things to last for many years, but not decades. So even the last of the v15s
are hardening up. Third party replacement styli generally will not give the
proper performance.

So I am looking for opinions before I do this. Beryllium foil goes for about 4.5
times the price of gold these days. It's also toxic to manufacture, although safe in final product form. Those reasons are why Be cartridges were discontinued.

I would try to make the cartridges as moderately priced as possible, although with the Be price they aren't going to be cheap. So who wants a BE cart that outperforms a V15 V? Are there enough people to warrant me setting up
a facility?

Thanks,

Les

 

[Pavioni]

Les,

I'm in for 1. 30 years of being a big Shure fan and customer.

I'd expect to pay about $350 on the street for a new cart which equalled the V-15V MR.

Let us know your progress....

 

[lesW]

Thanks, Pavione.

I just need to see if I could sell enough of these to make things worthwhile.

They would not have the performance of the v15vMR. They would greatly
exceed it.

With the last of the old stock styli bearings hardening up the beryllium
cartridges have a problem. The only way to renew them is to have them both retipped and rebearinged. It's essential that the original beryllium
be used. Non Be replacement styli will not have th proper performance.

BTW the last beryllium cartridge I designed was the ML140He. There is even an old thread about it here:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-127143.html

I had tried to make unmatched performance for a reasonable price.


With Beryllium foil at about $3400/troy ounce I don't know if I could do $350.
Also it's very difficult to fabricate. I have to set up safety facilities as well. But I would try to make it as economical as possible. It wouldn't be like the $1000+ esoteric ones. But it would vastly outperform them.

I just hope to get input from you guys about this before I take the plunge. It will cost me a good bit to set up a small facility.

Thanks,

Les

 

[lesW]

Oh, gee, Pavioni I just noticed you and paul_c were on that old thread!

You were the one that called my cart a "fat ortophon with a snowplow hooked to it".

Ok, Ok, so it wouldn't win any beauty contest. Neither would I. It had that look so I could replace expensive metal dynamic stabilizer parts with carbon
fiber filled polymer to get performance at a more reasonable price. It was fat to fit the best quality magnetic structure.

It outperformed the v15.

I'll try to make prettier carts in future...ok?:thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:

Les

 

[grateful]

Why bother with Beryllium? Many audiophiles still feel the best V15 was the old type 3. Some like the 4. Reintroduce those old classics with a reasonable price and they will sell like hotcakes.

 

[Paul C]

I do see you guys have defeated my on purpose stylus incompatibility.
I did that so Radio Shack was the exclusive and only place to get
replacement styli. That's what they wanted.

Les, I was forced into this. If you saw the last stylii I had ordered from Radio Shack, and was advertised by them as genuine Shure, and it certainly wasn't, you would see why I had to seek other stylii.

First, I looked for other Shures that would fit and function. Then I looked at some of the better aftermarket suppliers - and they supply qood quality stylii - LPGear, Jico, Ed Saunders.

Paul

 

[AnalogDigit]

I have a RX T4 Realistic/Shure Cartridge. Plays very well. I thought I got rid of it when I found it in a old box. I installed it on my Sony PS-T25 direct drive turntable replacing an Audio Technica cartridge.

 

[lini]

Les: While I just love carts with Be cantilevers, it would depend on the price for me as well. If it was ~ 200 Euro, I'd also be interested - otherwise I'd rather stick with ATs...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini