Replacement Stylus for Stanton 881S Cartridge

[warrjon]

Just thought I post this re-tipped D80 stylus. This was re-tipped by Joseph Long yesterday with an FGS diamond. It's been a pleasure to deal with Joseph, his communication has been clear and abundant and turnaround was less than 48hrs.

This is my spare stylus and the CL is slightly askew but straight and Joseph advised against adjusting it and as it's my spare for when my D81 goes for re-tipping I decided to heed his advice.

 

[Redd House]

Just thought I post this re-tipped D80 stylus. This was re-tipped by Joseph Long yesterday with an FGS diamond. It's been a pleasure to deal with Joseph, his communication has been clear and abundant and turnaround was less than 48hrs.

This is my spare stylus and the CL is slightly askew but straight and Joseph advised against adjusting it and as it's my spare for when my D81 goes for re-tipping I decided to heed his advice.

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Joseph did an 881 for me that is phenomenal. I can never sing his praises highly enough. 48 hours turnaround is amazing. Mine usually take two weeks.

 

[warrjon]

Joseph did an 881 for me that is phenomenal. I can never sing his praises highly enough. 48 hours turnaround is amazing. Mine usually take two weeks.

That was from when he received it, it was actually about 24hrs but there is also the time difference, I was impressed. Doesn't include the 3 weeks the cartridge sat at Melbourne airport waiting for a flight due to COVID flight restrictions.

I will be sending him my 881s/D81 when I get this one back.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Yes it's a low rider. Mine also rides about 2mm above LP @1g.

A properly working and setup Stanton 881s is hard to beat at any price. This is the reason it was used by Mastering and Sheffield Labs to cut the lacquer. It is one of the truly great cartridges.

It was not used to cut the lacquer. Calibration standard applies if you're using it for evaluating test cuts on a lacquer disc mastering application for response tests of the mastering audio chain. The 881s was used by The Mastering Lab and Sheffield Lab for evaluating test pressings, due to their high performance. Also, the Nashville mastering studios also used them for calibration and for evaluating playback of their test pressings also. Some clarification.

 

[Pearly Baker]

Joseph Long recently repaired a Pickering D-3000 for me. The cantilever had been bent but he was able to straighten it and it sings like angels now.
Very honest IMHO, could have told me the diamond was shot. But he didn’t, very affordable.

 

[bimasta]

On my Stanton 881S, I use a stylus made for the Pickering XSV-3000 — they're interchangeable. I got my XSV, with no stylus, on a TT I bought. I used the stylus from my old 881S for months, with fine results.

The new stylus came from LP Tunes. They sell styli specifically made for the Stanton (with the superior Vivid Line diamond, not just a generic elliptical) —

— but I bought the stylus for the XSV-3000 instead. It also has the VL stylus... and it's $35 cheaper.

I installed it today and I'm liking it. I went back and forth from the original Stereohedron to the new Vivid Line, playing the same test tracks, and I can't tell one from the other. I think the VL is a creditable stand-in.

Caveat — my Stereohedron has years of play on it — I don't know how much, nor have a microscope good enough to show tip-wear. So a re-tip with a fresh Stereohedron might be better, and the extra cost of a re-tip worth it. I'll stand pat at $80 for the Pickering Vivid Line over the $115 Stanton Vivid Line. I'll even buy a spare.

 

[Studio_D]

Isn't the Vivid Line still a bonded stylus? I don't doubt that it sounds good but that's why people who want a nude Shibata class stylus are getting retips instead.

 

[warrjon]

Correct all the aftermarket styli I have looked at are bonded. Also the Pickering D3000 Stereohedron is bonded the D4000 is nude. On a system that is capable you will hear the difference between bonded and nude.

I can attest the FGS retip is brilliant in the 881s although surface noise is higher on used LP's, LP's I've had since new the FGS is quiet. I am planning to send Joseph my D81 for a retip this time I'm thinking of going with a nude Vividline that he puts in the CS100's

 

[bimasta]

You're both right, the stylus is bonded. I'll have to do more tests, more challenging music, and listen better. Still, the sound is so close to the original, I don't regret paying what I did. What did your retip cost? I have 4 MCs and a Technics EPC-100 already earmarked for Joseph, and the piggy bank is squealing.

Beside using the FGS, did he offer other ideas for the 881, e.g. diiferent cantilever materials?

 

[warrjon]

The FGS was my idea and it's wonderful on good LP's. Joseph recommends keeping the Stanton CL if possible it's extremely stiff and has low moment of inertia, effective mass is around 0.3mg. The new diamonds are lighter so EM would be even lower. Retip was around $600AU.

I had an EPC-100 with VDH retip and the Stanton is in another league. I sold the EPC-100.

 

[Studio_D]

It's disappointing that there's not a Swiss nude for the 881. I'm sure the retips sound better than an aftermarket Swiss nude would, but it would still be a great value option. The cantilever on my original D81 is broken.

I seem to recall 'caffe latte' tested some of the Swiss nudes made for other Stanton/Pickering lines and reported that the only one with good separation on the 881 cart was a D71EE with the wings cut off to fit. Maybe he can jump in if he has anything to add.

I'm still using a "4822-DEE-P" from VOM on mine and I've been very happy with it. At the time I bought it, the spec was still advertised as .02 x .07 and I remember reading that it compared favorably against the Jico VL, although I'm sure a nude LC or Shibata class would still be better.

 

[BobbyBluz]

Real Stanton Stereohedrons are fantastic. I have a few but at the moment my go-to is a 680 V3 mated to a NOS D6800SL Stereohedron stylus. Joseph told me they are the rarest of all Stanton Stereohedron stylii. He said he'd only seen a few of them and I bought one from him. Then strictly by chance I lucked into somebody with a stash of them including NOS ones in still sealed boxes. I bought all of them and sold the ones I wasn't going to use to friends. The Stanton suspension was patented and never successfully duplicated. Repops just aren't the same, if you have a genuine Stanton stylus with a good cantilever that's seen better days having Joseph retip it is the only smart way to go.

 

[msobeldc]

Just thought I post this re-tipped D80 stylus. This was re-tipped by Joseph Long yesterday with an FGS diamond. It's been a pleasure to deal with Joseph, his communication has been clear and abundant and turnaround was less than 48hrs.

This is my spare stylus and the CL is slightly askew but straight and Joseph advised against adjusting it and as it's my spare for when my D81 goes for re-tipping I decided to heed his advice.

View attachment 2214730 View attachment 2214731 View attachment 2214732

Just thought I post this re-tipped D80 stylus. This was re-tipped by Joseph Long yesterday with an FGS diamond. It's been a pleasure to deal with Joseph, his communication has been clear and abundant and turnaround was less than 48hrs.

This is my spare stylus and the CL is slightly askew but straight and Joseph advised against adjusting it and as it's my spare for when my D81 goes for re-tipping I decided to heed his advice.

View attachment 2214730 View attachment 2214731 View attachment 2214732

I know this is an old thread, but I recently had a Stanton 881 re-tipped by Andy Kim of Needle Clinic in California. He replaced the old cantilever with a boron one and also replaced the diamond. Andy's communications and turn around were great. The cartridge sounds better than new playing on my Thorens 318mk2. It opened up new perspectives in old records. Andy does all brands but my experience with the Stanton was excellent. Thanks, Marc

 

[academia50]

HI
Good information, but unfortunately it is not useful for me since I live in a very distant country. The freight costs, even though the weight of the package is minimal, puts it out of my budget. But I have a relative who travels from Germany every year and could purchase some needles (*) from Jico and bring them to me.
But at the beginning of this thread they mention that the Jico replicas for Stanton 881S are not as good as the ones they make for Shure, is this so? I've read some buyer reviews that speak highly of these Jico replacements, so I have big doubts.
(*) I have two damaged needles from using the Discwhaser SC-2 cleaners. The liquid deposited so much moisture on the cantilevers that it attacked the aluminum. Corrosion caused both to break, so you can't just replace the diamonds, could the housing tube and damping be used and new cantilevers/needle installed? Perhaps if this is feasible I would be encouraged to send them to a retiper. Actually, the sound of these cartridges was very good, I always liked it better than the Shure V-15 Type III that I also had and still have the body.....

 

[academia50]

Any recommendations that can help me? Thanks!

 

[twiiii]

I started out with the original replacement Stanton Stylus. When they were no longer available I moved on to the 981 HZL stylus and then to the CS 1000 stylus assemblies. When I trashed the last one I moved on to Dynavectors 10 X 4 at first then to an early 10 X5 then to a much better 20 X HO. Its my spare today. I currently use a XX-2 MK II with the Thorens and a 20 X 2 HO for the HT system as all it has is a MM input. Thats the problem with MC cartridges they have to be returned for an exchange unit or rebuilt. So I always keep a spare. I traded the 10 X4 for the 5 and then the 5 for the 20X.

I never heard a 881s break up or have a sound that was shrill or had high frequency trash. Its only problem was it didn't have the extended bass and transient capability of a great MC cartridge which the XX-2 is well known for. I have yet to hear any of my 20 x series carts or xx-2 MK II have tracking or sibilance issues tracking at 2.2 grams.

 

[cafe latte]

HI
Good information, but unfortunately it is not useful for me since I live in a very distant country. The freight costs, even though the weight of the package is minimal, puts it out of my budget. But I have a relative who travels from Germany every year and could purchase some needles (*) from Jico and bring them to me.
But at the beginning of this thread they mention that the Jico replicas for Stanton 881S are not as good as the ones they make for Shure, is this so? I've read some buyer reviews that speak highly of these Jico replacements, so I have big doubts.
(*) I have two damaged needles from using the Discwhaser SC-2 cleaners. The liquid deposited so much moisture on the cantilevers that it attacked the aluminum. Corrosion caused both to break, so you can't just replace the diamonds, could the housing tube and damping be used and new cantilevers/needle installed? Perhaps if this is feasible I would be encouraged to send them to a retiper. Actually, the sound of these cartridges was very good, I always liked it better than the Shure V-15 Type III that I also had and still have the body.....

There is only a retip option if you want a 881 to sound like it should.
There are only a couple of retippers in the world who can bring a 881 back to like nee so if a bit of post puts it out of your budget, save up some money or move on and buy something else.
Chris

 

[academia50]

There is only a retip option if you want a 881 to sound like it should.
There are only a couple of retippers in the world who can bring a 881 back to like nee so if a bit of post puts it out of your budget, save up some money or move on and buy something else.
Chris

I should have read this post sooner.....that leaves my two lovely packages and shiny specs in one place: The trash can. The cantilevers are broken, as I explained.

 

[malden]

I should have read this post sooner.....that leaves my two lovely packages and shiny specs in one place: The trash can. The cantilevers are broken, as I explained.

The trash can? cafe latte is doing newbies and others a disservice by poo-pooing JICO replacements for Stanton cartridges, and at the same time promoting the brand that he re-sells which are inferior to the originals and to JICO.

The 881 can live again with a NEW high quality stylus from JICO, you won't need to worry about decades old suspension loosing it's performance

D81

Manufacturer : STANTON #D 81 #D-81 #D81

www.jico-stylus.com

 

[academia50]

Thanks for the link, I had seen it. And the comments from users are good, they are satisfied, although they are a bit old, the oldest is from 2009, it is 13 years since Jico manufactured these needles, because surely they did not manufacture them again, that is what I can deduce. I do not think that the elastomer has degraded in that time... or has it?