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Seeking Cartridge Upgrade Recommendations

Isaac C.

Isaac C.

Cat Hoarder
Hello everyone, I want to start off by saying I'm not in a hurry to upgrade, I'm just interested in what is out there so I can be looking. That said, what is the next reasonable or logical upgrade to an Ortofon VMS 20? On another note, I have a Stanton 681EEE body that needs a stylus, or the correct stylus I should say. Would this be an upgrade with a good elliptical stylus? When I do upgrade I'm looking at used/vintage in the $150 range. That might seem low, but a local technician comes across really, really good used cartridges in that range. I just want some ideas of what would be better so I can keep an eye out. Thanks!
 
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hi
i have a stanton 681eee and sounds very good,i also have a 881s and if you can come across one of those it is a step up.getting a stylus for 881s carts might be hard these days ? im lucky as have a few new ones in reserve , just my 2c
have a nice day
mike
 
The ortofon is at least the equal if not a bit better than the 681. A logical upgrade is Moving Coil but are you set up for that?

What kind of sound are you looking for based on the sound of what you have heard?
 
On phono 2, I can adjust the sensitivity down to 1.6mv, so I could handle a HOMC at least. I guess I'm looking for a cartridge with a little more clarity and soundstage depth and width. I like the neutral tonal balance and detailedness of the VMS 20 a lot.

My current styli are unknown replacement styli but are elliptical at least. Would a Jico D20E be worth a shot at $70-80?
 
Isaac C. said:
Hello everyone, I want to start off by saying I'm not in a hurry to upgrade, I'm just interested in what is out there so I can be looking. That said, what is the next reasonable or logical upgrade to an Ortofon VMS 20? On another note, I have a Stanton 681EEE body that needs a stylus, or the correct stylus I should say. Would this be an upgrade with a good elliptical stylus? When I do upgrade I'm looking at used/vintage in the $150 range. That might seem low, but a local technician comes across really, really good used cartridges in that range. I just want some ideas of what would be better so I can keep an eye out. Thanks!
Click to expand...

681EEE with a Vivid Line is quite nice. Got mine about 2 weeks ago & I'm quite impressed. Excellent detail without harshness, solid in the middle & balanced bass - not boomy or sloppy.
As ilikevinyl says, a Vivid Line for the VMS20 is likely a winner also. You have all good choices.
 
Vivid Line is good, but it's not a StereoHedron or StereoHedron II original. And nobody's yet quite made a generic Stanton or Pickering stylus which is as good as the originals. Ortofon, Jico's made some very good styli for. The VMS is likely better given the stylus situation.
 
KentTeffeteller said:
Vivid Line is good, but it's not a StereoHedron or StereoHedron II original. And nobody's yet quite made a generic Stanton or Pickering stylus which is as good as the originals. Ortofon, Jico's made some very good styli for. The VMS is likely better given the stylus situation.
Click to expand...

I expect I will never hear a 681EEE as it was originally designed to sound. There's less NOS every day so we do the best we can with the resources available.
 
Isaac C. said:
@Ilikevinyl and @Bob in WI what about this? What shape is a 6/75µm anyway?
https://www.lpgear.com/product/ORTSM20FL.html
or this
https://www.lpgear.com/product/ORTSM20ES.html
or this
https://www.lpgear.com/product/ORTSM15ES.html

any of these would fit my cartridge body.
Click to expand...

and this would be the original:
https://www.lpgear.com/product/ORSD20EII-OR.html

and as best I can tell, this would be the Vivid Line upgrade:
https://www.lpgear.com/product/ORTSM20ES.html

As the Vivid Line is way less than the OEM, thats what I'd buy. If you want to stay true to the OEM sound, you'd get the D20EII.
Personally, I think the Vivid Line is an excellent value and an upgrade over the OEM elliptical, but no bad choices here.
And also note, I've not heard either stylii I'm just taking a semi educated guess.
Let us know your choice & how it sounds.
 
Trying a better stylus seems like the way to go then since the general consensus is that the Ortofon VMS is at up there in the ranks before moving into MC cartridges. Is the Vivid line stylus a type of line contact stylus or something because it is .0002 by .003?
 
OK, first, note with each stylus there is a picture of the rear post. Which one looks like it will fit your cartridge, the "hour glass" or the rectangle? This may limit your choices.
Second, though the two "20" models appear the same to me LPG sates the D20FL "can also be used as an upgrade stylus for the Ortofon M20E Super cartridge". So for the same money it will be at least the same, or better.
Good luck :thumbsup:
 
I have the the cartridge body that is a rectangle, so I can fit any of them. Do you think the compliances are different with each one? Also what shape are the Vivid Line styli, hyperelliptical?
 
I don't know for a fact, but, I would imagine there is little difference in compliance among them. . The originals I'm guessing would have been in the 20 to 25um/mN, only going by the bekow resource and looking at what the provided specs. It's still just speculation on my part.
The original "20" styli would have been nude ellipticals (lower in mass) whereas these are more modern cuts, but. bonded. So, a nice compromise, I imagine. NOS versions would probably cost a small fortune.

Ortofons page on their VMS cartridges (the closest they have to your cartridge)-
https://www.ortofon.com/vms-cartridges-p-614-n-4873
Also-
https://www.ortofon.com/support/support-hifi/resonance-frequency/

Someone with more experience can correct me if I'm wrong (please) as well as provide any knowledge of TTN's Bliss needles.
 
This is a really difficult decision argh!! IDK what to get! I also have a Stanton 681eee body and the Sanyo MG26 cartridge that came with my Sanyo. I'm leaning towards the M20 Super Fine Line replacement that you mentioned as its the same price. But the Stanton stylus is also $80 for a Vivid Line. Thanks for the effort though @ctjetta. I'm familiar with the OEM specs. I have three different VMS compatible styli that are various compliances and all of them work well with either tonearm, but the one I broke was my favorite. It has the h shape and its white, which makes me think it was a F15E MKII replacement since the VMS20E has the hour glass shape.
 
You're over thinking this. Vivid Line for the Stanton is very nice - thats whats on my deck now.
Vivid Line for the Orto is M20ES.
Both are line contact & both will sound great. Flip a coin & be done with it.
This is supposed to be fun, not torture... you have only good choices - no bad ones (except destroying your stylus, that was a bad choice) :)
 
I enjoy my current Dynavectors. 10 X 5, 20 x, and 20 x2. Maybe some day I will be lucky enough to own an XX-2. I owned all the versions of the 681, then upgraded to the 881 and 981. They don't even come close to the Dynavectors. In fact a Grace F9E was the best MM cartridge I ever heard. Never owned one, wish I had, I probably wouldn't have bought the 981. But working for a Stanton and Shure dealer allows you to take advantage of special deals.
 
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