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Stanton 681?

T

Taketheflame

Super Member
Hey all,

So I ended up getting ahold of one of these cartridges a few days ago, as it came on an SME headshell I picked up from a local seller.

I've heard the 681 and 881 mentioned a few times here, but am basically just curious - how good of a cartridge is it? How does it compare/differ to a Shure V15 III, or modern Ortofon (2M) and Nagaoka (MP-series) carts? Those are what I have experience with/am more familiar with their overall house sound.

I haven't attempted to use it (I was told it hasn't been used in 30 years), but I see Jico makes a Shibata stylus for it...hmmm
 
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681 would be a step below the Shure V15, but not a big one. Moving iron design, so it's a bit heavier than a typical MM plastic bodied cartridge, and that may limit use on some arms that require very light weight, and to the best of my knowledge never available in P-mount. The one I have is metal body, pretty typical of cartridges in those years. Noticeably heavier than the other carts I own.

Very very good with a line contact stylus I'd bet. slightly different sound than a V15.

I will find out someday, need a stylus for mine and a turntable that can use it (my Sansui is currently lent out!) Won't work on my linear tracker of course.
 
HPMguy said:
681 would be a step below the Shure V15, but not a big one. Moving iron design, so it's a bit heavier than a typical MM plastic bodied cartridge, and that may limit use on some arms that require very light weight, and to the best of my knowledge never available in P-mount. The one I have is metal body, pretty typical of cartridges in those years. Noticeably heavier than the other carts I own.

Very very good with a line contact stylus I'd bet. slightly different sound than a V15.

I will find out someday, need a stylus for mine and a turntable that can use it (my Sansui is currently lent out!) Won't work on my linear tracker of course.
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Not true, MI is very light moving mass, the 681 is better and flatter response than the V15 (I have both). The 681 needs a light arm or oil damped, they work though on medium compliance arms but use the brush if you do as this will extend compliance. I have a ee and a eee the ee is original nude stylus, I checked it and it did not need a retip, the eee I retipped with a nude Micro Ridge and it sounds amazing. Dont throw away the original stylus especially if it is a USA made one ie not the later Mexico ones, get it checked and retipped if needed, the Jico dont come close. The only stylus I have heard which sounds like the original is the Black diamond nude elliptical, they are cheap and they sound fab and they have the stunning 35db plus separation of the original stylus.
I have over 80 carts MM MI and MC some very very expensive ones, I also have an 881 and not only is the 681 better than the 881 but it is up there with the best of the rest with a good original retipped stylus, even with the black diamond they are amazing. Re the Shure mine is a V15IV with original stylus with a boron cantilever and nude Micro Ridge, it is a lovely cart but it does not have that MC sound that the 681 has or the sweet mids of the 681.
If you look at the plots the Shure was flat out to 10k and they got a bit wild after that, some drooping off some with a treble hump depending on loading. The 681 was flat out to almost 20k.
Chris
 
Have an original Shure V15 III and a 681EEE cert that’s NOS and I’d be hard pressed to identify which is playing, might give a slight edge to the Stanton, but that’s not a sure thing:cool:

The Shure is a few decibels louder, playing on the same system/album, and both track excellent.

VR
Andy
 
I got a 680EL with a good original stylus which I hear it's the non-calibrated version of the 681. It surprised me with the buttery smooth sound, holographic presentation, and low-end grunt. It's on an Onkyo that I picked up somewhere cheap. I think I want to move it to one of my idler Duals. I've been looking to get another one - it is that good.
 
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I would look for something that is more modern with a replaceable stylus assembly. Orotofon is probably your best bet.
 
twiiii said:
I would look for something that is more modern with a replaceable stylus assembly. Orotofon is probably your best bet.
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Umm the 681 has a replaceable stylus as I said loads of option black diamond EVG (both fantastic) and Jico also LP gear both of which are good. I do think that retipping the original is a really good option too though. Frankly there is nothing modern that comes close in MM or MI for the money of a used 681 with a black diamond stylus.
Chris
 
I've been very happy with the Stanton 680/681's I have (and the p-mount variants the 727, 737 as well). I've been trying various styluses for them and so far have been happy with the LP Gear basic replacement and the Vivid Line. Haven't yet tried the Jico replacements yet, but probably will someday.
 
Stanton 680/681 with a NOS stylus will track anything regardless of the arm or arm mass. That was the beauty of them. Their cantilevers really were something special. NOS 681EEE complete with NOS stylus do pop up on eBay every now and then.
 
vinyldavid said:
Cutting engineers used 681s and 881s as reference devices back in the day, and they could have anything they wanted!
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cafe latte said:
Umm the 681 has a replaceable stylus as I said loads of option black diamond EVG (both fantastic) and Jico also LP gear both of which are good. I do think that retipping the original is a really good option too though. Frankly there is nothing modern that comes close in MM or MI for the money of a used 681 with a black diamond stylus.
Chris
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So...it sounds like I did well for myself then?

I'll have to keep this one on the "have inspected/re-tipped" list then.
 
Einstein;

I agree. And I like my 680 Vlll with a D6800SL for a stylus. But keep your records clean!

Sounds as good as pre recorded tape.

Lu.
 
Ok, the last thing I'm curious about (for now) with this cartridge. I was hoping I might get some help identifying which version of the 681/stylus it is?

20210510_153940_copy_1209x1612.jpg
20210510_154234_copy_1612x1209.jpg

As you can see, there is no Stanton 681 logo on the side of the body with this one. The only way I was able to figure out it's a 681 is when I pulled the stylus off and saw the "681" sticker behind it.

The cantilever and stylus are definitely a little dirty, but the cantilever does look straight/undamaged.
 
Taketheflame said:
Ok, the last thing I'm curious about (for now) with this cartridge. I was hoping I might get some help identifying which version of the 681/stylus it is?

View attachment 2222635
View attachment 2222636

As you can see, there is no Stanton 681 logo on the side of the body with this one. The only way I was able to figure out it's a 681 is when I pulled the stylus off and saw the "681" sticker behind it.

The cantilever and stylus are definitely a little dirty, but the cantilever does look straight/undamaged.
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See if you can get a closer image of the cantilever which may help. It looks old enough to be USA and the brush look nice and soft so my guess is USA, see if tip is nude (loupe will help) if so you have a win, just hope it is not worn, even if it is you can get it retipped.
Chris
 
Taketheflame said:
Ok, the last thing I'm curious about (for now) with this cartridge. I was hoping I might get some help identifying which version of the 681/stylus it is?
Click to expand...

Looks like a D6807A. A very nice conical, and a keeper! The round mark at the bottom would identify it as a conical stylus.
 
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