Stanton 681EEE

[majick47]

Stanton 681eee Cartridge

Artie I'm certain their are some decent Grado cartridges but I won't have to worry about the Stanton humming and dancing and I will be useing it without the brush. Peter my next table has to be a Technics 1200 or an older SP for my second system which is set up like a radio station control room with the JBL 4301b on heavy pro brackets mounted to the wall. I want my system to sound good but if it isn't fun why bother.

 

[bangsezmax]

I've been using a 681EEE-MkIIs for many years, mostly on Thorens tables. One of the easiest to listen to, most tonally balanced cart/stylus combos I've found. Pretty glorious when it's tuned in.

These days, I've swung more to a Shure V15 IV with the Jico stylus, because it mates really well with the stock Thorens arm its attached to. But I still love the Stanton.

If you call it thin, it wasn't set up properly. The thing has a nice fat bottom on it.

 

[Bigerik]

Thumbs up again for the Stanton. Definitely one of the better cartridges for the price. As easy to listen to, if not maybe quite as magical in the mids, without all the Grado BS that goes along with the use of one.
Great stuff.

 

[Stanton681EEES]

Another busy morning and still havn't mounted the cartridge. My D6800eee MKIII stylus is OEM Stanton NY, paid $45+ shipping BIN Ebay. Not sure if it's NOS or current mfg. All the paperwork indicated it was OEM Stanton (upstate NY) and not aftermarket. The price seemed ok since other sellers had it listed for $69+ shipping. Like some of the other responders I'm leaning more to the warm sound of the moving magnet and moving iron cartridges to go along with my 1980s "vintage" equipment. I'll be trying it out on my Sony PS-X500 biotracer TT, ADCOM 565 preamp, Yamaha MX-2000 amp (130x2) and JBL 4301b speakers.

Your Stanton will sound nice, but being you have an ADcom 565 they are a little on the bright side depending on your speakers. I know as I have the same preamp. I like to run my Stanton without the brush it seemed to open the top end and give it an airy sound.

 

[majick47]

Stanton 681eee Cartridge

Finally got a good nights sleep and have the day off. I dug out a spare Sumiko headshell and mounted/aligned the Stanton 681eee minus the brush at 1.25 grams. For now I'm going to try it out on my Yamaha PX-2 linear tracking TT with my favorite test LP, Emmylou Harris/Last Date. I figure just changing out the cartridge and leaving everything else in place will be the best way to evaluate the cartridge. Re Stanton681eees comment on the ADCOM 565 preamp so far I'v found it very neutral/detailed and not bright with my JBL 4301b speakers. I have five preamps and the ADFCOM comes real close to my Threshold Fet9 which is in my first system. After listening to both sides of Last Date the Stanton 681eee gets a BIG thumbs up! It's well balanced from top to bottom, authoritative low end, smooth mid range and detailed but not bright high end. Compareing it to the Grace Ruby I had on the PX-2 the 681eee was not much of a step down and has many of the same wonderful characteristics of the Grace Ruby only giving up a little detail on the high end. If your in the market for a cartridge that's high in performance and low in price you can't go wrong with this one and should be an excellent match with any quality vintage speakers/electronics.

 

[Holst]

No offence intended, but the Grado was worlds better.

This is one of those classic situations where we use the "pro" moniker to sell to the consumer. Stanton made cartridges for FM DJ's. These aren't folks known for their delicate touch. Stanton cartridges were known for their "battlefield" durability. The exact opposite of what a "home" user would want. The more "pro" a device was, the less suitable for audiophile consumption it was. FM had severe frequency response and dynamic range considerations. Thus . . . Stanton sounded "good".

For your basic "home" stereo . . . Stanton was ****. IMHO.

More to follow.
Artie

Just for the record, though Stanton has built a lot of DJ carts, so has Shure, Denon, AudioTechnica and many others. The 681EEE is a home stereo [high end] only cart, it's stylus is very different from a DJ cart and could not be used as such.

 

[PeterFCassidy]

Big Bottom, Yeah, Big Bottom!

That's been my experience. When the big double bass or bass trombones kick in, wow, 681EEE puts you right there in section. I've got some old Mahler recordings in mono. the auld gizmo just soars.

I've been using a 681EEE-MkIIs for many years, mostly on Thorens tables. One of the easiest to listen to, most tonally balanced cart/stylus combos I've found. Pretty glorious when it's tuned in.

These days, I've swung more to a Shure V15 IV with the Jico stylus, because it mates really well with the stock Thorens arm its attached to. But I still love the Stanton.

If you call it thin, it wasn't set up properly. The thing has a nice fat bottom on it.

 

[LarryYaremko]

If your in the market for a cartridge that's high in performance and low in price you can't go wrong with this one and should be an excellent match with any quality vintage speakers/electronics.

That cartridge has been a best-seller for decades, and one hardly ever hears anything bad about it. What is remarkable is the fact that it is often compared to carts that cost many times more--and it still receives favorable comments.

For the audiophile on a budget, or for the minimalist (like me) that doesn't want to spend many thousands of dollars to get decent sound, the 681 EEE is ideal.

 

[hjames]

Thanks for the memory jog! I used to run triple Es for ages - first in an old philips 212, later in the Denon DP-45F thats still in my system. Sometime over the years I downgraded to a cheaper cartridge when I wasn't playing vinyl much, but now that I'm putting my system back in top shape, its probably time to get another Stanton.
Do they still come in those neat wooden or Metal cases?
I've still got a few of the old cases full of mounting screws and adapters.
Does anyone have any recommended on good place to buy one? (best prices?)

 

[hakaplan]

The only think about it that annoys me is the brush assembly. I like Shure's version with it's damped action, but on the Stanton it's like having an anvil at the end of your tonearm.

 

[hammr7]

Out of curiosity, how different is the triple-E from the double-E. I have a few of the doubles hanging around, but never gave them much thought. Are they worth playing with?

 

[LarryYaremko]

Thanks for the memory jog! I used to run triple Es for ages - first in an old philips 212, later in the Denon DP-45F thats still in my system. Sometime over the years I downgraded to a cheaper cartridge when I wasn't playing vinyl much, but now that I'm putting my system back in top shape, its probably time to get another Stanton.
Do they still come in those neat wooden or Metal cases?
I've still got a few of the old cases full of mounting screws and adapters.
Does anyone have any recommended on good place to buy one? (best prices?)

I think they dumped the wooden boxes years ago.

I tried getting a stylus that was bargain-priced, only to find out that it was an aftermarket unit (they didn't disclose that when I phoned in the order). I got an OEM Stanton stylus from Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor, with no problems and no surprises. I don't think that there is much variation in price for genuine Stanton cartridges, so you might as well deal with a place that you can rely upon. Why bother searching all over to save ten bucks, only to find that they don't have it in stock, or that you are getting something that isn't genuine? Every time I try saving a buck, I end up paying double. That's just my take on this.

Besides, the cartridge will last decades. Amortized over 30 years, the price is a non-issue.

 

[LarryYaremko]

Out of curiosity, how different is the triple-E from the double-E. I have a few of the doubles hanging around, but never gave them much thought. Are they worth playing with?

If I am not mistaken, you can upgrade to the latest version (the EEE Mk III) simply by replacing the stylus with a new one. The cartridge itself has not changed, but Stanton has made improvements to the stylus over time. Unless you have a defective cartridge, a new Stanton stylus should renew the cartridge to like-new performance.

I forgot where I read that. Somebody correct me if I said anything inaccurate.

 

[absolon]

Out of curiosity, how different is the triple-E from the double-E. I have a few of the doubles hanging around, but never gave them much thought. Are they worth playing with?

Cartridge database lists both. Same .2 x .7 mil eliptical stylus, >35 dB channel separation and .75 - 1.5g tracking weight but on the EE output is higher at 4mv vs. 3.5mv for the EEE, compliance is higher at 25 x 10^6 vs. 18 x 10^6 and FR is narrower with 10Hz - 20kHz vs. 10 Hz - 22kHz.

 

[analogman]

boy , i was reading all the "love"letters about the 681eee and was wondering what was wrong with me! i had one come in on a thorens 145 i purchased about 6 years ago. i tried that cartridge with the thorens , a yamaha yp-211, a dual 1229 and i think i even tried it on my sota. i tiried it with different ams and preamps, van alstien, nad, marantz and it always sounded thin and harsh to the point i couldn't listen to it. almost hard to believe it sounded harsh on the marantz and with tubes! i hate to be harsch,but i have to agree with artie. this falls into my popular cartridges that sound like crap, right up there with the shure 91ed.

Grado Over-hyped, doesn't track very well, lots of distortion. Grados are like the special piece off music that no one wants to admit they don't like, kind of an "Emperor's Clothes" kind of a thing. Michael Fremer as well as others used to go on and on about the "warm, sweet, forgiving" "Grado Sound". Bull ****. Joe Grado is genius; he invented the moving COIL cartridge. Maybe some of their iron sounded good before my time. I can only speak to the ones I know currently. I bought into it and it proved very disappointing. I own more than a few; one Signature and a couple of the traditional square bodies (recently renamed with colors) as well as one of the "woodies" . $100.00 Shures trounce them all. Was running a Benz Glider on my main front end until not too long ago and "up-graded" to the "Ruby". I'm happy with the Benz(s), but one of the biggest mistakes I ever made in audio was selling off my Stanton 681EEE Mk IIs and stylus stock pile, as part of a turntable deal. If you have a large record collection of the inevitably varied quality and character attached to such, NO OTHER cartridge I've found, except some of the better Shures, will give you as much consistently musical performance as the Stantons. These comments apply to someone that actually loves and PLAYS RECORDS in a real world way as a primary format. Yes, the Benz and others will out perform the Stanton in many ways, BUT they are also more demanding as to software. Are you in it to listen to cartridges, or the Music delivered up by the format we all know and love: the Lp?

The Stanton 681EEEs and the Shure V-15s ARE, by the way, industry and MUSICAL standards. Just ask Tim dePavaracini.

If any one has a Staton that is "harsh" sounding, it is either broken or something in your system needs to go.

Craig

 

[hjames]

I think they dumped the wooden boxes years ago.

I tried getting a stylus that was bargain-priced, only to find out that it was an aftermarket unit (they didn't disclose that when I phoned in the order). I got an OEM Stanton stylus from Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor, with no problems and no surprises. I don't think that there is much variation in price for genuine Stanton cartridges, so you might as well deal with a place that you can rely upon. Why bother searching all over to save ten bucks, only to find that they don't have it in stock, or that you are getting something that isn't genuine? Every time I try saving a buck, I end up paying double. That's just my take on this.

Besides, the cartridge will last decades. Amortized over 30 years, the price is a non-issue.

Yeah - but last I looked I couldn't find any old cartridges so I'll need to buy the whole shebang, not just a stylus. Where are the good prices for THEM?

 

[imready]

Grado Over-hyped, doesn't track very well, lots of distortion. Grados are like the special piece off music that no one wants to admit they don't like, kind of an "Emperor's Clothes" kind of a thing. Michael Fremer as well as others used to go on and on about the "warm, sweet, forgiving" "Grado Sound". Bull ****. Joe Grado is genius; he invented the moving COIL cartridge. Maybe some of their iron sounded good before my time. I can only speak to the ones I know currently. I bought into it and it proved very disappointing. I own more than a few; one Signature and a couple of the traditional square bodies (recently renamed with colors) as well as one of the "woodies" . $100.00 Shures trounce them all. Was running a Benz Glider on my main front end until not too long ago and "up-graded" to the "Ruby". I'm happy with the Benz(s), but one of the biggest mistakes I ever made in audio was selling off my Stanton 681EEE Mk IIs and stylus stock pile, as part of a turntable deal. If you have a large record collection of the inevitably varied quality and character attached to such, NO OTHER cartridge I've found, except some of the better Shures, will give you as much consistently musical performance as the Stantons. These comments apply to someone that actually loves and PLAYS RECORDS in a real world way as a primary format. Yes, the Benz and others will out perform the Stanton in many ways, BUT they are also more demanding as to software. Are you in it to listen to cartridges, or the Music delivered up by the format we all know and love: the Lp?

The Stanton 681EEEs and the Shure V-15s ARE, by the way, industry and MUSICAL standards. Just ask Tim dePavaracini.

If any one has a Staton that is "harsh" sounding, it is either broken or something in your system needs to go.

Craig

i base my opinions strictly on what i hear, not on what i read or someone elses opinion. i wanted to give the person who started the thread my honest opinion. when i purchased the thorens table the stanton 681EEE cart that i have came with it. i was expecting to like it with all the good things i had read about it. well, i tried and tried to like it. maybe harsh was not the proper discription, overly bright to the point of hurting my ears would be more like it. there are many fine cartridges i have that sound fine on my main system, including goldring elite, denon dl-103, audio techinica oc-9 mk II, shure v15 III, empire 1000 zex, stanton 500 mkII.hope i got all those numbers right. my main system has a sota saphire , sumiko mmt, van alstien super pas IV with two nad 314's for power amps driving bose 901 series VI. or jbl L150a's. in a month or two i will have my leak 3090's up and running with any luck.maybe i will try and locate a new stylus and see if that changes my opinion because it would make me happy to be able to say something good about that stanton 681EEE but up till now, it's still thumbs down. jmho

 

[analogman]

i base my opinions strictly on what i hear, not on what i read or someone elses opinion. i wanted to give the person who started the thread my honest opinion. when i purchased the thorens table the stanton 681EEE cart that i have came with it. i was expecting to like it with all the good things i had read about it. well, i tried and tried to like it. maybe harsh was not the proper discription, overly bright to the point of hurting my ears would be more like it. there are many fine cartridges i have that sound fine on my main system, including goldring elite, denon dl-103, audio techinica oc-9 mk II, shure v15 III, empire 1000 zex, stanton 500 mkII.hope i got all those numbers right. my main system has a sota saphire , sumiko mmt, van alstien super pas IV with two nad 314's for power amps driving bose 901 series VI. or jbl L150a's. in a month or two i will have my leak 3090's up and running with any luck.maybe i will try and locate a new stylus and see if that changes my opinion because it would make me happy to be able to say something good about that stanton 681EEE but up till now, it's still thumbs down. jmho

I hear ya, but like I said, if a Stanton 680 is so overly "bright" that it hurts your ears, then something else is going on. Some unusual compatibility issue or just plain broken. Stanton cartridges ARE NOT HARSH, BRIGHT or "OVERLY ANALYTICAL" by nature. They are NOT the last word in the resolution or detail department. What they are is very full bodied and rich.
VERY euphonic :yes: the very opposite of what you are experiencing
An Analog Classic
Craig

 

[analogman]

i base my opinions strictly on what i hear, not on what i read or someone elses opinion. i wanted to give the person who started the thread my honest opinion. when i purchased the thorens table the stanton 681EEE cart that i have came with it. i was expecting to like it with all the good things i had read about it. well, i tried and tried to like it. maybe harsh was not the proper discription, overly bright to the point of hurting my ears would be more like it. there are many fine cartridges i have that sound fine on my main system, including goldring elite, denon dl-103, audio techinica oc-9 mk II, shure v15 III, empire 1000 zex, stanton 500 mkII.hope i got all those numbers right. my main system has a sota saphire , sumiko mmt, van alstien super pas IV with two nad 314's for power amps driving bose 901 series VI. or jbl L150a's. in a month or two i will have my leak 3090's up and running with any luck.maybe i will try and locate a new stylus and see if that changes my opinion because it would make me happy to be able to say something good about that stanton 681EEE but up till now, it's still thumbs down. jmho

I would suggest that it is not wise, to form or tender opinions, regarding a transducer such as a phonograph cartridge which you acquired used. This forces you to make an assumption, and to reach a conclusion, not knowing if your particular example is indicative or in good working order.
Craig

 

[Maurice442]

Hello Majick47,

I have a Stanton 681EEE on my Sony PS-X700 right now and even thought I haven't played it for a few years (due to ongoing repairs in my house...) I can assure you that when I do play it it will be as beautiful sounding as the last time I did play it... I also have a couple more Stanton's and they also sound very good to me. Before my Stanton's I used to like Pickering cartridges, they also sounded quite good. :tresbon:
Just my 0.02 cents.

Happy listening

Maurice442