HamboneF18
Super Member
I performed an alignment after installing the Swiss stylus. It’s still dead on. It was aligned using the NOS original AT stylus. So, if: A = B, and B = C, then A = C.
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The P-Mount owners club
- Thread starter Bourbon
- Start date
I performed an alignment after installing the Swiss stylus. It’s still dead on. It was aligned using the NOS original AT stylus. So, if: A = B, and B = C, then A = C.
lini
just me...
HamboneF18
Super Member
I’ve played this Swiss nude stylus for about 3 hours now. I’ve got to say that the VS215 with the nude elliptical really sounds good! I’m not a fan of AT carts. But this combination has really impressed me!
I’m still tweaking my 1965 AR-2ax speakers (midrange) and just played this AT p-mount through them. A little Bonnie Raitt…
I’m still tweaking my 1965 AR-2ax speakers (midrange) and just played this AT p-mount through them. A little Bonnie Raitt…
dylan_k
Member
Hello P-Mount owners. I'm thinking it might help to make a spreadsheet/database of all the P-Mount cartridges, a great many of which are listed in this thread. (I made a seperate thread about this idea, in the link.) Is there already a list like that? Suggestions welcome!
What cartridge does it have on it now? Don't dismiss it out of hand - Sometimes the ones they have are quite good. I've picked up a nice collection of P-mount cartridges when getting different Technics tables from the past. Depending on what it is, just finding a good after market stylus can get you where you need to be.
A big number of them came with the Technics P22/P23/P24 cartridges. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but IIRC these are all essentially the same (or maybe P22 had best magnet and was a bit better?), but had differences based on which stylus shipped with it. The original high end stylus that came with the P22 is seemingly impossible to find, but you can spend LP Gear replacement that works very nicely for about 60 bucks, while the cartridge can be had for 20 or 25.00 or so on eBay, and I think there are still JICO styluses available for those so long term you can upgrade to the Vivid Line for 100 or the SAS for a bit under 300.
I looked to see if there are any L727, L747 Stanton cartridges on the Bay, but only saw one and it looked very overpriced to my eyes. It's a nice cartridge that used to be cheap. If you can find one in your budget I've had luck with the LP Gear/Vivid Line styluses
I like either of the above 2 for listening to Jazz, but everyone's ears are different
Also some good Audio Technica P Mount Cartridges, but there are so many of those it's hard for me to think of a single one to recommend that people could find, although I think the AT92 is well regarded by many as a good sounding cartridge that is easy to find and can be upgraded with nicer styluses
I have the SL-QD33, and have enjoyed swapping over a dozen different P-mount cartridges on it. At your budget, I've really enjoyed the Grado Black2 and I hear the Black3 is notably better - and I hear none of the dreaded "Grado hum" on this table.
I also endorse the Buanadha's suggestion of a vintage Stanton L727. I used to own one, and still own an L737. Both are excellent.
If the Original Technics cart is there, I would agree an upgraded stylus is all one needs. I paid just under $100 for a hyperelliptical from TTN and like it a lot. One of the Stantons with a good low-hour stylus would likely be well outside the budget. FYI my program material and yours are pretty much identical.
brillcat
Active Member
The original cartridge is an AT 8008. The seller reports he acquired the TT (and a lot of other gear and LPs) from a friend's dad and that it saw little use due to the owner's upgrading. It ships in the original box. I'll know more when it gets here. Question: Is there an easy way to determine if the original stylus is worn? I've read the 8008 is a really nice cartridge, of which the stylus is quite good. I don't want to replace it immediately if I don't need to, but I also don't want to damage my LPs.
The 8008 was indeed a great cart. Being a line contact, an equivalent replacement would be the LP Gear Vivid Line, just slightly above $100. Other than a microscopic examination, no sure-fire way to know. The right LP can reveal wear-related distortions.
Agree, that's a very good cartridge. I have the AT DR950 running on one of my turntables at home (I was told it was the same cartridge) and I really like it. I've been meaning to get that same Vivid Line stylus for it as well.
for the OP, Spending that 100 on a good stylus for that cartridge will be far better than any p-mount cartridge you can buy w/ Stylus at this point, IMO
Ageed!
Fagedabowdit
Member
I’d buy the one at LPTunes, LPGear’s sister website, that often is late to raising prices to highly inflated levels. The same VividLine stylus for the 8008 is priced at only $79.95.
Damn! I've got an AT320 and a 2002 that would love a stylus! I'll splash out for two of those!
I held back and just got one of them to put on my DR950!
Also got a fairly cheap elliptical starter stylus from them to try on an Azden YM-P50E cartridge that I hear is great, but haven't had a stylus to try out yet
And since this is the PMount thread, I finally tested the Pickering XSP/3003 I got a while ago on a Technics DL-1 in my office. Hard to find styluses for it as it's all over the map, but I got a cheap Pfansteihl 4606-DET (I'm guessing the weight of the brush compensates for the tracking force?). Mostly I got it because I didn't want to spring a ton of money on a SAS/Shibata or something like that without knowing the cartridge was working, and even with that poorly matched stylus it sounds very good (played a bunch of Vivaldi), so I likely need to start budgeting for a better stylus for that one also
I recently picked up a Technics SL-J33 with a Pickering on it But I'm not sure which one it is. It's got the black body, and a sticker on top in gold that simply says Pickering. It sure sounds good with the EVG nude elliptical I already had. Is this a 3003 XSP? What identification does yours have? A sticker on the side? And I have two of the AT VL styli on the way
I recently picked up a Technics SL-J33 with a Pickering on it But I'm not sure which one it is. It's got the black body, and a sticker on top in gold that simply says Pickering. It sure sounds good with the EVG nude elliptical I already had. Is this a 3003 XSP? What identification does yours have? A sticker on the side? And I have two of the AT VL styli on the way
I'll check mine on Monday (I'm running it at my office right now), but I think it's exactly like this image I took from an ebay listing and has it on the side
Just to add a bit to using the Pfansteihl 4606-DET on the MM XSP/3003 (Pickering version of the Stanton 881), I asked the seller (Carole's Needles on the auction site) which one and this is the one she told me to get (even though, by rights, it isn't supposed to work). I'm probably going to pick up a Vivid Line for this one as well as I saw some positive reviews for the pairing, but I've been surprised at how good even a low level stylus sounds with it
That's the same style stylus I've got. The one that was on it was the original DTL 2S stylus with the old PC in a circle logo which is why I'm thinking this could be a 3003, it's an original Stereohedron.
!! Thanks for the heads-up on LP Tunes, Fagedabowdit!
