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Weird, cheap stylus

davstev

davstev

Well-Known Member
I have recently taken to examining my stylii through a microscope. I have a super cheap Excel cart whose stylus looks like a hammer head. See the accompanying pic. What's this called, this stylus shape? Is it diamond?

I know this cartridge is ultra cheap with a bent cantilever and I have no admiration for it but I am wondering what is up with this crude design.

Thanks,
David
 

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davstev said:
I have recently taken to examining my stylii through a microscope. I have a super cheap Excel cart whose stylus looks like a hammer head. See the accompanying pic. What's this called, this stylus shape? Is it diamond?

I know this cartridge is ultra cheap with a bent cantilever and I have no admiration for it but I am wondering what is up with this crude design.

Thanks,
David
Click to expand...

The diamond is no longer there. :no:

It was bonded to the remaining stub at one time.
 
davstev: a reminder that the Excel ES-28 (red stylus) and the Excel ES-70 models (the blue styli in that LPGear link) use styli that are not meant to be physically interchangeable (the ES-70 styli will insert into an ES-28 body if you push hard), nor electrically compatible, because the inductances vary by a ratio of >2:1 (affects output and frequency response). Plus, the ES-28 is moving-iron while the ES-70 range is moving-magnet-- an ES-28 stylus in an ES-70 body will produce little or no sound. Going the other way, you'll get sound, but it'll be "off" a bit.

I have examples of both here. Which one do you have?

UPDATE: From the photos, it looks like an ES-28. Excel sold some advanced and very capable styli for the ES-70 family, but I've only spotted a single Excel-branded conical stylus for the ES-28. Astatic did sell an excellent generic NMR EX109-ed elliptical, if you can find one. The good news is that Canada was a haven for Excel cartridges. You should be able to find a different model guaranteed to change your opinion of the marque.
 
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Yes, it's the ES-28.

So, Excel is actually not junk?

If I got a decent stylus for the ES-28, it might actually perform well, sound good, and be respectable?

I know nothing of the brand.

Here's one that sold for a whopping $5 several years back!

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/57270-excel_es28_cartrudge__stylus/


wualta said:
davstev: a reminder that the Excel ES-28 (red stylus) and the Excel ES-70 models (the blue styli in that LPGear link) use styli that are not physically interchangeable, nor electrically compatible, because the ES-28 is moving-iron and the ES-70 range is moving-magnet. I have examples of both here. Which one do you have?

UPDATE: From the photos, it looks like an ES-28. Excel sold some advanced and very capable styli for the ES-70 family, but I've only spotted a single conical stylus for the ES-28. The good news is that Canada was a haven for Excel cartridges. You should be able to find a different model guaranteed to change your opinion of the marque.
Click to expand...
 
I can only assume that you haven't been listening to vinyl! The rest of your equipment is very nice, how could you have a stylus with a right turn at the end? Rob a bank, and then buy a Denon 103 and a SUT and you can hear what the SME can do. If you are careful it will last you through many years of pleasure.
 
Excel isn't (wasn't) junk, certainly, and my ES-70EX4 is sufficient demonstration of that, but sadly, Excel didn't offer any advanced styli for the ES-28. The body is basically a Stanton 680/Pickering XV-15, so there was nothing obvious stopping them. Instead, they sold it as a "starter" cartridge, with no upgrade path, at least outside of Japan.
 
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Freddymac2 said:
I can only assume that you haven't been listening to vinyl! The rest of your equipment is very nice, how could you have a stylus with a right turn at the end? Rob a bank, and then buy a Denon 103 and a SUT and you can hear what the SME can do. If you are careful it will last you through many years of pleasure.
Click to expand...

No nonononooo.

This is a cartridge that I literally found on a cheap turntable that had been put at the curb to be junked. I have never (nor ever would) use this, especially in this state. I am merely trying to educate myself on the different stylus types with my microscope at work.

I just purchased a ZU Denon DL-103 that has been retipped at soundsmith, and a step-up transformer. This is in addition to my Ortofon 2M Black.

However, I am curious about middle of the road cartridges too. I like over-performers. wondering if (with a new stylus) the Excel is a good performer.

Junk is just junk though.
 
wualta said:
Excel isn't (wasn't) junk, certainly, and my ES-70EX4 with Shibata stylus is demonstration of that, but sadly, for the ES-28 I don't know of any stylus more advanced than the simple, cheap conical you see mangled in your photos.. and I don't know why Excel didn't have a whole line of advanced styli for it. The body is basically a Stanton 680, so there was nothing obvious stopping them. Instead, they sold it as a "starter" cartridge, with no upgrade path.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this info.

I would imagine that a good ES-70EX4 could be had for a good price, too. It's not a very celebrated or particularly well known cartridge, I don't think.

If you are interested, I could send you this ES-28. I don't think I'll ever use it or replace the stylus. PM me if interested.
 
Well, plenty have gone back. There are different forms of audio satisfaction, and different cartridges and types of cartridges scratch different itches.
The Excel may surprise you if you bother to get a stylus.
 
wualta said:
davstev: a reminder that the Excel ES-28 (red stylus) and the Excel ES-70 models (the blue styli in that LPGear link) use styli that are not physically interchangeable,
nor electrically compatible, because the ES-28 is moving-iron and the ES-70 range is moving-magnet. I have examples of both here. Which one do you have?
Click to expand...

Hi,

Why on earth would they make two totally incompatible types of stylus virtually indistinguishable
in terms of the way they fit ? Also the bodies between the two types look pretty identical to me ?

rgds, sreten.
 
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