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What sounds better for a Technics SL-D3 - the ADC PSX 30, or the Audio Technica AT95E?

Indian Trail

Indian Trail

New Member
It's a Technics SL-D2. I purchased the TT used, and it came with an ADC PSX-A cart. It has a blue stylus, so I am guessing it is a PSX-10. It sounded good (before the stylus broke), so I either want to upgrade to a PSX-40 stylus, or just buy an Audio Technica AT-95e cart. The ADC is a P mount cart with a 1/2 mounting adapter - which I am not sure I'm crazy about. The Audio Technica is the proper 1/2 mount. Any advise or opinions?
 
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I like the AT95E-- it's basically the standard-mount version of the AT92E p-mount family and can take its styli, after a couple of quick snips, so for me it's a versatile cartridge, and you can still easily get the stock styli for it. It's a good cartridge without any nerdish futzing around needed.

I've never been able to find a standard-mount body that will accept the surprisingly capable PSX styli, so you're stuck with using them with the PSX-A adapter. Usually adapters are to be avoided because they all too often add considerable mass and height. I measured my AT95E and my PSX-30 in its adapter in identical headshells, and the PSX-A added exactly 1mm to the height-- pretty close.

How about mass? A p-mount cartridge has to weigh very close to 6.0g and of course the adapter adds let's say 2g more, total roughly 8.0g. My AT95E weighs 5.75g all up, so advantage AT95E.

Soundwise, in my opinion, it's the PSX all the way. While it would be happier in a lighter arm (in, say, a Technics linear tracker), it handles the arm on my SL-1700 Mk 2 surprisingly well, helped along by a lighter-than-stock headshell. So I say PSX-30 (still available off the shelf from at least one online vendor), or PSX-40 if you can find the stylus. On the other hand, why not have both? They're different enough to be good at different things for different situations. Besides, both is the AK Way.
 
wualta said:
I like the AT95E-- it's basically the standard-mount version of the AT92E p-mount family and can take its styli, after a couple of quick snips, so for me it's a versatile cartridge, and you can still easily get the stock styli for it. It's a good cartridge without any nerdish futzing around needed.

I've never been able to find a standard-mount body that will accept the surprisingly capable PSX styli, so you're stuck with using them with the PSX-A adapter. Usually adapters are to be avoided because they all too often add considerable mass and height. I measured my AT95E and my PSX-30 in its adapter in identical headshells, and the PSX-A added exactly 1mm to the height-- pretty close.

How about mass? A p-mount cartridge has to weigh very close to 6.0g and of course the adapter adds let's say 2g more, total roughly 8.0g. My AT95E weighs 5.75g all up, so advantage AT95E.

Soundwise, in my opinion, it's the PSX all the way. While it would be happier in a lighter arm (in, say, a Technics linear tracker), it handles the arm on my SL-1700 Mk 2 surprisingly well, helped along by a lighter-than-stock headshell. So I say PSX-30 (still available off the shelf from at least one online vendor), or PSX-40 if you can find the stylus. On the other hand, why not have both? They're different enough to be good at different things for different situations. Besides, both is the AK Way.
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wualta said:
I like the AT95E-- it's basically the standard-mount version of the AT92E p-mount family and can take its styli, after a couple of quick snips, so for me it's a versatile cartridge, and you can still easily get the stock styli for it. It's a good cartridge without any nerdish futzing around needed.

I've never been able to find a standard-mount body that will accept the surprisingly capable PSX styli, so you're stuck with using them with the PSX-A adapter. Usually adapters are to be avoided because they all too often add considerable mass and height. I measured my AT95E and my PSX-30 in its adapter in identical headshells, and the PSX-A added exactly 1mm to the height-- pretty close.

How about mass? A p-mount cartridge has to weigh very close to 6.0g and of course the adapter adds let's say 2g more, total roughly 8.0g. My AT95E weighs 5.75g all up, so advantage AT95E.

Soundwise, in my opinion, it's the PSX all the way. While it would be happier in a lighter arm (in, say, a Technics linear tracker), it handles the arm on my SL-1700 Mk 2 surprisingly well, helped along by a lighter-than-stock headshell. So I say PSX-30 (still available off the shelf from at least one online vendor), or PSX-40 if you can find the stylus. On the other hand, why not have both? They're different enough to be good at different things for different situations. Besides, both is the AK Way.
Click to expand...
Is the mass that big of a deal if I am adjusting the counter weight to the recommended tracking force?
 
Indian Trail said:
Is the mass that big of a deal if I am adjusting the counter weight to the recommended tracking force?
Click to expand...
Consider the logical extreme: two pingpong balls on either end of a balance beam compared to two bowling balls on that same balance beam. Both balance exactly. Which one can pivot faster when pushed at one end? Or, to put it another way, which one will require more force to get moving or change direction once it is moving?

The PSX is not an extreme case, not a big deal. But it is a consideration. It's not so much heavier than the AT95E that it won't sound good. The fat little rubber grommet suspension damps out warps better than I expected.

The current prices of the PSX-30 stylus at thevoiceofmusic.com and the AT95E at amazon.com are nearly the same. One's a nude 3x7 elliptical that tracks at 1.25g. The other is a bushed/bonded 3x7 elliptical that tracks at 2g. I like 'em both, but then I also have a linear tracker table (with a light, damped arm) for my p-mounts.
 
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Thank you very much for the analogy. I think I will go ahead and buy the AT-95E for now, but thinking about it - I do like the idea of having both. I may order the ADC for both variety, and use in my backup TT - Technics Sl-B280 which takes a P mount cart.
 
I've never used the PSX-30 with a standard-mount adapter. But, I've used one on my Technics SL-MA1, and it sounds great. So good, in fact, that I bought 4 extra styli - just in case they become hard to find.
 
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