Which Pickering Cartridge Is This?

[ADKBob]

I just got a DUAL 1229 TT holding a white body cartridge with a black label on the side with silver letters: PICKERING. The stylus has gold letters: D400 and a DUSTAMATIC brush. How do I identify which model this is?

 

[wualta]

A photo would really help, but my guess is it's a Pickering XV-15 with a D400 stylus. The same body can accept styli both better and worse than that one. The styli are getting hard to find, though. Is yours in good shape?

 

[boreas]

A photo would really help, but my guess is it's a Pickering XV-15 with a D400 stylus. The same body can accept styli both better and worse than that one. The styli are getting hard to find, though. Is yours in good shape?

I'd have to say you're right. As far as I know, the only white Pickering body that will accept the D400 stylus is indeed the XV-15. Good cartridge. The D400 stylus is a 0.4 x 0.7 mil elliptical that tracks between 1.0 and 2.0 grams (plus 1 grams for the brush).

John

 

[jhtstone]

I've a XV-15 with a gold body. Did they come in two colors or are they different? The stylus is the D750.

 

[boreas]

I've a XV-15 with a gold body. Did they come in two colors or are they different? The stylus is the D750.

There were gold, silver, light blue, light gray and white. Also a VERY dark gray that (I believe) was for OEM applications. Different colors came with different styli. Your gold body was used for the XV-15/1200, XV-15/750 and XV15/625E. I think the light gray and light blue bodies were for the early short body with the flatter mounting angle. What styli they used is something I don't know but the Stanton short body was used on the 681EE and maybe others.

John

 

[wualta]

Exactly. And electrically the bodies are all the same, no matter the color. Basically a Pickering version of the Stanton 680, which was the noncalibrated version of the famous Stanton 681/E/EE/EEE. Which is why we tend to refer to this group of Stantons and Pickerings collectively as PickerStans or Stanterings.

 

[seminole54]

With a good stylus they are all good, but OEM styli are getting harder to find and pricey.

 

[wualta]

And the aftermarket has not quite figured out how to make a good-sounding substitute stylus for anything close to a reasonable price, which is why I hope the D400 is in good shape.

 

[Balifly]

And the aftermarket has not quite figured out how to make a good-sounding substitute stylus for anything close to a reasonable price, which is why I hope the D400 is in good shape.

What is the difference between the D400 and D625 ?

Is it just 0.4 x 0.7 mil VS 0.3 x 0.7 mil tip size?

Are the cantilever and tip mounting the same? :scratch2:

 

[seminole54]

Since JICO is basically an MM replacement stylus outfit it is not a surprise they haven't gotten the MI styli figured out. Haven't done it with any other MI styli from Ortofon or Grado either. From what I have read and seen their MM Stantering styli are O.K. even the 881 family Shibata. What they can't get right is the proprietary cantilever design and the one of a kind machinery that Stanton/Pickering used to make their styli. If the new owner of a Stantering cartridge isn't willing to pay the going rate for the real thing then they may be better off moving on to something else.

 

[seminole54]

Tip size and VTF. The D625 and the D680 are to me the "sweet spot" in the lineups. They track like a champ and sound good with anything, but especially 70's-80's poorly mastered vinyl.

 

[Balifly]

What is the difference between the D625 and the D680 ?

I have only the D680, should get the D625 as back up! :scratch2:

 

[boreas]

What is the difference between the D625 and the D680 ?

I have only the D680, should get the D625 as back up! :scratch2:

Appearance.

The D680 is the Stanton version of the Pickering D625E.

A lot of folks like the D625DJ, a heavier tracking version of the D625E, but I've never heard it.

John

 

[Balifly]

Some pictures for future reference then.

 

[seminole54]

They are the same stylus different presentation. As Kent can tell you from all of his years in the broadcast industry, the Stanterings and the Shure M91ED do Rock from that era like no other cartridge since.

 

[judgegixxer]

I take it that "Pickering" the company or whatever shut down years ago"

 

[specialone53]

I take it that "Pickering" the company or whatever shut down years ago"

Like any defunct company, the usual is to go towards the current company - Stanton.
Interchangability, compatability, and quality are the same.

 

[seminole54]

Both of the original companies have been gone for decades. The newest version, owned by Gibson Guitars, only deals in Stanton branded DJ cartridges and styli. I would never put anything they sell on my LP's.

 

[wualta]

For future reference, here's an old (my guess is 1980) chart showing the XV-15 cartridge and stylus lineup with specs:

http://new-hifi-classic.de/Gallery_MO/displayimage.php?pid=31023&fullsize=1

In German, here are specs for the D680:

http://new-hifi-classic.de/Gallery_MO/displayimage.php?pid=22897&fullsize=1

 

[jhtstone]

Thanks for the link.