Stanton 500 replacement stylus

[oldius]

A friend has a Mk3 1210 with a Stanton 500 cartridge. He needs a stylus. Please recommend something of good quality. He's not an audiophile but I want to recommend him something I would appreciate.

[Marco]

Hi Geoff,

Just to make sure. Do you mean a new stylus for his existing Stanton, or a new cartridge altogether?

If it's the former, the problem you have is that (like Shure) the quality of current production items from Stanton isn't a patch on genuine NOS. You really need the latter (or Jico-improved) to hear the cartridges/generators themselves at their best.

Marco.

[struth]

or change carts. at that level a cart and stylus is about same price. the 500 isnt very good

[Marco]

Mmm... If it's one of the original gold-bodies ones, they can sound remarkably good on the right (high-mass) arm.

Those were used in 1000s of radio stations throughout the world, as a 'broadcast standard' on quality idler and direct-drive T/Ts, and sounded really clean, clear and 'punchy', with superb bass 'heft' and authority. Honestly, with a minty NOS Stanton stylus fitted, track like limpets.

They would take some beating and give many much more expensive modern MMs a run for their money!

Marco.

[struth]

Mmm... If it's one of the original gold-bodies ones, they can sound remarkably good on the right (high-mass) arm.

Those were used in 1000s of radio stations throughout the world, as a 'broadcast standard' on quality idler and direct-drive T/Ts, and sounded really clean, clear and 'punchy', with superb bass 'heft' and authority. Honestly, with a minty NOS Stanton stylus fitted, they track like limpets, would take some beating and give many much more expensive modern MMs a run for their money!

Marco.

Well maybe. the ones ive heard were pretty poor, I have to say. Maybe the stylus was wrong on them, or the arm? But I wasnt impressed.NOS is always a good call. Thats what was what it was made for

[Marco]

Yeah Granty, the problem was that the majority of Stanton 500s, used out with of radio stations, where they'd have been properly set-up by trained personnel, were found on 'DJ decks', usually very poorly set-up (misaligned, etc, and tracking at some ridiculously high downforce) by a fairly ignorant and ham-fisted DJ...

Not exactly a recipe for the generating the best sound! Also, the phono stages many of those were run through were a bit pish, to say the least, so the net result is that most folk haven't heard what a Stanton 500 is capable of, especially when auditioned in a hi-fi context, as part of a good system.

Fitted with a genuine NOS stylus, the 500 is certainly as good as some of the popular mid-priced ATs and Ortofons on the market, and in some ways rather more musical sounding...

Marco.

[oldius]

Thanks Marco et al. It isn't an original so a new cart would seem appropriate.
Please recommend an MM cartridge for a 1210. I would think a budget of £100 would be acceptable.
Just noticed the Shure MX-97XE at £82 including delivery and it would seem to fit the bill. Any good?

[Marco]

Yeah, the Shure is great, if you like a super-clean, uber-refined presentation, somewhat at the expense of 'boogie factor'. Much depends, though, on the type of music you listen to mostly.

At around that price, my choice would be a Nagaoka MP-110, which I know from experience works a treat on a 1210: http://www.juno.co.uk/products/nagao...FeKd7Qod7Z0IVw



Marco.