Are there particular characteristics of the stylus profiles? I'm finding in my recent experimentation that I like my elliptical cartridge because it's more balanced top to bottom than the 2 cartridges I have with microridge styluses, which seem to tilt up. The soundstage of the MR is wider and taller, but I'm still drawn to the elliptical. Would it make sense to try other cartridges with ellipticals?
Do different stylus profiles have specific characteristics?
- Thread starter Fishfood
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I might caution about using just the stylus as a decision metric. Clearly various stylus profiles perform differently; yet it is also up to the cart designer to 'meld' all of the parameters into a desired whole.
I can think of a few carts using MR stylus that aren't imho inherently 'tipped up'.
It does sound to me like you are finding your preference ( within your system ) and seeking that balance which is awesome.
Ps : Have you tried your SL15 yet? What are you considering trying out for new candidates? Just curious
I can think of a few carts using MR stylus that aren't imho inherently 'tipped up'.
It does sound to me like you are finding your preference ( within your system ) and seeking that balance which is awesome.
Ps : Have you tried your SL15 yet? What are you considering trying out for new candidates? Just curious
Yeah I was being a tad flippant. It has been awhile since I was into vinyl. I can't remember where I saw it but there is an article on this very issue.
Here is a basic primer.
www.yoursoundmatters.com
Vinyl Stylus Shapes Explained
The most common stylus shapes are spherical styli and elliptical styli, but there are plenty of other variations to discover.
www.yoursoundmatters.com
Thanks for the advice.I might caution about using just the stylus as a decision metric. Clearly various stylus profiles perform differently; yet it is also up to the cart designer to 'meld' all of the parameters into a desired whole.
I can think of a few carts using MR stylus that aren't imho inherently 'tipped up'.
It does sound to me like you are finding your preference ( within your system ) and seeking that balance which is awesome.
Ps : Have you tried your SL15 yet? What are you considering trying out for new candidates? Just curious
I love the SL15 but don't tell anyone. I don't want the supplies to dry up completely
It's perfectly balanced and tonally wonderful. My Anamighty DL013R has better sound staging and more detail but doesn't sound quite as musical. The thing with the SL15 is I don't sit and analyze my system... it's not about that. I'm able to just enjoy the music. First time in a long time. And this is all with the little Well Tempered turntable. Can't wait until the 401 comes and I can try out the Schroder and the Bokrand with it. My plinth only has 1 armboard slot but I'm working on a way to swap multiple armboards easily. I tried a Micro Acoustics 3002 and it was incredible but the cantilever was bent and the diamond probably worn because there was background noise. I'm having that looked at by a retipper. I'm going to try an elliptical SPU when the Bokrand arrives. I think I'm going to love that. I'm looking at all the other usual suspects: Victor/AT/Pickering. I just missed winning a auction for a Super SD900.
Having lots of fun!
The Replicant 100 stylus is a rather different proposition to a microridge, certainly in SPU form, there is much more body to the sound, it is rather more sensitive to alignment than an elliptical,
With the Schröder wooden head shells the bolt to the mounting plate want’s to be no tighter that absolutely necessary, same for the counterweight grub screw. At least that’s the case with the Reference, both are best set by ear and I found rock music was the most telling.
With the Schröder wooden head shells the bolt to the mounting plate want’s to be no tighter that absolutely necessary, same for the counterweight grub screw. At least that’s the case with the Reference, both are best set by ear and I found rock music was the most telling.
When you want a supex sd 900 look for linn karma, troika they made are by supex. Sounds pretty goodThanks for the advice.
I love the SL15 but don't tell anyone. I don't want the supplies to dry up completely
I tried a Micro Acoustics 3002 and it was incredible but the cantilever was bent and the diamond probably worn because there was background noise. I'm having that looked at by a retipper. I'm going to try an elliptical SPU when the Bokrand arrives. I think I'm going to love that. I'm looking at all the other usual suspects: Victor/AT/Pickering. I just missed winning a auction for a Super SD900.
Having lots of fun!
I have the brass plate! I'll use it with the Ortofon SL-15 and my modified DL103 first and then maybe an N series. I've been dying to try one out and they seem to pop up from time to time at reasonable prices.
Based on my enjoyment of the Royal N I opted, somewhat on the spur of the moment, for a Gyger S rather than the original Ogura PA when my Transfig Proteus was retipped by Ana Mighty Sound. The Gyger claims 120 x 6 to the Replicant’s 100 x 5 and I can certainly find some similar characteristics and some differences from the comparison in two very different cartridge bodies.
I learn’t a lot about the peculiarities of setting up my Schröder while I was using the Royal N so comparison back to the PA equipped Proteus is more difficult. The quietness in the groove and relative insensitivity to pops and clicks seems much better with the Gyger S and Replicant 100 compared to the Proteus with PA or indeed the microline on a Dyna17D3. There’s not quite as much tonal richness from the Gyger Proteus compared to the Royal N but there’s more than I remember from this cartridge with the PA (but that may be where the improved setup knowledge counts). The Proteus has much more leading edge information where the Royal N rounded it off some what in comparison. Where the Royal N swings the retipped Proteus is up for a party but both can groove but in their own way.
The Royal N requires the brass mounting plate to handle its low compliance, tracks at around 3g and generates rather too much static in my discs, cantilever is a parallel aluminium tube.. For the Proteus I ordered a foamed aluminium alloy plate, tracking at the 1.8g recommended by AMS I’ve yet to notice any static since the rebuild, there was some when it carried the PA tip but not as much as the Royal N generates. Cantilever is still boron but AMS updated the suspension.
I learn’t a lot about the peculiarities of setting up my Schröder while I was using the Royal N so comparison back to the PA equipped Proteus is more difficult. The quietness in the groove and relative insensitivity to pops and clicks seems much better with the Gyger S and Replicant 100 compared to the Proteus with PA or indeed the microline on a Dyna17D3. There’s not quite as much tonal richness from the Gyger Proteus compared to the Royal N but there’s more than I remember from this cartridge with the PA (but that may be where the improved setup knowledge counts). The Proteus has much more leading edge information where the Royal N rounded it off some what in comparison. Where the Royal N swings the retipped Proteus is up for a party but both can groove but in their own way.
The Royal N requires the brass mounting plate to handle its low compliance, tracks at around 3g and generates rather too much static in my discs, cantilever is a parallel aluminium tube.. For the Proteus I ordered a foamed aluminium alloy plate, tracking at the 1.8g recommended by AMS I’ve yet to notice any static since the rebuild, there was some when it carried the PA tip but not as much as the Royal N generates. Cantilever is still boron but AMS updated the suspension.
Very interesting description. Thanks!
I've found myself after a couple weeks with a Royal N, drawn back to the SL15. Sometimes less is more.
I when you say static, are you talking about distortion/sibilance? I had to redrill the armboard to get things just right with Bokrand/Royal N
combo using a Feickert protractor... .and yet there was still an occasional right channel sibilant hit.
I've found myself after a couple weeks with a Royal N, drawn back to the SL15. Sometimes less is more.
I when you say static, are you talking about distortion/sibilance? I had to redrill the armboard to get things just right with Bokrand/Royal N
combo using a Feickert protractor... .and yet there was still an occasional right channel sibilant hit.
I've tried at length to adjust those parameters correctly and just can't get it. To me, maybe it shouldn't be that hard? I guess the replicant stylus is tricky. No issues at all with the eliptical on the SL15 or the A95 I tried out using the same setup tools.
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