Help finding the right needle

[cjeggett]

Hello, apologies for what might be a quite simple question for many of you (I hope!). I am looking to replace the needle for my Sony PS-LX4.

The last time I did this was about 15 years ago, and I'm no longer able to just pop to the local hi-fi shop (as it no longer exists, and I am no longer local to wher it was).

The turntable is the Sony PS-LX-4
The cartridge is the XL-200 one, which I think is the standard one.
The actual little green housing for the needle itself says 88-200 on it.

I've ordered a couple off the internet which claim to fit, and they don't.

Can you point me at either: a replacement needle

Or: a replacement cartridge and needle

Thank you in advance!

 

[Al ears]

You say you have ordered off the internet, where exactly?
have you tried these?
Www.thakker.eu

 

[Rui]

In some hi-fi sites they sell the complete head with ortofon 2m type cartridge ,any of them would be an improvement, this is from the lowest range the top-end model Turntable ,it as a quartz engine ,keps the speed correct, but i never saw a ground cable ,does it as one or doesn´t need it ?does the sound is clean when the needle is off the record, the 88-200 is what comes on the needle from sony the model bellow as 88-150, the nd-200g is for the cartridge XL-200(the proper substitution needle), there were a couple of versions of this model with some changes ,that´s maybe why the needles you ordered don´t fit the cartridge, There are similar but for older or newer version of your Turntable model . don´t know if i helped but that´s all i know, try to find it on ebay through the needle model, in needle sites it doesn´t appear it was discontinued, regards

 

[daytona600]

Common Styli XL200 / Sony ND200G fits Sony XL20G, Sony PS350, Sony PS550, Sony PSLX25B, Sony PSLX4, Sony PSLX55 & Sony PSLX500.

 

[Al ears]

Common Styli XL200 / Sony ND200G fits Sony XL20G, Sony PS350, Sony PS550, Sony PSLX25B, Sony PSLX4, Sony PSLX55 & Sony PSLX500.

Yes, and nowhere can I find any evidence there were ever " several versions of it" as stated above.
However we have to be careful not to confuse. The stylus will fit a certain cartridge, the Sony PS350 etc is a turntable........

 

[Rui]

check it on Ebay i´ve found at the first time i´ve checked the ND-200g the stylus for the XL-200 cartridge and PL-X4 turntable ,but others refer being for several diferent cartridges from the same Sony turntables series ,in fact they are not equal , some are even equal to the AT95 from the 90´s or earlier

 

[daytona600]

Spherical Bonded . Spherical Nude . Elliptical Bonded . Elliptical Nude & Line contact . SAS/B

SONY RS | JICO Japan Seiki Jewelry Industry Co., Ltd.

ND-200G SONY 交換針 | JICO 日本精機宝石工業株式会社

 

[Al ears]

Spherical Bonded . Spherical Nude . Elliptical Bonded . Elliptical Nude & Line contact . SAS/B

SONY RS | JICO Japan Seiki Jewelry Industry Co., Ltd.

ND-200G SONY 交換針 | JICO 日本精機宝石工業株式会社

The 200g is out of stock.

 

[cjeggett]

Hey, so I had just tried amazon with one that claimed to work, but didn't remotley fit. Thank you everyone for these options, I'll have a comb through and find 'the one'.

The Thakker site is confusing to me, I'm not quite able to work out which will be totally compatible.

If anyone wants to suggest a specific upgrade to me, I am all ears! I understand I've asked for a very basic one, but might as well upgrade if its simple. Obviously I don't want to break the bank doing so however!

 

[Gray]

....Or: a replacement cartridge and needle

If the price suits you, an Audio Technics AT-VM95E is a good cartridge.
They sell it pre-fitted to a headshell.
If yours is the standard bayonet type headshell, then a swap might be an option.

(I say might because horizontal tracking angle might be an issue, compared to what you've currently got. See what you think).

 

[plastic penguin]

I would advise the OP to take the table into reputable dealer, give him your max budget, they'll probably fit one while you wait or recommend a suitable stylus. May sound like a big faff....

 

[nopiano]

If the price suits you, an Audio Technics AT-VM95E is a good cartridge.
They sell it pre-fitted to a headshell.
If yours is the standard bayonet type headshell, then a swap might be an option.

(I say might because horizontal tracking angle might be an issue, compared to what you've currently got. See what you think).

Being sad, I had a look, and it’s not a standard headshell. It’s one of those that fits on a straight arm, with the offset formed by an angled design. looks fairly standard for swapping to a newer cartridge.

I can’t find any original styli, only pattern/copies, of varying quality.

 

[daytona600]

Original styli , Sony stopped supplying Styli 40years ago
Plenty of quality replacement styli for £20/25
Sony PS-LX-4 complete used 40quid on fleabay £20 cost new
on just buy a new project or rega for 200quid
£33 for a Garrard 401 n 1978 now worth up to £10,000 for a good one