Referring to user-replaceable styli...
With a brand like Ortofon, one still has pretty good modern options for older carts like the OM series.
For all my other mid-fi cartridge inventory -- Pickering, Shure, Stanton, ADC, Empire -- it seems like one is limited to Jico, Tonar, Pfanstehl, EVG-Russell, for NEW replacements. Or take a risk with used or new-old-stock units.
I have gone thru enough of statistically-significant* sampling size of modern replacements to pretty much conclude that they are under-performers. That is, compared to a good, working original stylus, they just don't perform as well (sonics, tracking, durability).
I really like the mainstream cart. brands from mid-1960s to mid 1980s. I own some high-end Sumiko and Denon MCs, but prefer, say, a Shure broadcast cart, or a Pickering DJ cart, for its beefier punch and drive.
But, unfortunately, IME anyway, no modern stylus manuf can replicate the stylus engineering magic of OEM.
Maybe I'm missing / overlooking something obvious???
* statistically-significant means I have purchased/sampled enough modern stylus, made by Pfanstehl, et. al, for various cart models from different manfs. And have ordered these modern styli from myriad sources such as ebay, Amazon, LP Gear, and VM.
With a brand like Ortofon, one still has pretty good modern options for older carts like the OM series.
For all my other mid-fi cartridge inventory -- Pickering, Shure, Stanton, ADC, Empire -- it seems like one is limited to Jico, Tonar, Pfanstehl, EVG-Russell, for NEW replacements. Or take a risk with used or new-old-stock units.
I have gone thru enough of statistically-significant* sampling size of modern replacements to pretty much conclude that they are under-performers. That is, compared to a good, working original stylus, they just don't perform as well (sonics, tracking, durability).
I really like the mainstream cart. brands from mid-1960s to mid 1980s. I own some high-end Sumiko and Denon MCs, but prefer, say, a Shure broadcast cart, or a Pickering DJ cart, for its beefier punch and drive.
But, unfortunately, IME anyway, no modern stylus manuf can replicate the stylus engineering magic of OEM.
Maybe I'm missing / overlooking something obvious???
* statistically-significant means I have purchased/sampled enough modern stylus, made by Pfanstehl, et. al, for various cart models from different manfs. And have ordered these modern styli from myriad sources such as ebay, Amazon, LP Gear, and VM.
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