Just picked up a technics sl-d2 with empire 3001 e/11 for $75. Sounds wonderful. Any info on cartridge?
Modest model, not their best nor worst. Empire 3001 E/II . Freq. Response - 18-22,000 Hz ( 20-20,000 Hz +- 3 dB ). ...Output voltage per Channel at 5 cm/sec groove velocity - 7.1 mv... Channel seperation - 20 Hz -10KHz - 25 db. 10KHz -20 KHz 15 db... Stylus tip - .3 x .7 mil elliptical diamond... Tracking force - 1,5 - 2,5 gr...Compliance - 16x10-6 cm/dyne... Replacement stylus - S906E(Black).
Nice! This cartridge has to be at least 35 years old, as Empire Scientific quit the audio business probably around 1980 and morphed into an electronic parts distributor, though I believe the transformed company is still located somewhere in Long Island, New York ...
I recently slapped an Empire 2000 cartridge & aftermarket elliptical stylus on my Luxman PD-284 direct-drive turntable. I track at 1.5 grams & it sounds incredible. Massive 3-D soundstage, deeeeeeeep bass & a top-end as smooth as peanut-butter. Highly recommended...
A school friend's Mom worked at Empire assembling the carts. She took us there at night to show us how a cart was made. Quite fascinating but I don't remember where it was exactly as it was the mid 60s. When my friend moved to Long Island she got a job assembling carts for Stanton and Pickering which was on Long Island and closer to their new house. I went to that factory too but I went during the day and saw everything being done. I owned Empires, Pickerings and my fave, a Stanton 881s.
I've had quite a few months to live with and listen to this cart and have to say that, try as I might, I can't find a reason to dislike this cart. As far as MI carts are concerned, there are things that make me "squint" about the Grado's (they have too much of their own sonic footprint IMO, I always know when I'm listening to one) and the 681EEE's I have (even with a "detail oriented" JICO shibata the treble still seems rolled off, especially compared to their MM brethren). But, so far, not the Empire. I remain mightily impressed. This cart has forever changed my perspective on what a MI cart is capable of (especially in the higher frequencies and in terms of "openness"). That's my take on it, anyway.
What you would probably accomplish if you do this is to a) change the original sound of the cartridge and/or b) make it brighter. Why re-tip when there are loads of various original NOS Empire styli floating around? I don't understand the obsession with gratuitous re-tipping. I find the concept interesting in terms of actually improving a very old cartridge that has nice tonality but a crude cantilever and miserably poor tracking ability such as the Shure M3D, but otherwise I've heard more harm than good from these supposedly improved, re-done super styli and cantilevers. Wait 6 months to get a one-off something odd and bright that will never sound the exact same way again next time you have to spend $300 to have the job done? No thanks. I'd rather use a cartridge that I find pleasing in stock form.
I'm afraid I don't agree with you as that has not been my experience at all. But, I suppose that's the beauty of the hobby; each is allowed to pursue his/her own. I learned a very long time ago that, in the case of some very well known cartridge makers, the only difference between like models and the up charge in cost, was the profile of the stylus and/or cantilever material. The generator was the same. Therefore, I don't see why someone wouldn't experiment if they so desired. In the case of each retip I've had done, I have not found that the cart was transformed into something it was not, only that a better cantilever/stylus gave the generator more information with which to do it's thing. One man's "bright" is another man's "less smudged". One man's "gratuitous" is another man's "freedom to do as he pleases". Neither have I ever waited 6 months for any of my retips to be completed and shipped back.
Fair enough. I guess I've just had bad experiences with re-tipped cartridges, but what you're saying makes perfect sense.
Hello everyone! I have started to build a collection of empires and could use any info on the carts that you could provide. I currently have: 1. 2300z with aftermarket stylus 2. 999 e/x with original green stylus (dull) 3. 2000 e/iii with aftermarket stylus The 2000 e/iii seems to have an abundant amount of info on the net. The other two, not so much. Which of the 3 are the best? I seem to hear the most musicality from the 2300Z. I would love to know which has the best specs and certainly appreciate any info that you have. Thanks!
Just got an aftermarket stylus from needledoctor for the 999e/x. Volume to the receiver is muted at best. Gotta crank it to get any depth. Any thoughts?
I believe Empire, Stanton and Pickering (subsidiary of Stanton) were all located in Long Island, New York. Back in the day, LI used to be a major manufacturing area ...
So it turns out the aftermarket eiii tracks at 3grams and sounds stellar. Any info on 999ex and 2300z is appreciated. THANKS!
I once owned a 2000 E/II and loved it. Tracked great, had very good sound. Pickering/Stanton was located in Plainview, NY. And that area was a hotbed for HiFi in general. Harmon-Kardon was in Plainview, Fisher in Long Island City, Grado in Brooklyn.
I had a 2000 E on my first good turntable and always loved the sound. Very transparent, if that makes sense. Stupidly gave it to my sister, whose husband then sold it to a pawn shop for nothing. I still miss how it sounded.
Here's a cool round chart of the 999 series. Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet ยป The e/x appears to be middle of the road for this series, which I'm sure is pretty good. Your 2300Z appears to be a 2000X clone. Searching for Empire 2000X will get you lots of info if you dig. This one is in between the 999e/x and your 2000E/III in its specs if they all have original stylii in good condition, though some say the 2000X may be very close to the 2000E/III in practice.
You forgot to mention Ohm Speakers, the company that pioneered the use of the Lincoln Walsh driver ... BTW, is Plainview in LI for those who are familiar with LI?
I used to have an Empire cartridge and it might be a 2000, though I do not recall what happened to it ...
Plainview is a hamlet and census-designated place located near the North Shore of Long Island in the town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP as of 2010 was 26,217.Wikipedia Zip code: 11803
Thank you. I thought I read many years ago that LI was the capital of phone cartridge manufacturers ... Stanton, Pickering, Empire were all located in LI ...
Venerable ceramic cartridge manufacturer Sonotone (and its later cousin, Micro Acoustics) was not too far away in Elmsford, between White Plains and the Hudson River. And ADC was in the general area too, in New Milford, Conn. Happy trails, Larry B.
Hegeman Labs was out of East Orange, NJ. (I never met Stu Hegeman himself, but his grandson is a lifelong friend.)
