Fifty year old phono cartridges

So....is Pickering still in business ?

 

I don't know guys... I really like vintage carts, but not so much the very low compliance ones, especially low compliance with hi VTF. It can't be good on records.
That's why I gave up on the Shure M3D/7D/21D - Very poor compliance specifications.

 

The N21D was supposed to be like a two gram tracker. Wasn't it ?

 

Tony, what is your comfort level with VTF ? I'm comfortable up to 3 grams.

 

Kind of...

Pickering UK ©´¯`·-· Hi-Fi, Disco & Broadcast cartridges & Styli ·-·´¯`© We can supply a GENUINE stylus for most any Pickering cartridge & a Pickering cartridge for most any turntable, plus a range of useful turntable accessories.

But the last time Stanton introduced any new products under the Pickering name was around 2004, and I believe that site is just selling off remaining stock (most of which they're already out of).

 

You can still go back as far as 1965 models when the Shure V15 came out. As I mentioned, I think they were all spying on each other as the majors all had high compliance low tracking force cartridges starting that year. While I look forward to your answer on VTF limits, I would like to add that I think something that is majorly important it to have an unworn stylus in use. While trying to find a good stylus for the GE VR-225, those old but unworn styli were mistracking like crazy, but no audible damage was done. I know from experience that a worn stylus would do serious damage.

 

I think the UK business is a reseller only. I was wondering if Pickering as a supplier and possibly manufacturer was in business. Obviously, Stanton is importing that new cartridge from some Chinese manufacturer. Donkey Dishy or something. LOL.

 

I still need to read up on the old Shure M55E. I remember it from decades ago. I think it was just about the equivalent of the V15 with less stringent quality control....that is how Shure promoted it. I doubt that Shure back then would skimp on quality control. I think they just wanted to promote it that way to someone who could not or did not want to pay the price of the V15. There certainly are 'fresh' aftermarket styli out there for the M55E. Pfan is 4759-DE and EVG is PM3125DE. I'm not going the JICO route. I would rather support the two companies that I do business with and the two companies that make all of these aftermarket styli available to all of us. For dirt cheap I might add.

 

I run 3 on my Garrard AT6 stacker - It needs that much in Auto-mode based on it's design.
M44-7/M35 X for 45's and M44-E fol LP's on it.

The compliance specs on the M44's are pretty good for what they are. Not V15 level, but good.

 

Yup M55-E was the flag ship for like 3 months, or something like that, during 1964. Then the V15 (I) came out.

 

Yes. The new Stanton cartridge offered, the 750 is a rebranded Audio-Technica VM line DJ cartridge.

 

But how about V15 Type 5?

Shure is right in IL ...

 

I had an M44-5. High compliance. As you know, the M44 body was available with many tip configs and compliances. 3 grams as a minimum seems high for the AT 6. Is your tonearm free to move.....it does have to push the thin rod under the platter which gets knocked out of the way each revolution if the tonearm is advancing slowly towards the center of the record. If the rod moves quickly such as at the end of the record, the eccentric cam will grab it and cycle. I have seen many changers where the metal rod has enough friction to reduce tonearm performance. In any case, never put oil on plastic parts. It will dissolve them. Learned that as a kid.

 

They are, but V 15 Type V is discontinued. And can't be made again without some redesign of cantilevers. No beryllium available. Boron is getting hard to come by for cantilevers. Maybe a nude ruby cantilever V 15 Type VI if Shure has it in them to design something new. With a Shibata tip.

 

A Garrard AT 6 in good order can reliably trip at around 3 grams tracking force correctly overhauled. 2.5 grams on a Garrard AutoSlim changer is as light as that changer ever could reliably trip the automatic return mechanism at.

 

They only have one 'audiophile' cartridge....the M97xE. Made in Mexico. Less than $100. There are probably a million used Shure cartridges out there. Shure was big on 'Trackability', high compliance, and low tracking forces. It worked well for them. It was not unique to the brand, but they cashed in on it, so to speak.

 

I only have owned one Garrard. The one that came with the KLH compact stereos in the early 70's. I think it was the 3000 ? I could look it up. Yeah, I used 3 grams for the Pickering V15/AT3 which I upgraded to a V15/ATE-3 with a simply stylus change. Made a nice improvement. That is long gone. I have a Lab 80 on the way.

 

I refurbished mine pretty well I think, but it it gets picky under 3g. I think the AT6 has the same trip mechanism as the Autoslim? It's just a different animal, and not in the league as my Dual tables, which are gentler in auto-stack mode. They can go WAY down in VTF, and auto-stack perfectly. But on 45's I don't need that light of VTF anyway running conicals.

I just love the vintage look of the AT6, and it performs very well with the M44 set ups.

 

What are some highly regarded Pickerings and Stantons from the past ? I have owned many Shures over the decades. To be honest, I prefer more highs and dynamics than what I have experienced with Shures. Are any Empires noteworthy or just....blah ? I know I am going to have a near impossible time to beat the dynamics of the GE VR 1000. Needlestein thinks highly of some ceramics but I would need signal attenuation on a MM input for that. There should be some ceramics with the attenuators already installed. Probably Gary at Voice of Music has some for sale.

 

No, a defunct brand.

 

Save your money, buy you a Decca Gold or Maroon and a Decca tone arm or Decca friendly tonearm. The ultimate solution for you. The cartridge you really want. The GE VR 1000 ideas taken to their best level of refinement.

 

I like the 68oEL from the disco era. Tough as nails, and sounds sweet! I play my '70's stereo 45's only on that cart!

 

And Pickering and Stanton styli have not been made in generics which even come close to matching original styli, the hardest brand for a generic maker to get decent.

 

The Garrard AT 6 is an AutoSlim based changer, and uses the AutoSlim mechanism. An upscale model on that platform.

 

I have a bunch of Madonna 12" singles. Many are 45's. Deep bass. I bought Fleetwood Macs album of the same name. Two 12" 45's. Remastered by Bernie Grundman I believe. Sounds incredible. I have Jefferson Starship Red Octopus remastered. True remastering. Recent. Not the horrible digital remastering of a couple of decades ago where they managed to make the Rolling Stones sound like a barbershop quartet with their 'progress'.