Pickering XSV 3000 replacement stylus- are they worth it?

Sure, I’m happy with XSV/5000 and low impedance XSV/7500, both with original styli. Superb cartridges. When I bought them I sold several samples of my XSV/3000 and a few styli, one was for XSV/4000 which is better than 3000 series. What is good about XSV/3000 is the price (still very low) and it’s indeed one of the best for Technics. If you like your XSV/3000 my advice is to seach for XSV/5000 (or at least XSV/4000), they are more expensive for sure.

Top Pickering and Stanton cartridges must be in every serious collection in my opinion.

The situation with almost every vintage good MM today is that a stylus alone (nos) cost almost like the cartridge with stylus. 

Can't find the original? They are too expensive?
 
Send email request to Expert Stylus in UK for their Paratrace stylus, this company is well known among Stanton/Pickering fan boys (and Decca fans). They are over 40 years in business and it seems like the original Stereohedron stylus was manufactured in Europe.   

I believe there is a discussion elsewhere on this forum about Pickering XSV replacement styli sold in the USA. I think the vendor is LP gear. The LP gear product bears a Shibata stylus. In my opinion and in the opinion of several others who contributed to that thread, the Shibata stylus should be very satisfactory as a replacement for the stereoHedron. Plus, it’s not super expensive. Chakster did not agree.

Dear @tzh21y : Lewm is rigth and Shibata shape is better than  the original Stanto/Pickering.

This is what you need:

https://www.lpgear.com/product/PICKSXSV5000.html


R.

Pretty reasonable price for that Shibata, if you wanted a nude 
mount by a retipper you'd likely have multiply the cost
X  2.5 to 3.

so the stylus for the xsv 5000 will work on the xsv 3000?

Original Stereohedron available in two versions from Stanton, the latest version was Stereohedron mk II.

People have no idea what they are talking about, because there are TWO Stereohedron profiles. If you (for some reason, I can’t imagine why) don’t like Mk1 then try Mk2 stylus.

I like Shibata from Victor, but not from LP Gear (I do not trust them and information they are providing for their “fake” styli for various carts is tricky, stylus profile alone is nothing, with different stylus/cantilever/damper/magnet the output and frequency response can be way different from the original).

I also explained in another thread that genuine Stanton/Pickering have a rare earth Samarium Cobalt Magnet.


The XSV/5000 has better specs than XSV/3000, I never tried to swap styli between 3000 and 5000 series, but I think some other user did that, can’t remember.

Exchange rate of GBP is pretty low now, so the Expert stylus in UK is an option. Here we are talking about PARATRACE profile and this is the same profile MC lovers are using on their retipped Decca, Ikeda . This is wonderful parabolic profile, no questions about it. 
From Pickering manual: 

SAMARIUM COBALT MAGNET
The XSV Series stereo cartridges utilizes advanced design features originally developed for use in the manufacture of the finest four channel discrete cartridges. A low mass, ultra powerful samarium cobalt magnet assures accurate tracking or high velocity modulations in the groove. The result is true fidelity, great sound and longer life for record collections.

THE STEREOHEDRON STYLUS
Stereohedron stylus can be used for 1000 hrs. We recommend checking your stylus every 250 hrs. Like its cousin, the Quadrahedral, the STEREOHEDRON stylus is shaped to provide an enlarged area of record groove contact, while providing the ability to accurately trace the high frequency, the level modulations found on today's records, thus, the Stereohedron stylus provides superior performance which low stylus wear and low record wear for your stereo records. This cartridge will perform superbly not only with stereo, but with four-channel matrix derived systems (SQ, QS, etc).

As you know, Chakster, the magnet is in the cartridge body, not the stylus assembly, so I wonder why you’ve mentioned it. Also, WHY don’t you trust LP Gear?

 

WHY don’t you trust LP Gear?

Here we go again. Ground hog day analogy.


 

Dear @tzh21y  : Yes, you can use the 5000 in the 3000. No problem and will be and update for your cartridge at very good price. Go a head, you can't go grong with and be sure that Shibata stylus shape  is so good that Ortofon today top LOMC cartridge designs use it and other manufacturers too and all them use it for very good reasons.

R.

Thanks Rauliruegas!

As you know, Chakster, the magnet is in the cartridge body, not the stylus assembly

I am surprised you said that @lewm

This is Moving Magnet principle.

1) Now I want to show something, see what’s inside the replacement stylus assembly carrier HERE. ****

We’re talking about Moving Magnet cartridge (Pickering), not a Moving Iron.

2) I have mentioned Stanton/Pickering’s Samarium Cobalt magnet because it’s not always a choice of some other MM manufacturers, here is Alnico magnet in MM design for example ***

Another example is Audio-Technica MM with two magnet right in the replacement stylus assembly. Yet another example from Ortofon MM.

P.S. The difference between MM, MI and MC explained here in motion.

Here we go again. Ground hog day analogy.

haha, exactly :)

My bad, was indeed thinking of MI, but why don't you trust LP Gear?  I ask this out of genuine curiosity.  If you have a good reason, you might convince me.  Or is it simply that they may not use a Samarium Cobalt magnet?  Assuming output voltage and frequency response are similar between the LP Gear stylus assembly and the OEM stylus assembly, what is the problem?