Dear Siniy123: Take a look: http://cgi.ebay.com/ADC-TRX-2-Moving-Magnet-Cartridge-NOS-/220626209707?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item335e58cbab#ht_609wt_1137
great cartridge ( I own the TRX-1 ) and looks gorgeous!
regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Raul,
Thanks for the comments. I already tried recalibrating the digital scale and setting VTF at 1.25. Needle looks intact under the digital microscope. Oddly, though, it's brown-gold in color like the cantilever. This is the "gold" version and it seems they coated everything with gold. It has a .25 x 2.5 Nude Paralinear stylus, whatever that means.
So, you think this is a not related to compliance? The only reason I wonder is because I've never used a 30 compliance cart before.
Danged thing sounds good, though!
Best, Bill |
Just received my Empire 4000D/III.I also have a spare original stylus replacement.I noticed the cantilever is gold plated and my spare is not.Anyone know if the gold version is a superior version?I would guess this "Gold" version was the latest and best version Empire offered?
When I get time to try it I will post my impression of the performance.I have been useing an Azden YM-P50VL mostly lately,so far this is my favorite compared to Technics 205CIIL,Signet TK9 with TK10MLIII stylus,Andante P-76 and Empire EDR.9. |
Raul, thanks for pointing out to ADC TRX-2. I also own ADC TRX-1 and two additional NOS styli. I like it a lot. There is also later modification of TRX-2 with beryllium cantilever instead of sapphire one that this seller sell. But hit particular TRX-2 (mkII or was it named TRX-3) is very rare. |
Hi Siniy123,
Do you know whether the replacement stylus for the TRX-1 (part no. RTRX-1) will work in the TXR-2? Thakker has them NOS. The stylus for the TXR-2 (part no. RTRX-2) seems hard to source.
Thanks, Bill |
Don't quote me at court, but I think that ADC TRX bodies are the same. Buyer to verify :) |
I think you might be right. The eBay seller of the TRX-2 posted a pic that showed a single owner's manual for both cartridges. |
Thanks Raul and friends for recommending the Empire 4000D/III.Not many hours on mine yet but it sounds great.I think it will end up my favorite.This thing has incredible bass response,a beatuful midrange,nice clean extended highs,excellent soundstaging an all around excellent performer. |
I agree. I've worked out the bias pretty well for it on my Phantom (took the A/S weight off altogether) and the 4000D/III sounds astoundingly good with around 15 hours on it. Very live, detailed, and extended at both ends with a an organic, emotionally communicative sound. I already prefer it to my other carts, which are fairly pricey and/or well-respected MCs. I'm amazed, actually. Thanks, Raul! |
The bodies of the TRX-1, 2, and 3 are identical.
The cantilevers and stylii are different.
I just had a new cantilever and diamond replaced on my TRX-2. |
Hi Raul, In a slow turning toward your suggestion I finally replaced the stock tonearm wire and Hovland Musicgroove cable with a straight shot from cartridge to phono stage. This eliminated seven solder and mechanical joints all down the line. The improvement is greater than all the differences between the various cartridges that I've tried. Now I need to revisit them all. Thanks! |
Problem with Acutex. I bought an Acutex M312E from an eBay seller. It came with a broken cantilever. The seller was very up front about that. However, he indicated I could get a new stylus assembly from Turntable Needles. I subsequently ordered the only NOS one they have, which is for the M312STR, but I assumed that the only difference between the two cartridges was in the shape of the stylus tip. Wrong!!! The STR stylus assembly is completely different from the E stylus assembly. Indeed, the two cartridge bodies must be different. Can any Acutex owner help me out here? Where did I go wrong, and is the situation salvageable? Thanks. |
Addendum on Acutex. I did a web search this morning. I am getting the impression that there must be two genera of Acutex's, one of which is P-mount and the other of which uses the standard 1/2-inch mount. The styli depicted here, at BluzBroz, look as though they would fit my 1/2-inch type cartridge body. http://www.adelcom.net/AcutexStylus1.htmThe M312STR stylus assembly I bought at Turntableneedles (shown at the URL below) is in retrospect intended for use only on the P-mount versions of these cartridges. http://www.turntableneedles.com/Acutex-M312-Stylus_p_3845.htmlCan anyone confirm that my hypothesis is correct? I would appreciate it. |
Dear Lewm: I point out in the Acutex official Agon site review about, maybe you don't remember or you don't read it with care.
Anyway, there is no P-mount Acutex cartridges ( at least not on those models ) what is are two different body shape cartridge lines. This is what I posted in the review:
+++++++++++++++++++
The Acutex LPM line born in 1981 and was " alive " till/around 1984. I have to say that before the LPM line Acutex build ( 1978-1981 ) the M line where exist too the 320 III STR and 315 III STR cartridge designation with the same motor design and same STR stylus shape but in a square cartridge body, I own the M320 III-STR that I don't test yet..
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Btw, right now there are one M line 310 and other 312.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm, Sorry but your hypothesis is wrong. There are two 'versions' of Acutex. The prefix is 'LPM' for the new kind and 'M' for the old. Non of them is P-mount.The real problem is to get the original stylus. My web search during 3 months resulted in the conclusion that it is nearly impossible to get the original one. The after-market kinds are very suspect with remarcable prices. The same 'yellow kind' sells for $14,95 but also for $27,95. Those from 'Bluz Broz' are from $94 to $188 for the same stylus. I alreay bought two wrong styli. The providers have no idea about the mentioned 'kind' difference but also no idea if those they sell are conical or elliptical. So I am a proud owner of an Acutex M 315 with 3 conical styli.Even so I am still searching but intend to buy only the oriinal one. If I am able to find one that is. Regards, |
Thank you, Raul and Nandric. Raul, I did recall that you had written something about the Acutex cartridges, but I did not recall that you mentioned the two different body types, probably because I had no particular interest in the subject at that time. Unfortunately, it is impossible to do a search for a particular topic within this longest of long threads, so I admit I made no great effort to find your posts on Acutex. Possibly if I had just done a search on "Acutex" within Analog Discussions, it would have turned up. I did not think of that until now. Thank you for re-stating the facts. It would appear that I have an M type body. (That's what my wife says, too.) I was rooting for Mexico, if that helps.
Nandric, The 320III-STR stylus assembly I bought from Turntableneedles is said to be an NOS product and does have the shibata stylus, according to the vendor. I spoke to them directly on the phone. Accordingly, I paid $137 for it, which seemed fair, until I found out per your and Raul's posts that it is an LPM type which does not fit my body. If you can use it, I would be willing to take a loss and sell you this one. BluzBroz has the correct looking assembly in the M style for my body, but I don't know yet whether it is NOS. In any case, at least the LPM type of NOS STR stylus can still be purchased in the US. |
Dear Lewm: You only have to clik in my moniker ( reviews ).
Btw, this is what I find on Vinylengine about that BB Acutex stylus replacement source:
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Also, beware of Bluz Bros. as a resource for the styli. I bought one of those from them a few years back. It was presented as an original replacement stylus (like is on their site now). It was not. It was a cheap conical that they charged me $188.03 for. I did not need it at the time. So, I just stuck it in a drawer. That was a dumb mistake on my part. I went to replace my stylus one day and it sounded horrible. After examining it with a 200X microscope, it was a conical. It looked like the tip of a pencil. It was too late to do anything about it, so I learned a lesson. Strangely, I actually asked the guy if it was genuine and he assured me that it was. He actually put me on hold to say he was examing it under a microscope, just to be sure. He came back saying that it was one of the tiniest stylus profiles he had ever seen. I could shoot myself sometimes.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BB has ( in theory ) what you need but be absolutely sure ( not easy task. ) that is an original NOS replacement.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm, I send to you also an email with the picture of all Acutex styli that I own. My Acutex is the 'M' kind as I mentioned to you. So sorry once more but I already own the wrong LPM stylus. Those are totaly different from the 'M' kind. So one should be very careful with any after-market styli. Ie if those sellers can cheat Raul what chances have we then? Regards, |
Regards, LewM, Nandric: As Raul confirms, there are two designs for the Acutex. Both wear the 3XX-111 designation, a cause for confusion I'm sure. One is similar in apperance to a Orto. OM series body, this is the "LPM" (lowest possible mass) cartridge. The other is a "big block" configuration and bears the "M" reference, as in M 312-111STR. The LPM series does have the appearance of a P-mount cartridge, the body can be removed from the mount and inserted into a proprietary graphite headshell, in appearance much like an ADC XLM Integra pickup.
I've compared four variations of the LPM series. A 310-111E (elliptical), a 312-111STR, a 315-111STR and a 412STR. The elliptical is not noteable, rather lackluster as compared to the STR styli. Possibly I've not given it enough listening time to appreciate it. The 312-111STR is more articulate, the highs are crisp, transients are uncluttered. As compared to the 315-111STR, mids have the slightest halo of glare. This may be a capacitance issue. The 315-111STR has a wonderfull presence in the mids and bass. Compared to the 312/412STR stylii, the hf's at first listen seem recessed but I've concluded this is due to superb tracing and the minimization of audible distortion. There are no sharp edges anywhere. Curiously, the Acutex seems improved by isolating the cartridge from the headshell. A common dime surfaced and relieved for the mounting screws has done much to eliminate resonance. Your comments concerning this are welcome, please remember I never claim to be more than an enthusiast.
The LPM 412STR is marginally cleaner in its' handling of mids and highs than the 312, the bass has slightly more punch but less apparency. Like the 312, no objectionable "boof" or overhang. I've seen only one reference to a LPM 420STR, this in a review of a phono pre done in the '90's. As I remember, it was refered to as a "no ordinary cartridge".
The LPM 315-111STR has proven to be a winner. The absence of hf distortion, warm accurate mids, power in the bass and its' ability to ride quietly in the groove make it a good selection for long term listening, the usual fatigue factors just don't exist.
Nikola: pm sent. |
Wow! Raul, I just spoke to a guy at Bluz Broz, and he is going to call me back after he examines the stylus under a microscope to verify that it is a genuine and NOS shibata type. This sounds too much like the story you quoted above. He also said that they sell nearly all NOS styli, unless otherwise stated. What also did not feel right to me is that their (presumably) Acutex stylus bodies are black plastic, whereas all the 312STR stylus photos I saw (either M type or LPM type) show the red plastic structure. This does not smell good. Nandric, are your styli all red? I did not (yet) receive your email. |
Dear Lewm, We are already confused regarding the stylus shape as well as the versions of Acutex. If you like to add the colours to this confusion I am glad to provide. I have seen:yellow,red,purple,blue and black. Wich coulour doe you prefer? I want only an elliptical stylus for my M-315 STR. Ie I don'c care about the colour.
Regards, |
http://www.33audio.com/enter/stylii.html#Acutex 1978 catalog, "flat nosed" version. 1982 catalog, "long nosed". Peace. |
Dear Nandric, The guy from Bluz Broz called me back and confirmed that they are selling M versions of the 312 and 315 STR styli. On their site, they state that they have the 315E (elliptical) version. However, he tells me it is actually a Shibata. But the question in my mind, before I spend more money on this, is whether I can believe the story that all these styli are NOS. The quote from Raul above makes me very concerned about that, but I do not mean to cast any aspersions on Bluz Broz based only on this evidence. On the other hand, I don't want to be the guinea pig. |
Dear Lew, Those Bluz Broz styli seems to be much better by phone then on the pictures. On the pictures the models from M-310 to M-320 all have the same stylus:0,3x1,6x0,6. But the prices are from $59 to $188. With exception of M-312 STR non has any inscription on the corpus and they are all black. Even Tom (Timeltel)who has the most 'extended' knowlede reg. Acutex carts is not 'omnipotent' in (co)relation to all those styli. But there is some kind of psychological 'art' involved. The totaly wrong proposition is to start with:'if I had the money,then...' The next one is the 'actual world' proposition: I have the money then I transfer the money in 2 min.time and get my object of disire in a week time. But then the 'frontal lob' begin to ask those logical but tedious questions:'are you sure? was your decision not to fast,there are also those Benz Micros and the new one from 'our' J.Carr,etc.etc. This explains according to me all those second hand offers with 'only' 40 to 66 hours of actual use. But thanks to Raul there is this 'happiness for cheap' possibility. But you need to earn this happiness. I even had the inclination to learn Japanese in order to extend my search possibilitys while I already speak 5 different lanquages.You need also to suffer,to beg and to pray for those little bast. But when you at last get one (if ever) you luck seems to be 'onmeasurable'.Despite the fact that you have no idea in what state this object of disire actualy is. Well this looks to me as some kind of 'higher order' psychology. Regards, |
Nandric, You are the best. I rely on my son for Japanese translations and communication. Anyway, I agree with your central point: the Bluzbroz styli do not appear to be NOS, even though they claim that they are. Using Timeltel's cited Acutex brochure (see above), I compared the photos of the various models of cartridge to the photos on the Bluz broz website of their styli. In all cases, there are details that differ between their styli and the Acutex brochure. For one thing, as you say, only the M320IIISTR stylus should be black, but several of the lesser models sold by BB are also black. There are many other differences as well, including the lack of an inscription on the underside of the body of the stylus assembly, as you note. I will pass. Meantime, the LPM320IIISTR stylus assembly that I got from Turntableneedles does appear to be the real deal (NOS, in other words). I could keep it and hope to find an LPM body for it, or TN has graciously agreed to allow me to return it for full store credit or for 80% cash refund, which I think is quite fair. If anyone has an LPM type body with no or broken stylus that he or she would sell, let me know. |
Raul et al, what are the most useful capacitance values for a MM phono stage? Kevin at K&K has agreed to install a capacitance selector switch on my Maxxed Out. I can have up to 5 different values. What do you folks think they should be?
Figuring 30pF per foot of phono cable, I have around 135pF to start with. What's the most I'd need for the most demanding MM cart I might find? Maybe 500pF? So maybe 5 steps evenly spaced between 50 and 350? I just don't know.
Also, he's willing to add 3loading options for MM, too. What do you think? 47K and 100K are naturals. 22K or 33K for the third?
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Bill |
Dear Wrm57: On capacitance maybe starting at 100pf with up steps in 50pfs, in this way and along the cable capacitance you can go up to around 450pf that's IMHO is more than enough.
On the load impedance 22k, 47k and 100k seems good but you can have too: 47k, 100k and 200k. Of course that other persons could give you different options/opinions.
regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Raul, thank you very much. What brand of capacitors would you recommend to provide capacitive loads? Kevin will install my choice. Thanks again.
Bill |
Dear Wrm57: http://www.percyaudio.com/Catalog.pdf
page 14 on this catalog could help you.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Raul: Excellent! Many thanks!
Best, Bill |
Dear Lharasim: A little late but.
+++++ " Montepilot...the Andante P-76 is the best cartridge if you do not have a acoustically damped room your NOT hearing what this is capable of...its the most neutral cartridge i have ever played with....AND it plays information like no other PERIOD!!! but you need a good tonearm. " +++++
I don't heard the Andante P-76 for sometime now, maybe I do soon, but I like it and know it's a top performer.
I came with your post for two things: there is no doubt of the critical importance of room treatment. The first thing is that if I remember you load you MM/MI cartridges at 250Kohms ( I don't know about your load capacitance and which phono stage, still with the Sony?. ) and this alone makes a difference against 47K/100K independent of which system we own.
The other thing is: " but you need a good tonearm ", IMHO there are good tonearms other than your Rabco and if it is true that in a pivoted tonearm are only two distortion-free points ( null points. ) ( btw, I read where you posted: " all other than those two points playback are only distortions ", or something like that. ) on LP playback I have to say too that this sole tonearm characteristic means almost nothing in the full tonearm context where the cartridge/tonearm relationship is not only critical but so complex that till today no one has the precise and specific answers of why exist so many performance differences with same cartridge in different tonearms: bearing type, build material bearing type, effective length, static or dynamically balanced, geometry of the tonearm, tonearm build material, arm wand build material, typwe of tonearm damping, internal wiring, type of cartridge/headshell connectors and build material, tonearm facilities for VTA/SRA/Azymuth/etc, tonearm effective mass, heandshell/arm wand removable or not tonearm design, geometry algorythm we choose to cartridge set up, cartridge compliance, quality of the tonearm design execution, etc, etc, are only part of the whole history.
There are a lot of threads out there that explain the advantages and disadvantages on linear and pivot tonearms where you could read that a linear tonearm, even your Rabco, is not the " best road to follow " but just an alternative, trade-offs exist always.
My self prefer the pivot tonearms.
No, I don't want to open a " new tonearm thread " .
Btw Montepilot, your Triplanar is a pivot-bearing tonearm, it does not matters which type of bearing design use it: gimball, jewell, unipivot, etc.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lharasim: I forgot:
+++++ " AND it plays information like no other PERIOD!!! " ++++
I'm only want to remember that " today " all we know and some of us already try other cartridges that does not " exist" ( at least don't heard/hear them yet. ) in the Andante P-76 " euforia " time. We " have " now at least: two Empire's the 1000 ZE/x and the 4000DIII, Azden, Acutex, Technics, Grado, etc, etc. that some persons prefer over the P-76. Do you already try the Azden P50VL or the Empire 4000DIII?
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Correction. The stylus I got from Turntableneedles is an NOS LPM312 IIISTR (dark red plastic), not a 320, as erroneously stated above, in case anyone else wants one. I think they still have them in stock. |
Dear friends: As time goes passing the good MM/MI vintage cartridge opportunities goes ( faster that I wish. ) down/less and less, especially in NOS status/condition.
IMHO the one of you that still want trying good MM/MI alternatives needs to decide/move faster than in the past before dissapear.
For those Ortofon M20FL Super owners I recomemd the M20E stylus replacement that fits in that cartridge and that's not only very good performer but different from the FL:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ortofon-D-20-E-Super-Stylus-M-20-E-FL-Super-NOS-/400089498518?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d27314396
the Nagaoka cartridge that's with 10%off:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nagaoka-MP-50-cartridge-MP50-BRAND-NEW-/120492572871?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c0deac0c7
and certainly the B&O MMC2:
http://www.elexatelier.com/bangandolufsenphono.htm
Kind regards, Raul. |
Hi Raul,did you buy a Empire 4000D/III Gold version to try?The specs are a little different from the older model.The Gold has a Dynamic compliance of 30 and I believe the older one is 20.The Gold version uses a .25 X 2.5 Nude Paralinear stylus tip.Slightly different frequency range 10hz to 50khz and tracking force range of 1+/-.25gm. |
Dear Travbrow: No the one I own ( like you can read in the ( reviews ) at my moniker. ) is not the Gold.
Btw, the cartridges compliance is the same and you can read in the review the FR and VTF of my Empire.
I think that the main differences comes in the stylus shape/gold cantilever and that the Gold comes with integrated cartridge mount instead " naked " like the one I own that certainly was an earlier ( I don't know if years or months. ) version.
The " naked " version is a winner ( for say the least ), please let us know what are your latest experiences with the Gold one that I know you like it a lot.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Hi Raul,the specifications that the ebay seller wrote on the ad are for the older model like you own I think.Here are the specs for the Gold model.
Freequency Responce 10hz-50khz Tracking Force 1+/-.25gm
Seperation 15hz to 1khz 30db 1khz to 20khz 25db 2okhz to 50khz 15db
I.M. Distortion @ 3.54 cm/sec. .2% 2khz to 20khz Stylus .25 X 2.5 Paralinear
Effective Tip Mass .4 milligrams
Compliance 30X10-6 cm/dyne Tracking ability 32cm/sec @1khz @ 1gm
Channel balance within 1db @1gm
Input Load 47K ohms/channel
Total Capacitance under 150pf/channel
Output @ 3.54 cm/sec 3mV/channel
I think the 4000D is a nice improvement over my previouos "favorite" the Azden YM P50VL.The Empire is an outstanding tracker,with the Azden sometimes I heard a little tracking distortion but this mostly cleared up when I got over 40 hours on it.The bass response is the best I ever heard from my system.I love the midrange,it reminds me of my Empire EDR.9's midrange,but the 4000D is a bit better and puts it all together with great highs and lows also.To my ears the EDR.9's highs are it's weak point,all my other TOTL MM cartridges out performed the EDR.9 in the high frequency range.Soundstaging and dynamics of this 4000D are also outstanding,the best I heard compared to my other cartridges.Like you said about your 4000D model Raul "it's a winner to say the least".
I don't like that the price is higher now to own the 4000D Gold but after hearing it ,I even bought another one.No surprise hear,but I read at some quadrophonic audio website(forget the name) a poster stated he prefers his 4000D Gold over his Otofon 2M Black.Imagine that,the 30+year old Empire out performs Ortofons best modern MM cartridge.
Oh,and turntableneedles.com has original Empire 4000D/III replacement stylus assemblies(not the gold version)for $199.00.
|
Travbrow,
I believe that the official specifications for the Empire D/III Gold are different to those given by you. For example, the official Empire leaflet gives the following:
Freq: 5 - 50,000Hz Output: 3.0 mv Channel Separation: better than 35db.
I believe you can find these spec's online. |
Travbrow's posted specs are correct according to the manual that comes with the 4000DIII/Gold.
I also bought two of of these cartridges, and picked up two of those replacement styli from turntableneedles.com. One peculiarity is that each of these styli, both original to the cartridge and replacement, have diamonds that appear to be black when viewed under a 250x digital microscope. Why would this be? No other stylus I've looked at appears this way. Travbrow, have you looked at yours? Any other owners care to chime in? |
Hi Wrm57,yes both of my diamonds are black,I don't have a clue why.I hope someone knows the answer,it has me curious now.Also,I wonder how many hours these Paralinear type diamonds should last? |
NOS Ortofon M20FL Super is no more.
I was going to recommend it to someone, and I looked on the Thakker site and both the FL and E are no longer there. only replacement stylus.might need to buy one before they are gone |
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Dear Travbow/friends: Thank you to share your experiences and the Empire Gold version specs.
I think that the Gold cartridge seller promote the cartridges taking what he thought were the better specs from both Empire cartridge models with out matters if the cartridges are different, even the seller cartridge separation specs are totally different to the ones in both Empire models!
http://www.swordfishingcentral.com/store/EMPIRE-4000-DIII-MM-WCartridge,-NIB-NOS,-ALL-Original-250655464563.html http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250655464563#ht_500wt_1154
Btw, the very first time I saw the ebay ad the price was below 300.00 and now is 450.00 and up.
After some research and reading here and there and looking to the true ( Travbow ) Empire Gold specs against the true Empire 4000DIII specs the cartridges quality performance can't/couldn't be the same. I'm toward the 4000DIII ( not because is the one I own. My " feeling " is that. ) and think that its performance is, maybe by a tiny/small margin, better than the Gold one. I will try to find an opportunity to hear the Gold version. No I don't want to buy it because I believe in that " feeling " about and could be useless to spend money in an additional near performance cartridge.
On other related subject, stylus replacement:
http://www.adelcom.net/EmpireStylus1.htm , this stylus replacement is similar that the one in Turntableneedles. No one of these are a Gold version cartridge stylus replacement but IMHO are not either Original stylus replacement for the 4000DIII that I own.
As I posted in the 4000DIII ( and pictured. ) not only I own an Original Empire 4000DIII but an Original S4000DIII stylus replacement. In both stylus you can read " empire " exactly in the way I write it and not with the inverted R and M in touch with E and in both Original stylus you can see the Empire cartridge/stylus logo ( similar of what you can see in the Adelcom site with the 1000ZE/X ( the black one below the 4000DIII picture. ) below the Empire name. In the Adelcom/turntableneedles there is no Empire logo but only a vertical line. Even the Original Empire stylus replacement is not so " deep white " color but something in between white and ivory color.
This Empire set of " controversies "/not clear information as the cartridge Acutex Lewm " trouble " along other ones that we can read through the thread confirm that with those vintage cartridges always is convenient to all of us ( owners or not. ) that we can share our each one experiences or doubts on any cartrdiges subjects.
Those always welcome experiences/thoughts always can help us to lower/diminish each one mistakes and can help too for we can improve the cartridge set up and cartridge quality performance in each one audio system.
So, appreciated that try don't be " shy " or a little " reserved " about and just: SHARE!!!
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul.
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Dear Downunder: Additional here you can choose between the FL and the E models:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ORTOFON-M20-FL-SUPER-/290451192754?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a03d7bb2#ht_524wt_1137
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgcart&1283360964&/Ortofon-m20e-super
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Ozrayyau: Thank's to your post.
Btw, the picture on your cartridge tell me that is Empire but can't say is the 4000DIII because the 4000DIII has no model name in its body. The plastic stylus replacement is black in your cartridge when in the Original DIII is white/ivory. I don't know if it is because the picture but the gold shinny color on the mount cartridge adapter is exactly the same shinny gold color than in the cartridge body, in your picture looks with a little different kind of gold color.
How do you know or why do you think your cartridge is the 4000DIII?
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Hi Wrm57
I generally look under Thakker's ebay store, which is no longer there.
thanks, I'll let the guy know
cheers |
I have the Empire 4000D/III brochure in front of me. It shows the Empire name written with an inverted R next to the E. Anid it has the last leg of the "M" combined with the vertical leg of the "P" just like it is shown on the adel.com website.
What you cannot see on the adel.com site is that on the side of this cartridge they offer is a giant "A" engraved in gold. This is not on my original stylus that came with my cartridge.
I am curious if this may mean it was manufactured by Astatic. My reason for this is that there is an ebay seller who is offering a stylus replacement for the 4000D/III that he clearly says in the description is by Astatic. The ebay stylus does not have EMPIRE inscribed on the front as does the one on adelcom.
Raul the Ortofon you gave a link to above has a gold colored body. This is differenct from the ones Thakker was selling which had a chrome body. This may have been addressed somewhere in this long thread, but is there a difference you know of? Raul is the body of your Ortofon M20 FL super the gold or chrome body?
Regards, |
Hi Raul and freinds,the Empire 4000D/III stylus replacement I have is a .2X.7 mil. Nude diamond(all it says)and it has that "black" colored diamond.I think these are Genuine Empire products,there is just two versions of the 4000D/III replacements,the oldest one like Raul owns and the newer replacements.And the Gold version has the Paralinear stylus.Specs are nice to look at but those better specs of the older version doesn't mean it has to sound better,but it could.I would think they sound very similar. |
I just looked at my Empire EDR.9's specs and some are a little better then the Empire 4000D/III Gold version.
The EDR.9 has lower I.M. distortion .08% vs .2% for 4000D/III Gold.
Frequency response is the same.
Channel separation comparison,the EDR.9 20hz to 500hz 20db 500hz to 15khz 30db 15kz to 20khz 20db Channel separation for Empire 4000D/III Gold 15hz to 1khz 30db 1khz to 20khz 25db 20khz to 50khz 15db
Tip mass is lower for the EDR.9 .30mg vs .40mg The 4000D/III Gold sounds a lot better than the EDR.9 to me,but I improved my turntable and phono stage set up since I last listened to the Empire EDR.9.I guess sometime I will try the EDR.9 again.Another thing,I never tried a lot of positive VTA, that seems to benefit some Empire models. |