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Mono Reissues and the Conical Stylus

Hi Folks,

Recently I started buying mono reissues from Speakers Corner, Impex, and have recently ordered a few from Analogphonic. They're all of the 'long haired' variety. In the process, I've come to discovery threads where posters claim that the newer mono reissue grooves are cut in a V (stereo) shape rather than the vintage U (mono) shape.
My AT 33 mono cartridge comes with a conical stylus and from what I can tell, so do the better mono cartridges, i.e. the Miyajima Zero Mono. This of course would then create an issue where it pertains to using a conical stylus in a V shaped groove.

Around November, I plan to purchase a Jelco tonearm for my modified Thorens TD 160 and after that, will be looking to upgrade to a higher end mono cartridge. However, I don't see that they're would be a viable solution to the stylus dilemma given that I will only have one tonearm. I do by the way own a collection of early mono records but would like to find a cartridge that better crosses over between my vintage pressings and my reissues. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
goofyfoot

Showing 3 responses by hdm

hdm
1,055 posts
 
Goofyfoot: I would agree with Chakster that conicals are going to wear faster than line contact or microridge styli.

I would not agree, however, that it is necessary to retip all conical styli at the 300 hour mark. There are conicals (cheap) and there are conicals (better quality).

A high quality nude conical like that found on the Denon 103/103R or the AT 33 Mono, for example, is very likely to go into the 850-1000 hour range before needing retipping if playing clean vinyl in good condition and treated properly. At least in my experience.
hdm
1,055 posts
 
"If you're expecting 850-1000 hrs from a well polished nude conical Denon tip then how many hrs do you expect from Shibata or MicroRidge?"

My expectations, based on my experience, would be as follows:

1) 850-1000 out of a high quality nude conical.

2) 2,000-2,500 hours out of a high quality line contact or microridge.

Note the words "high quality". Not all conicals are created equal any more than all line contacts or microline styli are created equal.

But I have put those kinds of hours on a Denon 103R before retipping it, with no ill effects (and the cartridge still sounded good when retired) as well as the higher number on a couple of decent cartridges with good quality line contact and microline styli.

This assumes both:

1) playing vinyl that is both in very good condition and very clean

&

2) careful cueing practices
hdm
1,055 posts
 
My experience is consistent with Intactaudio's above with respect to the retip of the Myajima mono and his experimentation with Denon 103 converted to mono with a MR stylus.

I had Steve Leung at VAS install a Namiki MR stylus on a boron cantilever on a very low hours AT 33 Mono last year and it is a better cartridge than the original. On both modern and vintage mono. 

Would never go back to the conical. IMO it is an audiophile myth that conical is the way to go with vintage mono. 
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