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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
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@goofyfoot

Thanks chakster but I’d rather own an MC, just a personal preference. I am familiar with Grace as I owned an F 8 but I wasn’t all that impressed with it, though it filled a need at the time. Maybe the F9 would have left me with a different opinion.

F8 is cheap entry level cartridge, F9 is somewere in the middle, nothing special.

The Grace i am talking about is F14 Mono with two pins, the high-end Grace cartridges are F14 and LEVEL II models, only those two models comes with the best cantilevers (Sapphire, Boron Pipe, Beryllium) and best styli (MicroRidge). Those are the last cartridges made by Grace before they went out of business in the late 80’s. These models are better than many MC cartridges, but they are not cheap, actually very expensive and superior compared to any F9 version.

I have F14 MONO, the stylus does have a vertical compliance and the diamond profile is Luminal Trace. Nice for original mono records from the 60s/70s. This Grace F14 Mono has only two pins to connect leadwires. I don't have any pre-60's mono records and i don't buy mono reissues. 

Anyway, a Conical stylus is anachronism and must be avoided in the modern world (except for 78rpm SP records).
An MC cartridge with such stylus must be retipped every 300 hrs. 



lewm
12,461 posts
 
F 9 Ruby has sapphire cantilever.
lewm
12,461 posts
 
Level II is upgrade of F8.
solypsa's avatar
solypsa
462 posts
 
Goofyfoot: I get it :)

As an aside; the Schick arm actually isn't extremely high in effective mass and can be pretty great with many modern carts (lyra comes to mind). The GMII is higher in effective mass so more focused to the very low compliance direction.
Both come in 9" btw...
goofyfoot OP
1,317 posts
 
'An MC cartridge with such stylus must be retipped every 300 hrs.'

According to who and why? 

I don't own 1960's mono, just earlier (no shellac) and a few reissues.

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