78 Diamond Stylus Recommendation

[Marco Gilardetti]

Bart, thank you very much about your comments, they were very interesting to read.

I'm no physicist myself, but I do have a good set of ears, and I never encountered records that sounded better with a TE stylus than with a TC.

The world shines when the theory is supported by the results of the experiment! As written earlier, I'm not surprised at all that you couldn't hear any improvement, as there shouldn't be any with 78s. At this point, one may wonder why Expert Stylus and others burden themselves with the bore of producing and stocking elliptical diamonds for 78s. My answer is marketing. There's people willing to pay an extra for a 78 elliptical diamond, so why not?

So if I would have to start all over again, I think I would just buy a 3.0 TC, a 3.5 TC and perhaps a 4.0 TC and be done with it. And if I had only money to buy just one custom stylus, it would be a 3.5 TC.

You almost convinced me to add a 3.5 mil to my list. Should I do so, would it be still wise to buy a 4 mil, or would it be better at that point to buy something a bit larger like a 4.5?

I'm quite puzzled by the Berreford's website you linked to. In my opninon, overall he suggests tips that are too narrow in average. A 2.4 mil tip described as "very useful for acoustic" is pretty much disconcerting, isn't it?

[Wolfe]

So if I would have to start all over again, I think I would just buy a 3.0 TC, a 3.5 TC and perhaps a 4.0 TC and be done with it. And if I had only money to buy just one custom stylus, it would be a 3.5 TC.

I think that sounds good, provided one is collecting records going back to the 1920's or before. The 'standard' 3.0 mil just doesn't quite make the grade a lot of the time. I cannot tolerate skating. I've used my 3.5 TE a great deal. I play a lot of acoustic discs and early electricals and it's just what's sounded best a lot of the time. Since it's due for replacing I may just a get a the 3.5 TC instead.

[Wolfe]

However, this Audio Technica MC is very cheap compared to the average MC pick-up: almost the same price of a good MM. Moreover, it is "ready to use" as it can be connected to a standard amplifier without the fuss of an MC preamplifier, and its stylus bears up to 7 grams of tracking weight, which is good. So, without expecting to hear any improvement in sound quality (there won't be any), it is overall an interesting pick-up that I would take in consideration, should I need to purchase one.

Also, unlike a normal stereo cart fitted with a 78 stylus, it's doesn't pick up anything at all in the vertical plane, so one may pick up less noise if you're connecting straight to your phono pre, without an archival type 'restoration' preamp in the loop.

A bad thing is, like any MC, once the stylus goes, it's probably not user replaceable, so you have to send the whole thing back to the factory.

I'm considering buying it, for fun.

[Marco Gilardetti]

So here we go, at last! I just sent to Expert Stylus three styli to be retipped. I know that this outlay will never be really compensated by the (sparse) use that I will do of these styli, however I'm just too curious to try them out. Will keep you updated!

[Viva-voce]

Since my early '20's I have been using an Ortofon OM 30 with various 78 styli re tipped by Expert from 1.5-4.0 mil elliptical truncated and have been very satisfied. I also use a vintage belt-driven high-quality variable-speed turntable, an Esoteric Sound re-equalizer, Harbeth loudspeakers, a tube amp and a '60's Dynaco 3x preamp. After 25-plus years I have found this setup to be all I need for excellent playback of 78's. And I enjoy my Victor IV with spear tip horn of course--but only for inexpensive records!

Steven

[Wolfe]

A pick-up that, instead, I wouldn't recommend is the Shure 78. The sound is all right, but the stylus damping is too soft and it accepts tracking weights up to only 3 grams, which is definitely not enough for many records.

I have the green Shure N78S stylus that I put in an unused Shure M97xE cartridge body that I had laying around. I agree that the cantilever isn't very robust, but it has it's uses for me anyway. The sound with the combo is pretty good, especially with later era (1940's / 50's) records.

If anyone has a Shure N78S stylus / cart that they are dissatisfied with because of it's inability to take heavier tracking weight, or play warps in records, the LP Gear replacement for the N78S is the total opposite of https://www.lpgear.com/product/SHN078W.html the Shure original. You can pile like 10 grams on the thing and it will not bottom out. I run mine at about 5 grams with ease. It also has a slighty larger 3.0 mil tip. The LP Gear stylus in a Shure M97xE is now my preferred 'daily driver', keeping my other more expensive custom styli just for certain times. And the stylus is cheap enough that if I did something stupid I can replace it without too much outlay. I bought a second one as a backup anyway.

[Wolfe]

Since my early '20's I have been using an Ortofon OM 30 with various 78 styli re tipped by Expert from 1.5-4.0 mil elliptical truncated and have been very satisfied.

What you're really talking about is an Ortofon OM series cartridge, right ? The OM series lets you upgrade from the lowest end styli to the highest end, which I believe is the OM 40, and they all fit the same body. I use an OM 30 for playing LP's, which it does nicely, but I wouldn't want to have it tipped for 78 duty because the cantilever is way too puny. The lower end Ortofon styli that are made for DJ duty like the Concorde, which may fit an OM series cart could probably work though. Ortofon also makes it's own 78 stylus for the OM cart, which I believe was mentioned somewhere back in this thread.

[Viva-voce]

Yes, it is the OM cartridge and it originally came with the OM 30 stylus. The styli I purchased from Expert are tipped on the sturdy Pro S cantilevers, not a re-tipped 30. The 30 does indeed play Lp's nicely. I've never had any issues with these even after so many years.

[melvind]

[If anyone has a Shure N78S stylus / cart that they are dissatisfied with because of it's inability to take heavier tracking weight, or play warps in records, the LP Gear replacement for the N78S is the total opposite of https://www.lpgear.com/product/SHN078W.html the Shure original. You can pile like 10 grams on the thing and it will not bottom out. I run mine at about 5 grams with ease. It also has a slighty larger 3.0 mil tip. The LP Gear stylus in a Shure M97xE is now my preferred 'daily driver', keeping my other more expensive custom styli just for certain times. And the stylus is cheap enough that if I did something stupid I can replace it without too much outlay. I bought a second one as a backup anyway.

Thanks for the note on the 3.0 mil tip replacement from LP Gear. I bought one and I find it play more of my records well than the 2.5 mil tip that came with the N78S. A very nice change and not expensive! And, when I need it I still have the original tip.

[Wolfe]

^ Glad that worked out.