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I received an email from Kurt Nauck, informing, that SHURE and STANTON Magnetics have ceased production on audio cartridges. So, you won't be able to buy Styli or cartridges, from either one. Stanton Magnetics was sold, too Gibson Guitars. A few years back and SHURE ceased production in May, of this year. Kurt is selling off what he has left in stock, but you will have to email him.


Paul

Naucks will be eventually the featuring the Audio-Technica cartridge, with a wide range of custom styli for it, like they did for the Shure.

Could be OK. Audio-Technica products are generally good quality. They already make a couple of 78 cartridges that you can buy elsewhere.

There are options of after market styli for both Shure & Stanton. LP Gear offers a variety for several magnetic cartridges. The Jico 78 stylus they offer in some respects is better then OEM:
https://www.lpgear.com/category/78STYL.html


Esoteric Sound also has a variety:
https://www.esotericsound.com/CartStyli.htm

Glenn

Thank You for sharing that info, Glenn!

Damfino59 wrote:There are options of after market styli for both Shure & Stanton. LP Gear offers a variety for several magnetic cartridges. The Jico 78 stylus they offer in some respects is better then OEM:
https://www.lpgear.com/category/78STYL.html

Doesn't appear that LP Gear offers any genuine JICO branded 78 rpm stylus.

LP Tunes does. https://lptunes.com/collections/78-rpm- ... 78e-stylus

I've been pleased with the LP Gear replacement stylus for the Shure N78S. Much better than the flimsy stock stylus that comes with that cart.

I think I'm going to order this LP Gear replacement for my trusty Stanton 500. Don't really need it, I just want to try it. 25 bucks isn't too much to splash out. https://www.lpgear.com/product/STAD5127.html

I’m not sure but LP Gear & LP Tunes may be the same company.

The LP Gear 78 stylus is listed as made in Japan. I just assumed it was Jico. Anyway I’ve had mine a year now and have put many miles on it. It is a good general purpose 78 stylus. It’s not truncated profile as an Expert stylus, but then again it’s not as expensive. I have used the good ol’ Shure M44 for 30 years now. But I’m happy that we still have Audio-Technica and Grado still making a play for the 78 market, as small as it is.

Regards,
Glenn

Damfino59 wrote:I’m not sure but LP Gear & LP Tunes may be the same company.

The LP Gear 78 stylus is listed as made in Japan. I just assumed it was Jico. Anyway I’ve had mine a year now and have put many miles on it. It is a good general purpose 78 stylus. It’s not truncated profile as an Expert stylus, but then again it’s not as expensive. I have used the good ol’ Shure M44 for 30 years now. But I’m happy that we still have Audio-Technica and Grado still making a play for the 78 market, as small as it is.

Regards,
Glenn

And Nagaoka. Nagaoka makes good carts. They've gotten a good rep with audiophiles. I have one of their 78 styli, a 4 mil, which is decent except you can't track real heavy with it, that is, over about 3-4 grams max.

LP Tunes / Gear are both in Nevada, one in Vegas and one in Henderson. Perhaps they are related.

I always forget about Nagaoka! Glad to hear their larger 78 stylus function well. I’ve been tempted to use one in a Thorens TD160 I have but haven’t gotten around to yet Of course for microgroove records as the TD160 doesn’t spin fast enough

And speaking of obsolete cartridges I still have functioning GE VRII units, one in a Newcomb and one in a Garrard RC88.

Glenn

Damfino59 wrote:There are options of after market styli for both Shure & Stanton. LP Gear offers a variety for several magnetic cartridges. The Jico 78 stylus they offer in some respects is better then OEM:
https://www.lpgear.com/category/78STYL.html


Esoteric Sound also has a variety:
https://www.esotericsound.com/CartStyli.htm

Glenn

The LP Gear stuff is great! I picked up a few LP and 78 styli from them a couple of months back, the Shure LP stylus "upgrade" is particularly terrific, but I digress.

As far as AT carts go, well, they aren't as good as either the Shure or Stanton stuff, so I'm quite pleased I stocked up on what I did when I did....

Your mileage may vary.

Sean

Audio-Technica makes some very good cartridges. It remains to be seen what model (s) Naucks sells their custom styli to fit.