Cartridge for Pioneer PL-550

[rromeo923]

I recently got a very nice Pioneer PL-550 turntable. It came with a cartridge and stylus and it sounds pretty good. The cartridge has no markings whatsoever so I am not sure what it is. It may be stock for all I know. Bought from a guy who was selling equipment for a friend who recently died. He didnt know anything about the turntable.

So I was wondering what may be a good replacement cartridge or if anyone has any info on what were the stock cartridge (it is black w/red clear plastic )

any info or suggestions appreciated.

[rromeo923]

Well I answered one of my questions. Looks like it is a stock Cartridge PC-550E/II.

It says it is a man-month cartridge. What does that mean??

[JaS]

Moving Magnet ?

http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_da ... rlo=&prhi=

Regards,
JaS

[rromeo923]

http://audio-database.com/PIONEER-EXCLU ... eii-e.html

[dlaloum]

Just to be safe you should post some pics so we can eyeball it...

The PC550 is a very good cartridge, and Jico makes a SAS stylus to fit it....

but you do want to make sure that it is in fact what you have there!

bye for now

David

[rromeo923]

The link I posted above has a picture that is my cartridge.

The picture in the PC 550 link is not my cartridge.

Must be a difference between PC 550E/II and PC 550

[dlaloum]

Yes there was a mkI and a mkII version - in both series they had a range of models with the difference being just the stylus (110,220,330,550) - and Jico make a stylus for the 330 http://stylus.export-japan.com/product_ ... cts_id=822 and a SAS version http://stylus.export-japan.com/product_ ... cts_id=823

hope that helps

bye for now

David

[BrianLW]

http://audio-database.com/PIONEER-EXCLUSIVE/etc/pc-550eii-e.html

That description reads like it was auto translated and MM became man-month.
MM = moving magnet

[Jone5]

I came across to this thread by googling the cart in question (PC-550/II), similar story to the OP.

I bought an astatic replacement stylus just to test it (without knowing the Jico SAS option), listened it very briefly at the time and back to the drawer it went Just recently tested some carts of mine and included the PC-550/II in the test and was actually amazed by the sound of it even with the "unknown" stylus.

It however tracks quite lousy based on Hifi News test LP tracking test. It does not sound that bad at all and everything besides the tracking is quite spectacular. I'm wondering is it worth the Jico SAS stylus and has anyone tested this combination? I haven't found much comments on it around the web, is it just not that much appreciated, assuming that it is not that unusual cart to find in old Pioneers.