Stanton 681 EEE

[jalexa3088]

What replacement stylus would you suggest for a Stanton 681 EEE? Thank you.

[bucolicbuffalo]

The stock stylus should be fine. Nice and warm. I think that's a D6800EEE.

If you can find one of the now rare stereohedron styli, grab them. KAB had a bunch of Pickering D11S, but they look like they are all sold now. I bought a number of those for myself.


(I see another poster beat me with the good info. Busy on the phone here.)

[VinylIsTheBest]

Here is a great replacement stylus for your Stanton. It's a JICO Shibata Stylus. This stylus would be a better replacement because of the Shibata shape instead of the original elliptical tip. It will track much better and will give you greater details.

http://www.export-japan.com/marketing/s ... ts_id=1361

Regards.

[flavio81]

Here is a great replacement stylus for your Stanton. It's a JICO Shibata Stylus. This stylus would be a better replacement because of the Shibata shape instead of the original elliptical tip. It will track much better and will give you greater details.

http://www.export-japan.com/marketing/s ... ts_id=1361

Regards.

I second that opinion too.

[ssportclay]

A shibata stylus will properly track and extract information from CD-4 recordings where a stereohedron stylus will not so in theory the shibata tip should be the better one for extracting high frequency detail. I bought a new Stanton 681EEE a couple years ago. I generally liked the sound and I especially liked it's magical sound stage. The problem with this unit is that it's stylus was a dog. It didn't track very well when new. It did smooth up after a very long break in period but it never did straighten itself out completely. I then purchased a generic shibata stylus from LPgear hoping for improvement. This stylus sounded better than the original stylus when it tracked and worse when it didn't. I never experienced a stylus that seemed so recording dependent. I finally gave up on this cartridge and moved on at least for the time being. I have also read in many cases where the original stereohedron stylus can be very good or very bad depending on luck of the draw. Tracking seems to remain the problem. I am very curious about the JICO shabata stylus but am a little apprehensive about spending more money on this cartridge.

[flavio81]

This stylus sounded better than the original stylus when it tracked and worse when it didn't. I never experienced a stylus that seemed so recording dependent.

I have a different explanation, and i can bet my money on that:

You were trying to play records that were cut using tracing distortion compensation (ex: Dynagroove). Google it.

Those records will only sound good with a spherical stylus. Any better stylus will give distortion, that will sound exactly like tracing distortion. The better the stylus, the more clear that distortion effect will be.

For example i have a "QUEEN Greatest Hits" vinyl in perfect shape that sounds horrible with my HyperElliptical needle and sounds good with the spherical. But the HE is a far better needle.

BLAME THE CUTTING ENGINEER!

[ssportclay]

This stylus sounded better than the original stylus when it tracked and worse when it didn't. I never experienced a stylus that seemed so recording dependent.

I have a different explanation, and i can bet my money on that:

You were trying to play records that were cut using tracing distortion compensation (ex: Dynagroove). Google it.

Those records will only sound good with a spherical stylus. Any better stylus will give distortion, that will sound exactly like tracing distortion. The better the stylus, the more clear that distortion effect will be.

For example i have a "QUEEN Greatest Hits" vinyl in perfect shape that sounds horrible with my HyperElliptical needle and sounds good with the spherical. But the HE is a far better needle.

BLAME THE CUTTING ENGINEER!

The problem with the logic is that all of the recordings that didn't track with the generic shibata, tracked just fine with the fine line stylus of the AT-OC9. This is the cartridge I am running now. In fact, it is sounding so wonderful that I am kind of afraid to touch it. The only thing it doesn't have is the unique sound stage of the 681EEE.

[flavio81]

The problem with the logic is that all of the recordings that didn't track with the generic shibata, tracked just fine with the fine line stylus of the AT-OC9. This is the cartridge I am running now. In fact, it is sounding so wonderful that I am kind of afraid to touch it. The only thing it doesn't have is the unique sound stage of the 681EEE.

Ooops... i lost my money then.

Then the problem is simply that the trackability of the cart with that stylus (&cantilever and rubber) is lower than that of the AT-OC9, or than the cartridge with original stylus(&cantilever&rubber).

It's not the stylus shape's fault but the cantilever and rubber.

[ssportclay]

The problem with the logic is that all of the recordings that didn't track with the generic shibata, tracked just fine with the fine line stylus of the AT-OC9. This is the cartridge I am running now. In fact, it is sounding so wonderful that I am kind of afraid to touch it. The only thing it doesn't have is the unique sound stage of the 681EEE.

Ooops... i lost my money then.

Then the problem is simply that the trackability of the cart with that stylus (&cantilever and rubber) is lower than that of the AT-OC9, or than the cartridge with original stylus(&cantilever&rubber).

It's not the stylus shape's fault but the cantilever and rubber.

Trackability can become a very complicated issue. I would bet that the older Stanton 681 cartridges made in New York on the whole track better than the newer 681 cartridges made in Florida regardless of any tonearm in question. I am still curious about the JICO shibata stylus.

[Dualist701]

I'm enjoying the sound of LP Gear's Shibata stylus on my Stanton 681, which apparently was originally a "EE" (silver ellipse):

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchan ... D6800EEE2S

I use the Stanton _without_ the brush, at about 1.25 grams.

It may not track quite as well as my Shure V15-V, but I prefer the sound.

Some day I may try the JICO Super Analogue Stylus on my V15-V; supposedly betters the original needle.

Interesting web page:

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchan ... SHVN5MRSAS

SAS is also available as a replacement stylus for the Shure M97xe.

[ssportclay]

I'm enjoying the sound of LP Gear's Shibata stylus on my Stanton 681, which apparently was originally a "EE" (silver ellipse):

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchan ... D6800EEE2S

I use the Stanton _without_ the brush, at about 1.25 grams.

It may not track quite as well as my Shure V15-V, but I prefer the sound.

Some day I may try the JICO Super Analogue Stylus on my V15-V; supposedly betters the original needle.

Interesting web page:

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchan ... SHVN5MRSAS

SAS is also available as a replacement stylus for the Shure M97xe.

Ya, that's the same stylus I have. I ran it at 1.5 grams and 1.25 grams without the brush. It sounded great whenever it tracked but it proved to be unacceptable. Had I to do it over again, I would have spent more money on the JICO shibata stylus. Few people seem to own this particular stylus so there is very little information available about it. We need some reports.

[flavio81]

I would have spent more money on the JICO shibata stylus. Few people seem to own this particular stylus so there is very little information available about it. We need some reports.

I think you mean the JICO "SAS" stylus. It is not a shibata. Jico also sells shibatas.

These are the stylus profiles sold by JICO:



1. Spherical
2. Elliptical
3. Shibata, a Line Contact shape.
4. Hyper Elliptical, a Line Contact shape.
5. SAS (Super Analogue Stylus), a type of Micro Ridge

[1200y3]

If you look at the Stanton web page they state te 681 EEE will accept three stylus sizes, their specs describe two different sizes so possibly their styli are "choosey" or discriminating. Stanton is reviewed as being an excellent tracker on the inside grooves. I would always recommend the original when the manufacterer still boasts about their quality (Stanton uses jewel quality diamonds.) That way you'll know the original design. Stanton was also using cone or tapered cantilevers, which are not always on affordable styli today.

[ssportclay]

I would have spent more money on the JICO shibata stylus. Few people seem to own this particular stylus so there is very little information available about it. We need some reports.

I think you mean the JICO "SAS" stylus. It is not a shibata. Jico also sells shibatas.

These are the stylus profiles sold by JICO:



1. Spherical
2. Elliptical
3. Shibata, a Line Contact shape.
4. Hyper Elliptical, a Line Contact shape.
5. SAS (Super Analogue Stylus), a type of Micro Ridge

It would be nice if JICO offered an "SAS" stylus for the Stanton 681 but they don't. The best stylus they offer is the 681EEE-S Shibata Stylus (Quadraphonic). This seems like it should be a good stylus. I wonder who has heard it.