Trying a PFANSTIEHL 4213-D6 ... worth it?

[megatrends]

I am trying a PFANSTIEHL 4213-D6 that was sold on eBay by a guy who sells tons of needles. It is a replacement for my original Audio-Technica 3472P cartidge that came with my Technics SL-Q300 turntable. I had purchased an Audio-technica AT201P cartirdge and have been using that until I could hear that I needed a new stylus from wear. It isn;t bad yet but i can tell there is something different so i am not spinning vinyl on it until the new stylus arrives.

Long story short I was snooping around on eBay and the PFANSTIEHL 4213-D6 stylus replacement for the 3472P cartridge and figured I would try it out. Anybody know much about it other than it is a generic replacement? I mean are they decent at least and comparable to what I was using previously? I tried to find an online review but instead only got links to bhjy them .... man Google really sucks now.

I suppose I'll find out when it comes in the mail but figured I would ask anyway, I did get a good deal on it for under $9. Not really a loss if it is a loss as I can use it for my bad scratchy old vinyls without worrying about ruining the stylus from excessive wear from bad grooves. I always find a plus side!

[13oots2]

I don't think Google sucks, just the stylus is a low end generic, nothing much else to say. I am sure people would be raving about it if it stood out, it is what is.

[dlaloum]

The 3472P cartridge is the same as the AT92, (and a lot of other names/numbers from both AT and others that AT manufactured for!)

You can get a wide range of styli for it, the original AT styli are relatively inexpensive and good quality.

AT no longer make high end styli for this cartridge series, so others (such as Jico) have stepped in and are making a range of high quality upgrade styli...

have a look here:
http://www.turntableneedles.com/search. ... &search=GO

(Lpgear also stock a similarly wide range..)

bye for now

David

[megatrends]

The 3472P cartridge is the same as the AT92, (and a lot of other names/numbers from both AT and others that AT manufactured for!)

You can get a wide range of styli for it, the original AT styli are relatively inexpensive and good quality.

AT no longer make high end styli for this cartridge series, so others (such as Jico) have stepped in and are making a range of high quality upgrade styli...

have a look here:
http://www.turntableneedles.com/search. ... &search=GO

(Lpgear also stock a similarly wide range..)

bye for now

David

Very helpful link you left, I bookmarked it and I am sure I will be buying something from it. I would like to have extra stylus stuff lying around for future use.

It seems my regular cartidge the AT201P is the most difficult to find a replacement stylus for. I found a couple but they want more than what I paid for the cartridge when it was new. It takes an ATN61 stylus "needle" replacement. This is why I am reverting back to the stock AT 3472P cartirdge.

Nice info on that AT92, that is VERY helpful. Like I said I will give the generic cheapie a whirl and see what happens. As stated worse case scenario I have a stylus I don;t mind ruining on a small few of my badly scratched classic records from the 50s and 60s. Most of my records are in really good shape, just saying. We all have a couple of OOP copies that are hard to find so we keep them.

[dlaloum]

The AT201P and its close relatives were a notch up on the AT92 series.... but they have been orphaned and getting decent styli for them is now very difficult/expensive. - which is a shame.

bye for now

David

[megatrends]

The AT201P and its close relatives were a notch up on the AT92 series.... but they have been orphaned and getting decent styli for them is now very difficult/expensive. - which is a shame.

bye for now

David

That website link you left has some replacement "needles" for about $31 which isn't bad I suppose considering the shipping would be free. I know how good they sound, thankfully my cartridge I bought in 1989 is still really good as it wasn't used for many years and was in the box and I just have a worn stylus needle. Right in the middle of a record I can here distortions on the highs and fear I will wreck some grooves if I use it. Obviously it was worn before I could physically hear it but don;t have a microscope to check these things.

I think I am going to have 2 cartridges good to go at all times for now on. Thanks for the link and the advice, it is much appreciated.

[dlaloum]

If the budget allows grab the ATN231LP stylus
http://www.turntableneedles.com/ATN-231 ... p_964.html

I've been eyeing it off, but just couldn't justify it as I have too many excellent cartridges at the moment...

I prefer to use line contact profiles across the board....

[megatrends]

If the budget allows grab the ATN231LP stylus
http://www.turntableneedles.com/ATN-231 ... p_964.html

I've been eyeing it off, but just couldn't justify it as I have too many excellent cartridges at the moment...

I prefer to use line contact profiles across the board....

Yeah that certainly would be nice to blow $113 if I had it. Truth is I own a classic 80s car and spend money on that usually instead.

In any case my stylus came in and I am very impressed with it. It sounds really really good. I think reverting back to the original cartridge is also a plus since I have been using the AT201P cartridge since the late 80s maybe (???) and the original has been in a box in a drawer until TODAY. I put this new stylus in it and kabammmm great sound.

[megatrends]

Question: I replaced the AT201P cart with the original (assume it to be original) cart for my Technics SL-Q300 turntable which is the 3472P cartridge.

Well something interesting happened, I was getting bass feedback with the AT cartridge but now with the original cartridge and new stylus NONE. How can this be and why did the AT one cause such bass feedback? Poor cart and tonearm match??

[skriefall]

Possibly dirt on one of the ground pins, causing a poor or bad ground connection. Could also have been a bad connection inside the cartridge body, or a bad stylus.

[megatrends]

Possibly dirt on one of the ground pins, causing a poor or bad ground connection. Could also have been a bad connection inside the cartridge body, or a bad stylus.

It certainly had a bad stylus, you could hear it when a record played which was why I stopped playing records until the new stylus came.

I hadn't realized it was that old already. I wish needles lasted longer because I play records daily.

[megatrends]

Not sure if anyone cares or was following this thread with great interest or not but this cheap $8.95 stylus has been excellent. he has a few more so I ordered a few more.

This generic is a goodie as I am beyond pleased with the sound quality after about 3 weeks of daily use.