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  1. bang4buck

    anyone else running vintage Empire carts?

    Impossible to judge without a macro shot but in general, a small diamond is a good thing. Less tip mass. Keep in mind only the very tip of the needle actually sits in the groove. The rest is dead weight. Steel, in fact, with a bonded stylus.
  2. bang4buck

    Stylus for Ortofon SPU cartridge

    The stylus will not even come out. But yes, the cartridge will be ruined. And while we're at it, also do NOT try to remove the transformer from the back of the cartridge. You will pull the contact pins out and break the coil wires in the process.
  3. bang4buck

    Stylus for Ortofon SPU cartridge

    The SPU is a moving coil cartridge, not moving magnet. With a few historical exceptions, MC cartridges do NOT have user-replaceable styli. You do NOT want to touch that screw. Run a search for SPU retipping on the big auction site. Will set you back several hundred dollars depending on the diamond.
  4. bang4buck

    Pickering V-15 Micro W/VX-15 Stylus!

    The V-15 Micro (aka Phase IV aka Stanton 600) is a completely different cartridge from the older V-15 (aka Stanton 500), that's why this works. It's moving iron, just like the XV-15/Stanton 680. Stanton/Pickering intended to replace the V-15/500 with this new series but it never took off and the...
  5. bang4buck

    Thorens TD 145 sounds great...

    Looks great! Careful with those dustcover hinges, the upper part that grips the cover likes to break. Thankfully reproductions are now available. The platter responds well to buffing with a metal polish such as Mother's, however the shine never seems to last long. AR owners have it easier in...
  6. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    Here's what my spindle looked like as received, before Marc Morin polished it up to a mirror shine again. The end should just be a smooth dome shape. It was almost 10 years ago now but IIRC this wear (with matching damage to the thrust plate, of course) did not cause rumble like what our friend...
  7. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    I know what you mean. That particular drawing is a bit of a hieroglyph, right? I can just see them spending hours on an Apple II or something like that to make it, instead of 5 minutes with a pen and ruler. Bugs me that our two TTs are so far off each other somehow. I assume they mean 1.3" to...
  8. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    I find it helps to make a simple gauge for the two required heights (33mm and 6mm--sorry, metric guy at heart here). Takes only a couple of minutes to cut one from an index card or cereal box. And the screws turn more easily in the square nuts than in the stock plastic so I absolutely have to...
  9. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    Wish I could help more but I don't have any personal experience with any of the generics. A forum search should bring something up, these are very common cartridges. I keep thinking I want to try a Swiss nude diamond stylus and the M75 body I have would be an obvious candidate, but I have more...
  10. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    It should, yes. Back then the M93 was basically an M91 with a lower spec stylus tip and higher VTF. But generics don't necessarily follow that, it may be the exact same stylus with just a different color grip.
  11. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    None of this addresses the fact that you will change the length and therefore spring rate when you rotate the springs on an Oracle. Unless you're suggesting to completely dismantle the subchassis each time so you can rotate the entire spring assembly including the foam damper. Is that what...
  12. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    Mac, I'm sorry, you said it's been 30 years since you worked on one. I sit 5 feet from mine and just did the springs. They do not work like the springs on Linn etc. tables.
  13. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    You can't turn the springs without affecting their working length and the spring rate. It just doesn't work this way.
  14. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    Good sleuthing! They have a number of Ortofon styli still in stock. Off topic but 679-DQ (Shibata for AT15) still shows three in stock at $89.95, should be of interest to some here. With a 3-digit code it should be genuine but I don't see an AT logo or Made in Japan statement.
  15. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    When you go to the actual Vimeo page for the video it says "Light damping only." I guess it can be dialed in on the Delphi? That's a much longer bounce than I get here. So I actually got curious, or rather, couldn't remember if I ever readjusted my own suspension after the tonearm swap, and...
  16. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    I wouldn't go by the website info, I think I saw a copyright date of 2017. Quite possible that it's a zombie at this point. But should be worth a call for sure.
  17. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    Ah bummer, that looks bad. No idea if it's possible to get a single spring from Oracle. Perfectly in line with the cut end, do you think it's been like this the whole time? Or a tiny nick that's been growing since?
  18. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    Also, for a basic conical stylus that will get you started with the Shure M91, you could check seller felo3000 on ebay. They're in Miami and have been around for ages. US$15 shipped in the US. These needles are made in Colombia by TEI and I hear they're very well made for what they are. TEI does...
  19. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    Ah sorry, I didn't pay attention to your location. Maybe give Canadian Astatic a call? https://www.canadianastatic.com/ I know nothing about them other that they exist and that they're a handy reference for looking up needles.
  20. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    Didn't take pictures and I honestly don't recall but probably a fat ugly bead all around, which is pretty much all one can do with the stuff anyway. I did it with the screws in so that the nuts would be aligned with what was left of the plastic threads.
  21. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    That's their "find stylus by cartridge" view. It is confusing. The same stylus fits more than one cartridge so gets listed multiple times. Cartridge bodies rarely go "bad" but true, you don't want to find out after you've spent upwards of $30 on a stylus. Do you have a multimeter? Switch it...
  22. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    Definitely oil it properly, per the instruction sheet: I prefer lighter fluid for cleaning and of course they don't mean literally remove (disassemble) the bearing from the sub. Let the platter slowly settle under its own weight when you put it back. Forcing it down will only press the oil out...
  23. bang4buck

    Thinking of Replacing Oracle Alexandria, but what with??

    Excellent work sir! Gee, they were generous with the black spray paint that day, even on the underside? Mine has the bare minimum only where it shows. Sorry, I don't remember how much of the spring is showing. Most likely I followed the manual, again, for the starting position. And my...
  24. bang4buck

    Mystery Ortofon cartridge

    The Voice of Music actually has one original left in stock, N15E (Pfanstiehl 538-DEL), for $45. That's what I meant above when I said goes a long way towards a new, current production cartridge. Haven't tried that stylus but TVOM is the most trustworthy vendor IMO, even though the website looks...
  25. bang4buck

    Great deals are still out there

    I don't like those odds! My TD-150 and Alex are both from ebay. The Thorens was packaged so-so, not good enough for the tonearm (one bearing pin sheared), the Alex was packed well but it was easier because it was lacking the dustcover, record clamp and arm. I've been staying away from complete...
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