Stanton 681eee stylus replacement

yaya97

Super Member
Hi all, I know this has been discussed but I found nothing very recent . I just had my thorens td 150 rewired ( no more hum:)). The shop thought it might be a good idea to replace the stylus on my Stanton 681eee( very vintage ) . I looked online and saw for the 40-50 range Stanton D-6800 EEE MK III Stylus ( Generic). Some websites say these stylus ( styli??) are made by Jico. The reviews seem good. Any thoughts?
Thanks
R
 
I opted for the Pickering D625 and have yet to pull the trigger on the JICO. Based on reviews the JICO is very nice. I still have some mileage on my original so no rush as of yet.

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Count yourself fortunate to have the original 681eee stylus, depending on the hours and condition care of the stylus and records it may still have a lot of life left in it. I'v had a number of vintage cartridges and some of the stylus with low hours needed nothing more than a good cleaning to remove built up gunk. None of the aftermarket stylus will equal the original in sound quality, Expert Stylus in the UK may be able to retip your stylus if needed, cost about $160, should be good as new with original sound quality, I'd consider it a bargain.
 
Count yourself fortunate to have the original 681eee stylus, depending on the hours and condition care of the stylus and records it may still have a lot of life left in it. I'v had a number of vintage cartridges and some of the stylus with low hours needed nothing more than a good cleaning to remove built up gunk. None of the aftermarket stylus will equal the original in sound quality, Expert Stylus in the UK may be able to retip your stylus if needed, cost about $160, should be good as new with original sound quality, I'd consider it a bargain.

Not so fast. Some of the very old aftermarket versions come frighteningly close to the originals. You just have to find one - not an easy task. They rarely show up on ebay, and sell within minutes (assuming a decent BIN price), so you have to be quick, and know which brands are up to the task.

I run aftermarket styli on my 681EEE and 881S more often than not, and can't tell them apart from my NOS originals. They were all made in Japan, I believe, and are wonderful.

I do wish JICO could master the art making truly excellent replacements (like they seem to do for Shure carts), so we could have a current, reliable source that is an alternative to sending out for a re-tip. Also, member Needlestein knows the currently available replacements that are inexpensive, yet good quality - if you want to save some $$$. I have not tried those, but trust his judgement, and extensive knowledge.

This may sound discouraging to the OP, but don't lose hope. Finding one may seem like finding a needle in a haystack (no pun intended), but man, what a rush when you discover them.

So, what models do you want to keep an eye out for?? I'll share my secrets. We are all in this hobby together. For the 681EEE & Pickering XV-15 carts, look for a Walco W-510STDE and Rivertone 2404-DEL. For the 881S & Pickering XSV3000 carts, look for the Walco W-703STDE, or Astatic NMR series - models ST115-qd, PL129-qd, and PL127-ed. These are all at least 30 years old, so few remain, but man do they sound sweet. The "qd" ones are true quadrahedrals. Doesn't get any better than that.

And as majick47 says, use your current stylus until it quits. I'm assuming it's a D6800EEE stylus - the best elliptical out there. I haven't heard positive things about the MK III version (wasn't it made in Florida?) or it's generics, but I'd love to be wrong about that.

In any case, the 681EEE cart is a keeper. Many, many loyal fans of this cart - including myself.
 
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thanks for the awesome post! Visually the stylus looks good but my shop guy found his test record to lack detail. This said he also dropped it from 1.6 to 1.3g. Might make a difference . I can always buy a generic and report back..I am just afraid to play my jazz collection with a bad needle .
 
I'm guessing you are not using the brush that originally came with the stylus? Some use, some don't. I don't because tiny amounts of noise are transferred through the stylus assembly, and then through your speakers. Some use the brush on severely warped records, as it can aid tracking. The trade off, it will muck up your anti-skate. I can't get any of my Stanton or Pickering styli to pass my test record anti-skate test (along with the trackability test) with the brush on. YMMV

New aftermarket styli will probably come with a brush. These are usually trash - with too stiff bristles. If you must use a brush, track down an original and install it on the new stylus.

I have a Pickering D625E stylus with unknown hours, and it, too, lacks detail. I'm guessing it's near the end of it's life, so I only use it on thrift store vinyl to check for quality.
 
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I have a Pickering D625E stylus with unknown hours, and it, too, lacks detail. I'm guessing it's near the end of it's life, so I only use it on thrift store vinyl to check for quality.

The Pickering D625E is an elliptical stylus .3 x .7 mil, may seem to lack detail when compare to other finer stylus.

I like the excellent mid range though. :thmbsp:
 
The Pickering D625E is an elliptical stylus .3 x .7 mil, may seem to lack detail when compare to other finer stylus.

I like the excellent mid range though. :thmbsp:

Oh, don't get me wrong. I LOVE the D625E. It seems to hit a "sweet spot" in sound quality. I have others, including the DJ version, and they sound excellent. Even my D400 (.4 x .7 elliptical, I think?) has that special Pickering sound. Even D400 prices are really on the rise, lately. Throughout the line up for styli for these carts, did Stanton & Pickering have any "misses"? They all sound good to me, I just prefer the Stereohedrons.

I just think that one D625 I have is worn out. It came installed on a Pioneer PL-530X that I got some years back, and it could very well be original to the table since new. It was the stylus that got me hooked on the 681EEE and XV-15 carts.:yes:
 
No I do not use the brush. Again it worries me a bit to see a generic Stanton that is not expensive ( the jico at 40 bucks is on many websites). If not, I could get a brand new orthfon . The repair shop recommended an orthofon 30.
 
I had an Ortofon VMS30 mkII at one time, and yes, it was a superb sounding cart and stylus. The problem was finding replacements for it. NOS were VERY rare and expensive, and going down the line to a 20 was a step down in sound quality, but still very expensive. To my ears, only the VMS30 equaled the 681EEE in sound quality. I never tried generic styli on the Ortofon - maybe they are good - maybe they aren't.

I sold it, because of difficulty in finding high quality replacements. To me, finding high quality replacements for the 681EEE & XV-15 carts was so much easier, so I go that route.

Ultimately, you have to let your ears decide. In my case, Stanton & Pickering won. Others will, of course, disagree. There are so many options.
 
needlestein, if I ever obtain a Stanton 68x or Pickering XV-15 I'll have to read through this very informative post again! Also, would you say it's easier (in general, and regardless of the cartridge brand) for aftermarket stylus makers to make a decent conical stylus than elliptical?
 
The usual complaint aimed at Stanton/Pickering aftermarket styli is that they don't sound like "Stereohedron," styli, which was Stanton/Pickering's very best stylus tip. Well, most of them do not claim to be as good as Stereohedron, either. The closest you can get, I believe, is the Jico Shibata. I don't have any of those because I have plenty of Stereohedron and I haven't gotten around to a Jico Shibata yet because I can get real Stereohedron for the same or less $$$.

The reviews of the Jico Shibata go both ways, though. Some people think they sound great, others, true die-hards, seem to be adamant that while they can sound good, there is still absolutely no comparison.

I have a few Shibatas for other brands and, to me, none of them sound as good as a real Stereohedron. I can't say why. I think it has more to do with the OEM Stanton/Pickering suspension. As HiFiRob said, even going on down the line to the "lowly" Pickering D400 stylus, that magical very, very quiet Stanton/Pickering sound is there.

Who made LPGear's shibata for the Stanton 681? I bought one years ago (when they were cheap. They have since doubled in price), and have wondered if JICO manufactured it for them.

Does it sound good? Yes, but I guess I'm a "true die hard". It is no Stereohedron. Not by a long shot, IMHO. It can't even touch a D6800EEE. To my ears, it's barely comparable to a D6800EE (or Pickering D750). That "magic" just isn't there. My really old aftermarket replacements (even the ellipticals) sound better.
 
I mentioned in the past the Tonar 669 a 681-EEE stylus replacement not commonly
found in N.A. with the documentation of late I wonder if in fact it is the same as
one of the ones compared already under a different name, would not surprise.
 
Yeah, I'll stick to NOS, or those wonderful old Walco's and Astatic's.

I did, however, stumble across an ebay auction yesterday (listed under "DJ Turntable Parts and acc.")that caught my eye. A seller had a handful of Pickering TLV625E P-mount carts with DTL-1E stylus - new in box (private label), for $29.99 shipped. I pounced, and bought two.

Then, I called the seller (couldn't have been nicer), and canceled my order. That stylus is the equivalent of the D625E, I think (EDIT: nope- it's more similar to the D400E), but, do I NEED these?? No. I needed those funds for something else I have my eye on.

What a deal, though. I believe he has one left. Somebody should grab it!
 
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I mentioned in the past the Tonar 669 a 681-EEE stylus replacement not commonly
found in N.A. with the documentation of late I wonder if in fact it is the same as
one of the ones compared already under a different name, would not surprise.

That is one I have not seen. Looks interesting, though. I would try it if the price were right.
 
Another very good stylus for the Stanton is the Pfanstiehl 4822-DEE, not to be confused with the EVG/Jico/Russell Industries 822-DEE or 822-DEEE. These are both decent styli, but no different than the PM4052DE in sound and they ride low compared to originals, leaving not much clearance between the plastic handle and the record surface + they cost 3x as much. The Pfanstiehl 4822-DEE is a bonded .2 x .7 like the original D6800EE; the original D6800EEE is a nude .2 x .7 elliptical. The Pfanstiehl 4822-DEE has a reasonably narrow soft aluminum (not oxidized as the original) cantilever and despite what the packaging says, I find that it tracks very well at 2.2-2.4g--otherwise, it can be sibilant on harsher records.

I'll cast another vote for the Pfanstiehl 4822-DEE. I received mine last week and have been dialing up the VTF from within the "recommended" range and now well beyond, I'm at 2.2 grams. It tracks very well and as you've stated sibilance is nearly nonexistent at this setting.

Had to add weight at the headshell though, my counterbalance is pegged at its inward stop.
 
Tonar Stanton cross reference

Came across this Tonar cross reference for Stanton.
 

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Yeah, I'll stick to NOS, or those wonderful old Walco's and Astatic's.

I did, however, stumble across an ebay auction yesterday (listed under "DJ Turntable Parts and acc.")that caught my eye. A seller had a handful of Pickering TLV625E P-mount carts with DTL-1E stylus - new in box (private label), for $29.99 shipped. I pounced, and bought two.

Then, I called the seller (couldn't have been nicer), and canceled my order. That stylus is the equivalent of the D625E, I think, but, do I NEED these?? No. I needed those funds for something else I have my eye on.

What a deal, though. I believe he has one left. Somebody should grab it!

OK, I'm glad I canceled my order. They just listed a few Pickering XL-33U - P Mount Cartridge & DTL-2S Stylus sets - NOS, private label, for $34.99 shipped. That's a killer deal because that nets me a Stereohedron for my 681EEE & XV-15s. In the few seconds I was looking at the ad, they all sold. I got one. Hopefully, you guys saw this listing, too!

This is the reason I run my saved searches multiple times a day. The deals are out there - you just have to be quick.
 
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