older Stanton 500: load rating and stylus indentification, SL1200

agypsy

Active Member
hi folks,

i found an old stanton 500 mounted to a stanton headshell in one of my "junk" drawers. i'm pretty sure it was the original cart that was installed on this particular 1200mk2 when i bought it 10 yrs or so ago.

i haven't been able to find the load impedance rating for this cart anywhere on line. anyone here know? is this cart any good at all? i know DJs like to use the 500.


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and i also have no idea what the stylus is. but i might have found a site that stocks them but not 100% sure. i believe it might be the D5107AL. can anyone confrim please? and how good or bad is this stylus?

i found it here:
http://www.garage-a-records.com/proddetail.php?prod=4820d7al
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I have that same exact cart. It came on my Dual 1009 SK when I got it so it may be pre-DJ. It sounds very good on my Dual and I got the D71EE on it right now. It was recommended by this board. Sorry, but I know nothing of that white stylus. I would say that the cart is a keeper.
 
I have that same exact cart. It came on my Dual 1009 SK when I got it so it may be pre-DJ. It sounds very good on my Dual and I got the D71EE on it right now. It was recommended by this board. Sorry, but I know nothing of that white stylus. I would say that the cart is a keeper.


cool! thanks for replying.
do you happen to know what load it uses?

i really don't know how old the stylus is i might take a chance and play an older record and see what it sounds like.
 
Sorry, I have no idea about the load. I believe one AKer once mentioned that this cart was made in New York. I don't know the Stanton history, but maybe this might help with age? Sorry I couldn't be of more help...
 
I believe the Stanton 500 series will take any stylus made for the Pickering V-15 (not XV-15) or for the P-AC, P-AT(E) or P-AM(E). Stanton and Pickering are/were sister companies.
 
Your stylus looks like the AL version with the aqua dot, a heavy-tracking spherical. A better option that will work with your 500 cartridge is the EE stylus (D5100EE) with the gold dot, a .3x.7 mil elliptical that tracks at 1 to 2 grams.

The cartridge database at vinylengine.com shows the standard 47 kohms load impedance for all of the Stanton 500 models.
 
That's a very old model 500 series Stanton, probably the most popular cartridge found in radio stations throughout the U.S. in the 70's and 80's. In that sense it's a "DJ" cartridge, although not the same way the term is used today. (It could handle backcuing, but it wasn't made for "scratch mixing" and the other extreme techniques used today in "turntabling.")

They are a tough cartridge, built to handle the abuses you found back when radio stations spun vinyl. It also is pretty good sounding, and isn't a cartridge to sniff at.

I can't tell which variation it is though. Does the cartridge have a sticker on the bottom denoting what subset of the 500 series it is?

It uses a standard 47k load, if I'm getting your question right, so it doersn't need any special loading requirements. And with the stylus that's on it now, I'd set the tracking force between 2 to 3 grams maybe even higher, whichever sounds better with a majority of discs. (Assuming the stylus is still ok on it.)

A wide range of replacement styli will work fine in that body. It's a question of what range tracking force you desire, stylus shape etc. If you want the *exact* replacement for it, check for that sticker on the bottom of it to find out what model 500 it is. The stylus you linked to will work, but you can find better. Try www.lpgear.com for alternatives. Avoid replacement styli for the "new" range of 500 Stanton's though. They might not work. They're easy to tell because the stylus body shape of them is radically different to the shape of the stylus you have now. (see: http://www.stantondj.com/v2/cartridge/cartridges_500v3.php)
 
Your stylus looks like the AL version with the aqua dot, a heavy-tracking spherical. A better option that will work with your 500 cartridge is the EE stylus (D5100EE) with the gold dot, a .3x.7 mil elliptical that tracks at 1 to 2 grams.

The cartridge database at vinylengine.com shows the standard 47 kohms load impedance for all of the Stanton 500 models.

thanks SA-708! yea i kind of figured it would the standard load.

That's a very old model 500 series Stanton, probably the most popular cartridge found in radio stations throughout the U.S. in the 70's and 80's. In that sense it's a "DJ" cartridge, although not the same way the term is used today. (It could handle backcuing, but it wasn't made for "scratch mixing" and the other extreme techniques used today in "turntabling.")

They are a tough cartridge, built to handle the abuses you found back when radio stations spun vinyl. It also is pretty good sounding, and isn't a cartridge to sniff at.

I can't tell which variation it is though. Does the cartridge have a sticker on the bottom denoting what subset of the 500 series it is?

It uses a standard 47k load, if I'm getting your question right, so it doersn't need any special loading requirements. And with the stylus that's on it now, I'd set the tracking force between 2 to 3 grams maybe even higher, whichever sounds better with a majority of discs. (Assuming the stylus is still ok on it.)

A wide range of replacement styli will work fine in that body. It's a question of what range tracking force you desire, stylus shape etc. If you want the *exact* replacement for it, check for that sticker on the bottom of it to find out what model 500 it is. The stylus you linked to will work, but you can find better. Try www.lpgear.com for alternatives. Avoid replacement styli for the "new" range of 500 Stanton's though. They might not work. They're easy to tell because the stylus body shape of them is radically different to the shape of the stylus you have now. (see: http://www.stantondj.com/v2/cartridge/cartridges_500v3.php)

awesome! thanks for the little history lesson. you learn something new everyday huh? i just tried it into my tube box SE ll and it sounds decent...not great but decent. i'm assuming the stylus is worn because i really couldn't tell the difference between the 120pf and 220pf resistance setting.

no designation underneath from what i can tell. i wonder if stanton made a 500 before the 500 AL?
 
Mine. It has the same blue stylus as your does, however...it is going to become my dedicated 78rpm cartridge whenever I get a 78 deck running.

hehe...i was thinking along the same lines. it's a nice backup cart for 78's and some older records.
 
Any blue Stanton 500 stylus is a broadcast A type conical. They are the better broadcast variant. They track at 1-2 grams VTF. My favorite combo for transferring vintage 45 discs to CD in nice condition. Your old Gold body is Plainview, NY made and the best quality 500 bodies. :tresbon:
 
Any blue Stanton 500 stylus is a broadcast A type conical. They are the better broadcast variant. They track at 1-2 grams VTF. My favorite combo for transferring vintage 45 discs to CD in nice condition. Your old Gold body is Plainview, NY made and the best quality 500 bodies. :tresbon:

oh sweet! thanks for the info.
this forum rocks :guitar:
 
Great cartridge, I've got a few of them. I have six different stylii for spinning 78s and a 0.7 mil conical which is very good for playing scratched/worn LPs.
 
Sorry to bump an old thread but I just got home from Xmas dinner at my parents neighbor's house. The host and I were talking about hifi and he exused himself to the garage. A few minutes later he handed me this and asked if I would like it. Of course.

It was still factory sealed with all the paperwork and hardware. Completely NOS. I'm a fan of the 680AL and have a pair of older ones I use regularly. I'm really looking forward to trying this 500AL out and see which one I like more.

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Bump: The last post helps. I have at least 3 of the gold carts labeled "Stanton 500".
Based on the picture, I'll now assume they are the 500AL's.
SeveralStylus Replacements are indicated in the brochure pictured above. The white one (blue dot) indicated that I have is the D1507A. The brochure states 2 to 5 grams for tracking force for that stylus. There is a two styli replacements that track lower (D5100EE and D5105AA), but it's moot now that Stanton no longer makes stylus replacements.
Vinyl Engine database also shows 4 other Stanton 500's, 3 of them without picture with different specs. So no definitive answer that this is the only gold Stanton 500 that says Stanton 500 on the side till pictures turn up for the Stanton 500, 500A, 500A Mk II and 500 AA. Maybe they are out there but I haven't found them yet.
 
I've been playing around with a Gold dotted Gold bodied one all day. I think it sounds great. Nice and full bodied with a good musical frequency balance. Very non-fatiguing.
 
Bump on old thread

I recently found a Pioneer pl-10 and this cartridge came with it. I was more than half expecting to need to replace the stylus/cartridge, but after replacing the belt and testing it out - it actually sounds fantastic! Granted my experience is limited (I had a Panasonic with a shure m92e prior and this is miles and miles more defined and deeper) Anyway my question is should I replace the stylus (just to be safe?) and if I'm going to go down that road, would I be even more blown away (i.e. would you recommend...) an upgrade on the cartridge all together? I was thinking of trying the AT95 I hear everyone raving about, but as it's also labeled "entry level" I'm skeptical if it will sound better than the Stanton 500
 
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