|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
71.53.134.88
In Reply to: RE: Stanton 681EEE posted by catbert242000@yahoo.com on January 20, 2022 at 12:46:27
as I've recently said here before, the 681 is a moving iron MI cart and has a great deal of inductance in the coils in order to achieve the required output level of a moving magnet MM cart. It has an historical significance for wide usage in radio stations and also it's tracking abilities, but can be bettered in sound qualities within the Stanton and the sister Pickering company with their moving magnet carts (881 & 3000, 4000).
The separation spec is frequency dependent anyway and not a direct indicator of sound quality. The cantilever elastomer may be only slightly stiffened if that, or may not be at all. I am currently using a Pickering 3000 cart with a 4000 stylus&brush on one of my tables at the factory spec tracking force and it is a beautifully cart, I wish someone would re-release it.
If you set it up and are not satisfied with the sound and tracking, especially compared with your Art9, then you can think about replacing it. But, throw a hard to track record at it and lift the arm the moment you hear any mistracking, which may or may not happen.
Follow Ups:
"The separation spec is frequency dependent anyway and not a direct indicator of sound quality"
In general terms yes. Sound quality obviously depends on the stylus, user alignment and many other factors and the MI series does have limitations in both tracking ability and bandwidth as well as colouration related to the high inductance and low mechanical resonance frequency which is in the audible range. However, the channel separation will affect imaging and soundstaging directly.
The EEE was based on the (then) newly patented (US3,846,592) Stanton 4-coil design which was introduced with the 7804DQ, XUV and UV-15 series for discrete CD-4 playback - the design enabled channel separation to be maintained over a wider bandwidth than the original 2 coil 681EE and 500 series and would easily compete with modern 4 coil designs from AT and the like when aligned optimally. All the Stanton bodies in the 68x and 88x/98x from that point are all the same 4 coil configuration achieving outstanding channel separation up to at least 15kHz to meet the requirements for discrete CD-4 playback (at least 20dB in the audible range).
The high inductance has more to do with the electrical damping requirements (f and Q) to match the low mechanical resonance frequency of the moving system rather than simply to get a decent output. In fact much higher output is possible eg 680HP. The penalty is increased moving mass and an even lower mechanical resonance.
If the suspension has aged, then the mechanical damping will not be correct so the OP shouldn't expect that what he hears is representative of what a 681/XV15 can sound like - they sound very close to the 881 which has a warmish balance compared to the XSV4000.
Given that the OP is coming from an ART9, I can't see the 681EEE being anything more than a novelty for him and I doubt he will ever use it for serious listening. The only Stanton/Pickering cartridges I bother with are the low impedance series and my CS100 occasionally and fortunately I have still have original styli that meet specification.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
"However, the channel separation will affect imaging and soundstaging directly"
I and some others have found that these characteristics don't matter much when the sound qualities are, shall we say, rather bland (or insert descriptive here ___). I mentioned this only because of catbert's Art9 familiar cart.
I however do not find it sounds "very close" to an 881 or 3000/4000 - not with Quad electrostats. Far from it actually and why I gave it away
I agree that if one is used to an ART9, the 681 will seem like s@#$!
Hence why I think it will be simply for novelty value that catbert would put any effort into getting it going. I personally wouldn't bother. The stylus is unlikely to perform as it would have when "fresh" and the Stanton elliptical stylus is simply very crude in terms of polish and alignment ; certainly not in the class of the modern jewellery grade equivalents used in the better cartridges let alone a low mass SLC in the ART9. I have some jewellery grade square shank styli for my original CS100 which are very good, but still not in the class of the Ogura tips used in the Denon MC cartridges. I still prefer MC for serious listening.
Apart from my low impedance bodies, I don't use my high impedance Stanton/Pickering cartridges for any serious listening - they are just part of my collection which I acquired over the decades and are simply there as a bit of history for me. If I wanted to use an MM, I would use my Shure V15 Type V SAS instead.
When talking about the similarity to the 881 I'm referring to when loaded at 68k, 200pF with a good sample of the stylus; it brings the 681EEE much closer in line to the 881 which is very flat in response. At the standard 47k it has a rather shut in sound like you describe and the 881 certainly sounds better. Despite sharing the same body, the XVS4000 stylus has a slightly less damped response that gives it a more open/lively sound compared to the 881 that is more extended (out to 36k). The D84S is similar so I prefer to use those in my 881 body.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: