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Introducing the Phono Cartridge Measurement Library

The index has been updated. Thanks for your patience.

We have a whopping 6 measurements for the Audio-Technica AT-VM540ML and 5 for the AT33PGT/II. It seems that these are the cartridges people want today.

We are also past 200 total measurements in the library. I hope to post another 25 or so this year, but it'll be a little while before I start up again.
 
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Empire 4000 + Jico S-4000D/III

Empire 4000 Jico DIII_48kΩ_360pF_1.25g_AS=1.25_LR_norm1_CA-TRS-1007.png


Notes:

  • Used Jico S-4000D/III stylus with unknown hours
  • Turntable: Technics SL-1210GR with KAB Fluid Damper
  • Headshell: AT-MS11
  • VTF: 1.25gr
  • Tracking test passed with no distortions: 50μm
  • Phono stage: HusaRIAA v2 (http://tinyurl.com/45ke55cx)
    • ~360pF (set at 267pF)
    • 48kΩ
  • Cable capacitance
    • 85pF (measured total tonearm+interconnect)
  • ASUS PRIME B660M-A Line In and Audacity
  • Test records: Clearaudio CA-TRS-1007 Side A & Ortofon Test Record for tracking
 
Do they perform differently? Should I skip getting a SAS/B for the cheap Vx I picked up?
I would not skip it but you have so many cartridges to choose from. I was just curious since they changed their labeling. That said, I sent back one during my latest purchase that had the old marking. The replacement I got had the red damper that measured much better.
 
Empire 4000 + Jico S-4000D/III

View attachment 421319

Notes:

  • Used Jico S-4000D/III stylus with unknown hours
  • Turntable: Technics SL-1210GR with KAB Fluid Damper
  • Headshell: AT-MS11
  • VTF: 1.25gr
  • Tracking test passed with no distortions: 50μm
  • Phono stage: HusaRIAA v2 (http://tinyurl.com/45ke55cx)
    • ~360pF (set at 267pF)
    • 48kΩ
  • Cable capacitance
    • 85pF (measured total tonearm+interconnect)
  • ASUS PRIME B660M-A Line In and Audacity
  • Test records: Clearaudio CA-TRS-1007 Side A & Ortofon Test Record for tracking
Wow!
 
The best I could do with it:

View attachment 421330

With those settings applied almost all problems with sibilants are gone.

It seems that the problem here is not too much resistance, the problem is too much capacity. Try a smaller capacity in the Husari.

Isn't this Empire 4000 an MI cartridge?
The bracket should be terminated with an iron rod, not a magnet.
If so, does the Jico replacement terminate with a metal rod or a magnet?
Could this be the problem?
The sibilants haven't disappeared, they've only been muffled
This needle has poor tracking: 50 - maybe that's the problem. Maybe, I don't know, it's also the fault of the cantilever, which may be terminated with a magnet, but should be terminated with an iron rod?
 
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Empire 4000 + Jico S-4000D/III

View attachment 421319

Notes:

  • Used Jico S-4000D/III stylus with unknown hours
  • Turntable: Technics SL-1210GR with KAB Fluid Damper
  • Headshell: AT-MS11
  • VTF: 1.25gr
  • Tracking test passed with no distortions: 50μm
  • Phono stage: HusaRIAA v2 (http://tinyurl.com/45ke55cx)
    • ~360pF (set at 267pF)
    • 48kΩ
  • Cable capacitance
    • 85pF (measured total tonearm+interconnect)
  • ASUS PRIME B660M-A Line In and Audacity
  • Test records: Clearaudio CA-TRS-1007 Side A & Ortofon Test Record for tracking

Ugh. Thanks for taking one for the team. This is an extremely helpful measurement. I too was curious about that replacement stylus and almost bit a few times.
 
It seems that the problem here is not too much resistance, the problem is too much capacity. Try a smaller capacity in the Husari.

Isn't this Empire 4000 an MI cartridge?
The bracket should be terminated with an iron rod, not a magnet.
If so, does the Jico replacement terminate with a metal rod or a magnet?
Could this be the problem?
The sibilants haven't disappeared, they've only been muffled
This needle has poor tracking: 50 - maybe that's the problem. Maybe, I don't know, it's also the fault of the cantilever, which may be terminated with a magnet, but should be terminated with an iron rod?
It seems that cantilever resonance is of very high Q, crosstalk looks fine quite high up in frequency. Spec says induced magnet.
 
It seems that cantilever resonance is of very high Q, crosstalk looks fine quite high up in frequency. Spec says induced magnet.

The manufacturer recommends 100 Ohm/ <100 pf for (original needle). We do not know what type of needle is produced by Jico.
There are many substitute needles that are MM type needles, and the original was fitted with an MI type needle.

JPG.jpg
 
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You'll poke someone's eye out with that! @VinyLuke Anyway - indeed, thanks for taking one for the team!

Is it Jico's elliptical or shibata? My guess is the spike will be bad either way... I used to be drawn to the idea of buying Jico/Tonar shibatas (or LPGear vitals) for old classics, this thread has helped me steer clear of that. I did have that LPGear stylus for Pickering 4500Q though, with similar results - excellent crosstalk, though.

And yes, just as with the Pickering, the Empire catridge is low inductance and lower capacitance will have a very marginal effect on that horrible spike.
 
You'll poke someone's eye out with that! @VinyLuke Anyway - indeed, thanks for taking one for the team!

Is it Jico's elliptical or shibata? My guess is the spike will be bad either way... I used to be drawn to the idea of buying Jico/Tonar shibatas (or LPGear vitals) for old classics, this thread has helped me steer clear of that. I did have that LPGear stylus for Pickering 4500Q though, with similar results - excellent crosstalk, though.

And yes, just as with the Pickering, the Empire catridge is low inductance and lower capacitance will have a very marginal effect on that horrible spike.

@VinyLuke A few months ago I was thinking of using a similar stylus (LP Gear version) with a higher inductance Empire body. I forget which one right now as I have been away from my set-up for a while and there are so many different ones out there. Empire was a hot mess with all those options in the 1970s. Perhaps the 999 TE/X Improved? I have a bunch of bodies with dead styli and I completely forgot to order styli during Black Friday.

Perhaps the results are better with such a body. I'd experiment. But double check fit first.

Empire 999 TE_X Measurements.jpg



Empire 4000D_III Measurements - Stereo Review 1975 03.jpg
 
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@VinyLuke I was also thinking of using a similar stylus (LP Gear version) with a higher inductance Empire body. I forget which one right now as I have been away from my set-up for a while and there are numerous bodies floating around. They were a mess for a while. 999 TE/X Improved? I have a bunch of random bodies with dead styli. Completely forgot to order styli during Black Friday.

Perhaps the results are better there. I'd experiment. But double check fit first.
True! I forget which of all the different 999's that is, but of the more commons ones, one of the 2000E's could work, and pretty sure there are also high inductance versions of the 66's. There's a thread with just inductance and resistance measurements of Empire carts over on Audiokarma.
 
I believe that may be a misprint, as the other two say 100K ohms.
Yes, that's a misprint, it should be 100 kOhm
I suspect that this resistance was set for quadraphonic records, because the series was dedicated to quadraphonic records.
 
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