LP Gear Styli for Panasonic Cartridges

[Doug G.]

Hi everybody.

I just wanted to ask if anybody has tried the LP Gear replacement styli for the EPC cartridges and how they work.

Specifically, I got an EPC-450C-II really cheap, and I like the sound of it, but I can tell the stylus is worn as it has trouble tracking the carrier as it gets toward the center of the record.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[Doug G.]

Alright already, that's enough responses!

Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore as I got a genuine from eBay for 15 bucks!

I'm using a Panasonic SE-405 demodulator which provides the bias voltage necessary with these semiconductor cartridges.

This cartridge sounds terrific! I would almost go so far as to say it sounds better than any of my magnetics which include: Pickering XUV-4500Q, Empire 4000 D/I, Audio Technica AT912Sa, Stanton 780, and a couple others.

I say almost go so far because I haven't done enough comparing yet but the midrange is really good and there seems to be little things that pop out of the background that were hard to notice before.

It's especially neat since the whole thing cost me about $25.00!

BTW, the EPC-450C-II is constructed like the EPC-451C instead of the earlier regular EPC-450C and uses the same stylus as the later model.

Doug

 

[sKiZo]

Huh? Wha??
Zzzzzzzzzzzz ...

Anyway, I was out of luck getting an official stylus for my trusty ol' AT Nude! Shibata!! and stumbled across LP Gear's site where they were offering a Universal clone. Pleasantly surprised at the quality even if the price was a bit scary. I also picked up on one of their calibration kits.

Be forewarned, their headshells are for shite, or maybe I'm just lucky. The one I got was disappointing at best. It went <sproing!> when I tried tightening it to the arm - come to find out the locator pin was set too deep and wouldn't catch properly. Pulled it out a bit with a pair of needlenose and - well, yah, it stayed on, but nowhere near parallel to the vinyl. Took a bench vise to fix that. It actually works now, and all the cleat marks and divots make an interesting conversation piece, ok.

** My fave everyday cartridge is an old Pickering XV15 that came off an old junk table I picked up for parts.

 

[fantao]

I haven't tried the lpgear replacement stylus but I bought a couple of other cheaper ones ($20) for my EPC-451C.

One is a Pfanstiehl 672-DQ (there is also a 672-D7 but that is described as having a conical tip). The other is said to be Japanese made replacement, sold by Turntable Experts (on that auction site). Interestingly, the Pfanstiehl packaging says it is made in the US. Actually, the two look like they were made by the manufacturer, for instance having the same mold marks.

Under high magnification there are some slight differences in the stylus tips but I believe that they are just manufacturing variances. The one from Turntable Experts has a lot more glue residue. The tips do look like they could be Shibata type, but the quality of finish is a bit rough, commensurate with the price.

Ed Saunders also sells a stylus for the Panasonics, at a much higher price (about $50). No mention if it's original or a replacement. Anyone try that one?

Unfortunately I'm not yet able to evaluate the sound of the cartridge and stylus as I don't have the proper preamp. I plan to build my own.

 

[Doug G.]

Welcome to QQ and thanks for the great pictures!

When Pfanstiehl uses a three digit base number (672) and then the letter designations (DQ), it means that that stylus is OEM. When there is a "4" preceding the three digit number, it means it is an aftermarket stylus.

So, it appears that one should be genuine but does look quite a bit different from the one I got that has the gold sticker on it with "EPS-451QD" on it. It does look like the Pfanstiehl and TT expert styli are the same. Just manufacturing differences.

You can never rule out swapping in a non-genuine stylus for an original though. I get real suspicious if it looks like the package has been tampered with.

It does look like those are Shibata. Are they bonded or nude? My genuine one is nude.

BTW, you can get rid of the excess glue by scraping a razor blade along the sides of the stylus. It knocks the glue right off without harm.

Good luck on the preamp. As an alternative, you could get a Panasonic or Technics quad demodulator and use it for a preamp. Just a suggestion if you don't want to wait.

Doug

 

[fantao]

Both replacement styli look like they are mounted to a metal shank, you can kind of see that in the photos, so I guess they are not "nude". My cartridge came with the original stylus, with the same gold "EPS-451QD" sticker but unfortunately no cantilever so I can't compare the needles. The plastic molding however is obviously different on the original.

I have bought Pfanstiehl styli before that were said to be from the original OEM but looked different from the original (for an Empire cartridge, same bonded diamond difference). Either they're wrong about the original OEM, or the OEM changed their manufacturing, or parts have been switched around as you say. I find it hard to believe that an OEM for Panasonic is in the USA and not Japan.

Thanks for the advice on the Technics and Panasonic, I've seen them come up for auction and might possibly get one if I can get it cheap.

 

[Doug G.]

I guess if I had actually been thinking, I would have realized that, with the glue excess where it is, those styli have to be bonded.

It's tough out there getting good CD-4 styli for some cartridges. I bought a supposedly genuine Empire 4000 D/III stylus and it ended up being an Astatic replacement. Not bad in and of itself because Astatic replacements are generally pretty good. It even had a tapered cantilever like the originals.

However, it performed terribly with CD-4 and so I got my money back. It wouldn't even track the easy parts of a record (outer grooves). I guess it's possible that the rubber in the suspension had hardened up but it didn't really feel like it.

The fact remains that the aftermarket stylus business was (and is) fraught with many variables and even styli supplied by some of the cartridge makers were inconsistent through the years. Empire, for example, had a line of replacement styli for their and other manufacturers cartridges late in the life of the company and some of them are not necessarily at the same quality level as previous lots.

My 4000 D/III is still without a good stylus. :^( About the only ones I can find are at Turntable Needles and Turntable Belts and they are 160 bucks!

Doug

 

[Decoder Man]

Doug,

I had a similar problem with an "EMPIRE 999 SEX/Improved". Every supplier kept sending me the wrong styli. By a fluke I found out that EMPIRE was taken over by Russell Industries. I contacted them at: [email protected] and was able to get the correct stylus.

I hope this helps you. If not now, perhaps in the future.

Dave

 

[Doug G.]

Thanks for that info, Dave!

The sad part is I have had a link to them for years and completely forgot about it. Too many bookmarks, I guess :^)

I'll write them and see if they have a replacement for the 4000D cartridges and also to see if they do, will it cost the proverbial arm and leg.

Thanks again,

Doug

 

[toto]

I haven't tried the lpgear replacement stylus but I bought a couple of other cheaper ones ($20) for my EPC-451C.

There's a high quality replacement stylus assembly called Model EPS46QD available from Jico, a Japanese OEM that also sells direct.

It's a true Shibata for US$87.00 + postage. They also made a budget conical Model EPS46 for $22.00.

I haven't tried either one, but they have a good reputation, as opposed to Pfanstiehl, whose stuff is cheap for a reason.