Is a Ortofon Black a step down from a Pickering XSV 3000

Dear Chakster, I think you are getting a bit hysterical for nothing. What I am quibbling with is your use of the word “fake”. LP gear do not say that they are selling original Pickering or Stanton stylus assemblies. They admit they are selling substitutions for those items, because those items are long out of production. However, what they are selling does have some merit in that the stylus shape is Shibata. The correct StereoHedron falls into the category of “Shibata-like”, so at least close to ideal. If one cannot source an original replacement stylus assembly, the LP Gear product would seem to be a reasonable substitute that ought not to be much different in SQ from original. 

I lived through the history of Pickering and Stanton cartridges, and I even lived in New York City, and I have even been on Long Island many times. So I am well aware of the history. That has nothing to do with the present situation for owners of Pickering and Stanton cartridges.

by herb of stereophile.. I also feel. same way. 



AT-VM95C
I have a BFF relationship with the spherical-tipped Denon DL-103 moving coil, simply because it has never disappointed me while playing a record. The late Art Dudley campaigned for the spherical-tip cause, stating in Listening #186: "I continue to prefer the spherical experience—to me, it emphasizes musical content over air, allowing instruments and voices to sound more substantial, and music to sound, overall, less fussy than with other tip types." (The emphasis is his.)
I agree 100% with Art's observation: Spherical/conical-tipped cartridges emphasize "musical content" with force and vigor. And simplification. By eliminating some amounts of complex low-level spatial, atmospheric, and harmonic information, conical tips seem to expose the raw, beating core of humans playing music. That's why I love them.1220gramdr.ctip
Speaking of force and vigor, the AT-VM95C (conical)—which is even cheaper than the $49 elliptical version, at $34—sounded cool, fast, and powerful but also detailed and invigorating. It played complex recordings, like the Stravinsky Conducts Histoire Du Soldat Suite, with power-packed, pitch-perfect bass, a flawlessly toned and detailed midrange, and enough upper-octave energy to make trumpets, drums, and woodwinds sound lifelike and exciting. Drum impact was spectacular.
Music-pleasure–wise, Audio-Technica's VM95C was the most satisfying cartridge in this survey. It shifted my perspective and made me reconsider what I thought I knew about phonography.

Dear Chakster, I think you are getting a bit hysterical for nothing. What I am quibbling with is your use of the word “fake”. LP gear do not say that they are selling original Pickering or Stanton stylus assemblies.

I think I use this word correct. If you understand they are not selling GENUINE replacement other people have no clue what they are selling (and they sell many fake styli for many brands). I don’t care what type of stylus profile they are using (this is not the question here). Even if it’s aluminum cantilever it’s different from the original, not to mention SAMARIUM COBALT MAGNET used in the original Stanton/Pickering stylus.

If one cannot source an original replacement stylus assembly, the LP Gear product would seem to be a reasonable substitute that ought not to be much different in SQ from original.

If one can’t source the original it’s better to stay away from any vintage cartridges, because those fake styli is a huge compromise, it can be OK for some cheap cartridges, but for top of the line cartridges it’s not even close. Even JICO SAS is not better than some of the original styli which makes those vintage MM so special.

I lived through the history of Pickering and Stanton cartridges, and I even lived in New York City, and I have even been on Long Island many times. So I am well aware of the history. That has nothing to do with the present situation for owners of Pickering and Stanton cartridges.

Never been to United Stated, but in present situation (living in Russia) I have all the original styli, not only for Pickering and Stanton, but for many rare MM cartridges. If I am able to find them NOS living almost in the Arctic Circle then why do you always think that even living in the USA people can’t find them (it’s your local brand) and need those fake LP Gear styli ?

Stanton and Pickering are not so rare and not so expensive like some other Japanese cartridges from the same era for example.

In my opinion it’s important to support enthusiasm, but in your posts (almost in every post about vintage carts) I read so much pessimism, that’s not good @lewm

P.S. for MM cartridges retipping, refurbishing, fake styli ... are not good until we can find the original ! And we CAN, internet is great for searching.

Yes I’d  say so