@halcro I propose again the unanswered question:
sony XL 88D
what good is that sphere-like pretuberance located near the cantilever?
sony XL 88D
what good is that sphere-like pretuberance located near the cantilever?
Who needs a Diamond Cantilever...? 💍
So suddenly, there seems to be a trend for Uber-LOMC cartridges released with Diamond Cantilevers...😱
As if the High-End MC cartridges were not already overpriced....?!
Orofon have released the MC-ANNA-DIAMOND after previously releasing the Limited Edition MC-CENTURY...also with Diamond Cantilever.
Then there’s the KOETSU BLOODSTONE PLATINUM and DYNAVECTOR KARAT 17D2 and ZYX ULTIMATE DIAMOND and probably several more.
But way back in 1980....Sony released a Diamond-Cantilevered version of its fine XL-88 LOMC Cartridge.
Imaginatively....they named this model the XL-88D and, because it was the most expensive phono cartridge in the world (costing 7500DM which was more expensive than a Volkswagen at the time)....Sony, cleverly disguised this rare beast to look EXACTLY like its ’cheap’ brother with its complex hybrid cantilever of "special light metal held by a carbon-fibre pipe both being held again by a rigid aluminium pipe".
The DIAMOND CANTILEVER on the 88D however......was a thing of BEAUTY and technological achievement, being formed from ONE PIECE OF DIAMOND including the stylus 🤯🙏🏽
I’ve owned the XL-88 for many years and recently discovered that it was my best (and favourite) cartridge when mounted in the heavy Fidelity Research S-3 Headshell on the SAEC WE-8000/ST 12" Tonearm around my VICTOR TT-101 TURNTABLE.
Without knowing this in advance.....I would not have been prepared to bid the extraordinary prices (at a Japanese Auction Site) that these rare cartridges keep commanding.
To find one in such STUNNING CONDITION with virtually no visible wear was beyond my expectations 😃
So how does it sound.....?
Is there a difference to the standard XL-88?
Is the Diamond Cantilever worth the huge price differential?
Is the Pope a Catholic....?
This cartridge simply ’blows my mind’...which is hard to do when I’ve had over 80 cartridges on 10 different arms mounted on two different turntables 🤯
As Syntax said on another Thread:-
But now I’ve bought myself a nightmarish scenario.......
There is no replacement stylus for this cartridge!
There is no replacement cantilever for this cartridge!
Each time I play records with it, I am ’killing’ it a bit more 🥴😥
If I knew how long I had left to live......I could program my ’listening sessions’ 🤪
But failing this.....I can’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable listening to this amazing machine.
As if the High-End MC cartridges were not already overpriced....?!
Orofon have released the MC-ANNA-DIAMOND after previously releasing the Limited Edition MC-CENTURY...also with Diamond Cantilever.
Then there’s the KOETSU BLOODSTONE PLATINUM and DYNAVECTOR KARAT 17D2 and ZYX ULTIMATE DIAMOND and probably several more.
But way back in 1980....Sony released a Diamond-Cantilevered version of its fine XL-88 LOMC Cartridge.
Imaginatively....they named this model the XL-88D and, because it was the most expensive phono cartridge in the world (costing 7500DM which was more expensive than a Volkswagen at the time)....Sony, cleverly disguised this rare beast to look EXACTLY like its ’cheap’ brother with its complex hybrid cantilever of "special light metal held by a carbon-fibre pipe both being held again by a rigid aluminium pipe".
The DIAMOND CANTILEVER on the 88D however......was a thing of BEAUTY and technological achievement, being formed from ONE PIECE OF DIAMOND including the stylus 🤯🙏🏽
I’ve owned the XL-88 for many years and recently discovered that it was my best (and favourite) cartridge when mounted in the heavy Fidelity Research S-3 Headshell on the SAEC WE-8000/ST 12" Tonearm around my VICTOR TT-101 TURNTABLE.
Without knowing this in advance.....I would not have been prepared to bid the extraordinary prices (at a Japanese Auction Site) that these rare cartridges keep commanding.
To find one in such STUNNING CONDITION with virtually no visible wear was beyond my expectations 😃
So how does it sound.....?
Is there a difference to the standard XL-88?
Is the Diamond Cantilever worth the huge price differential?
Is the Pope a Catholic....?
This cartridge simply ’blows my mind’...which is hard to do when I’ve had over 80 cartridges on 10 different arms mounted on two different turntables 🤯
As Syntax said on another Thread:-
When you have 2 identical carts, one regular cantilever and the other one with diamond cantilever (Koetsu Stones for example), the one with diamond cantilever shows more details, is a bit sharper in focus and the soundstage is a bit deeper and wider. They can sound a bit more detailed overall with improved dynamicsI’ll leave it at that for the time being. I will soon upload to YouTube, the sound comparisons between the two Sony versions on my HEAR MY CARTRIDGES THREAD.
But now I’ve bought myself a nightmarish scenario.......
There is no replacement stylus for this cartridge!
There is no replacement cantilever for this cartridge!
Each time I play records with it, I am ’killing’ it a bit more 🥴😥
If I knew how long I had left to live......I could program my ’listening sessions’ 🤪
But failing this.....I can’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable listening to this amazing machine.
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- 358 posts total
Sorry @best-groove, I didn't understand what you were referring to in your previous query.... PROTUBERANCE is something I hadn't previously noticed and I have absolutely no idea what it is or what's its purpose 🤔 If it's any consolation.... the standard Sony XL-88 has exactly the same thing 👀 |
Chakster, I agree that the boron pipe and beryllium are no longer available but I was referring to the quoted text for my response. The way the vintage cantilever and stylus mounted together is different from almost anything new. Aside from the one piece diamond cantilever/tip combo, what historical method of mounting a diamond to a cantilever is no longer available today? Dovers only complaint seems to be centered on the visual look opposed to the actual quality / strength of the junction and I do not consider that alone to be a valid judgement of quality. Under a microscope, the namiki Sapphire cantilever/microridge combo is a thing of beauty but the "retipped" boron / microridge combo sounds substantially better in my experiences. dave |
@intactaudio I posted before, but look again, those are vintage: This is Sapphire Astrion cantilever of ADC. This is Beryllium cantilever of Victor X1II. This is Titanium Pipe of Victor X1IIE This is Boron Pipe of Technics 205c mk4 This is RUBY cantilever of Dynavector This is Diamond cantilever of Dynavector Aside from the one piece diamond cantilever/tip combo, what historical method of mounting a diamond to a cantilever is no longer available today? Modern method is normally a drop of glue on a rod type cantilevers around stylus tip. SoundSmith methos is a drop of glue in front of the cantilever. Same for Ortofon method. As you know they can’t use a proper method like this anymore, because they don’t have Boron Pipe any longer. Since the Boron considered the most advanced type of the cantilever this this is where we have big difference between old vs. new methods. This is old method, it’s Grace LEVEL II Boron Pipe / Micro Ridge. Nowadays they might have titanium pipe or zirconia pipe, but not Boron Pipe. Under a microscope, the namiki Sapphire cantilever/microridge combo is a thing of beauty but the "retipped" boron / microridge combo sounds substantially better in my experiences. I am not trying to say what is better, this is a personal thing, I’m trying to show a difference on pictures. But comparing same cart with different styli (genuine vs. re-cantilevered) the Boron Pipe was the best sounding and it was genuine. And Technics explained why. My example is Technics because I can’t add any documents from Grace, Audio-Technica, Sony .... buy Boron Pipe was their choice too (along with Beryllium) for the most expensive models up to the late ’80s - early ’90s. |
- 358 posts total