Where’s the place to buy phono carts now?

dromunds

A buddy somehow snapped the stylus off a Denon DL-80a cartridge. It’s apparently discontinued so he’s looking for a new cart for his Denon 37F TT (IIRC). Since Needle Doctor bit the big one where’s the place to look for carts now? Thanks

Mike Reeter

I've purchased from here before with good luck

https://www.lpgear.com/category/CARTRIDGESPEC.html

aprazer402

Do you mean a DL-8A ? I've bought from Turntables and Needles in the past. Looks like they are out of stock on the stylus for a DL-8A (Bliss 9765). I have a DL-37F not in rotation, but it has the stock Denon DL-65 cart. on it. I'm sure others will fit.
https://www.turntableneedles.com/Needle-7965_p_1540.html

EDIT: I found out there is a DL-80A cartridge. The replacement stylus is fairly rare and expensive.

https://www.thakker.eu/en/needles/columbia-denon-dsn-80-mc-stylus-for-dl-80-a-mc-genuine-stylus/a-5795/

https://mrstylus.com/en/product/dsn-80/

https://snvinyl.co.uk/Denon-DL-80-A-Denon-DSN-80

dromunds

It’s weird, I looked at his stylus just now with a magnifier and in fact the diamond appears to be intact! He gets nothing out of the turntable. I hooked up an external phono amp and still no sound whatsoever. I’ve never had a TT that produced no sound whatsoever but starting to think it may be Tt issue as I’ve never had a cart that suddenly produced no sound whatsoever.

tratliff

Mike Reeter wrote: »

I've purchased from here before with good luck

https://www.lpgear.com/category/CARTRIDGESPEC.html

I purchased my last cart from lpgear.com also. Transaction worked itself out but it moved rather slow and communications were not the best.

aprazer402

That is strange. Did you in fact try to play a record? Here's the user and service manuals from Vinyl Engine. Not much on page ten of the user manual troubleshooting -"no sound". The cartridge may be shot. Good luck.

Strange looking stylus, did you remove it to see if there were any broken wires inside?

dromunds

Yes, I played an album and no sound out of system. I started another thread. I also think cart may be shot but I have never had a cart actually totally suddenly fail in my life. Weird.

jdjohn

If it took a hit, the coil wires may have broken off the pin leads.

dromunds

Thanks, I will switch the cart out to a Nagaoka MP-110 and see if that works. I'm not aware of it taking a hit, but who knows it's my buddy's TT.

Mike Reeter

tratliff wrote: »

Mike Reeter wrote: »

I've purchased from here before with good luck

https://www.lpgear.com/category/CARTRIDGESPEC.html

I purchased my last cart from lpgear.com also. Transaction worked itself out but it moved rather slow and communications were not the best.

I've heard of this before, I'd say they were out of stock and had to order it in, and then ship to you. Just a guess, but the owner is not real 'Chatty" thats for sure.

dromunds

jdjohn wrote: »

If it took a hit, the coil wires may have broken off the pin leads.

Well, I asked my buddy again if it could've taken a hit and he says that could have happened during a move. Apparently, he hasn't played the TT since then. I think I'll be replacing the cart and I'll bet that takes care of it.

mhardy6647

Not to be a jerk but... did you (the OP) or your friend determine that the issue's not with the cables? My experience with loose/intermittent RCA phono plug connections at the end of (captive, usually) phono cables runs both deep and wide

Just a thought.

dromunds

I thought of that when installing the external phono preamp and it does not appear to be the cables.

jdjohn

Have you checked the continuity of the coils?