HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

I bought this, anyone recognise the cartridge. I think it may be Ortofon F15 series.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-cell ... true&rt=nc

Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:08 pm I bought this, anyone recognise the cartridge. I think it may be Ortofon F15 series.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-cell ... true&rt=nc

Could be. Way back in the mists of time I had an FF15E. I think it's body was grey painted.

It could also be a VMS20/30 type body.

It's either an F or FF 15 body (matt finish as the VMS's from 10e II upwards had shiny finish) or unlikely, a later VMS 3 or 5 body - the VMS 5e replaced the FF 15E I recall and sounds broadly similar.

What you've got to do is look on the elongated locating keyway, as despite the body innards being broadly the same (apart from the location of the inducing magnet), some styli fit some bodies and not others.

If it's 'period,' an F/FF elliptical stylus is the one to get, but mine isn't that good compared to an AT95E so maybe not bother? If you really want to take it further, remind me and I'll bring the styli down to try in the body to confirm.

As it is fixed in the headshell it would be a shame not to try it. I have ordered one, I looked at Jico, can't justify their prices for a try job, so got a cheapish ebay one.

SteveTheShadow wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:42 pm

Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:08 pm I bought this, anyone recognise the cartridge. I think it may be Ortofon F15 series.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-cell ... true&rt=nc

Could be. Way back in the mists of time I had an FF15E. I think it's body was grey painted.

It could also be a VMS20/30 type body.

I agree the stylus mounting looks very much like that of my VMS30

Here's my VMS 20E

They all seem to look like that, grey mat body indicates mine is a F15 I think.

You need to look at the keyway in the body - I can't post pics right now so typing words will just have to do.

M15 and M20 series used a matt gold coloured body and if my M20 FL Super and old M20 Super stylus are anything to go by, the tiny ring magnet is on the stylus assembly I think and the styli are not compatible with the similar looking non-gold later bodies I believe.

VMS models 10 to 30 had a shiny polished 'chrome colour' outer case.

VMS 3, 5 and earlier F15 and FF15 models had an unpolished matt coloured metal case but I believe the internals were similar.

The MAIN difference in these latter VMS and F-FF ones is the keyway, as some styli fit some bodies and not others.

All these models benefit from high capacitive loading and on the VMS20e II, it was clearly audible when my ears were better. Ortofon made a little thing called a CAP210 which fitted 'around' the pins on the back. Rare now separately and one has to buy a gash old VMS cartridge for silly collector-money now to get one.

How do I know all this sh*t? We sold 'hundreds' of Duals in the late 70's and so many went out with Ortofons as part of the package. I was the one who fitted and set them all up in our busy West End store at the time.


What I may do is to take some pics of the F-FF and its body as well as the VMS5e and body, and post on my VE 'gallery' for some kind of reference for the future.

It has a square keyway and a matt finish grey body. I have ordered a F15e stylus.

I used to have a VMS with the Cap fitted to a Dual. I recall buying an Elite parabolic stylus for it.