Ortofon Stylus 78 Replacement Stylus

Deciding if the Ortofon Stylus 78 is the right stylus for your setup

The Ortofon Stylus 78 is a stylus, not a complete cartridge, and it's built for a single purpose: playing 78 r.p.m. records on a cartridge body that already supports it. The buying decision rests on two things: whether you need to play 78 r.p.m. discs at all, and whether you already own one of the specific cartridge bodies it fits.

What is the Ortofon Stylus 78 designed to play?

The Ortofon Stylus 78 is recommended for playing 78 r.p.m. records. Ortofon lists it as the matching stylus for this format when fitted to a compatible cartridge, rather than as a general-purpose replacement for standard vinyl speeds.

Which cartridges is it compatible with?

It is compatible with all Super OM, OM, OMB, OMP, TM, and Concorde STD cartridges. If you already own a cartridge from one of these ranges, the Stylus 78 lets you fit it for 78 r.p.m. playback without buying a separate cartridge body.

What tracking force and angle does it require?

The Ortofon Stylus 78 is specified with a tracking force range of 1.75–2.25 g (17.5–22.5 mN), a recommended tracking force of 2.0 g (20 mN), and a tracking angle of 20°. These are the figures to set on your tonearm once the stylus is fitted.

What are its stylus type and tip specifications?

It is a spherical stylus with a tip radius of 65 µm. Ortofon's own material on stylus shapes describes the spherical type as the simplest and least expensive to produce, and recommends it in cases where robustness and economy are the priorities in a cartridge purchase, in contrast with the elliptical or Fine Line shapes it describes as tracking groove modulation more accurately. Cartridge weight for the stylus itself is listed as 1 g, and the stylus is finished in black.

How is its performance specified across the frequency range?

Its frequency response is rated at 20 Hz–20 kHz, 2/−3 dB, with a tracking ability of 60 µm at 315 Hz and a dynamic lateral compliance of 15 µm/mN. These three figures describe how the stylus behaves mechanically once fitted; the source material doesn't provide listening impressions or comparative figures for other styli to set them against.

Where does the Ortofon Stylus 78 sit in Ortofon's stylus range?

The Ortofon Stylus 78 is listed alongside other separate stylus products in Ortofon's range, including the Stylus 20, Stylus 10, and Stylus D 25 M. The source material doesn't give specifications for these alternatives, so a direct comparison isn't possible from what's provided; the distinguishing fact available is that the Stylus 78 is the one specified for 78 r.p.m. playback. A user guide for it is available to download directly from Ortofon.