Replacement Styli

The PS-F5 and PS-F9 were originally sold with a blue Sony branded ND-144G stylus manufactured by Audio Technica. Other styli are available which provide better sound quality and longer life. Here Patrick Radzewitz compares the different options.

Original PS-F5 / PS-F9 Stylus: Sony ND-144G OEM Replacement Stylus for Sony PS-F5 / PS-F9
Stylus: Sony ND-144G Stylus: Audio Technica ATN-51S (or 52S, 53S)
Stylus tip: 0,6 mil spherical diamond, bonded Stylus tip: 0,6 mil spherical diamond, bonded
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20.000Hz Frequency response: 20Hz – 20.000Hz
Compliance: n/a* Compliance: 9 µm/mN*
Tracking force: 1,7g Tracking force: 1,0g – 1,8g
Stylus life time: app. 400 hours Stylus life time: app. 400 hours
Info: This is the original stylus included with the PS-F5 and was sold as genuine replacement stylus by Sony. Stylus was manufactured by Audio Technica for Sony and is not longer available. Info: The ATN-51S should be Audio Technica’s equivalent for the ND-144G, as far as one can see from the technical data. This red stylus was made by Audio Technica for Sanyo. ATN-51S styli can be found in different colours, average price €20.- to €25.-.
*All values for the ND-144G taken from Sony PS-F5 Service manual. Compliance is not mentioned there. *Audio Technica measures compliance at 100Hz. By European and American standards compliance is measured at 10Hz. The compliance value for this stylus at 10Hz should be around 18-20 µm/mN.
OEM Replacement Stylus for Sony PS-F5 / PS-F9 OEM Replacement Stylus for Sony PS-F5 / PS-F9
Stylus: Audio Technica ATN-51E (or 52E, 53E) Stylus: Audio Technica ATN-55XE (or 57XE, 59XE)
Stylus tip: 0,4 mil elliptical diamond, bonded Stylus tip: 0,3 mil elliptical diamond, nude
Frequency response: 20Hz – 22.000Hz Frequency response: 15Hz – 25.000Hz
Compliance: 9 µm/mN* Compliance: 9 µm/mN*
Tracking force: 1,0g -1,8g Tracking force: 1,0g -1,8g
Stylus life time: app. 600-800 hours Stylus life time: app. 1,200 hours
Info: The ATN-51E is the cheapest way to upgrade the Sony PS-F5 or PS-F9. Its elliptical tip is sharper than the spherical one of the ND-144G and therefore can track the record groove more precisely. Average price €25.- to €35.-. Info: Best replacement stylus available for the Sony PS-F5 / PS-F9. The elliptical diamond is nude (complete stone, not bonded) and even sharper than the ATN-51E. The nude diamond should last 1,200 hours, average price is €40.- to €50.-.

Further information and PDF manual download is available from Vinyl Engine
*Audio Technica measures compliance at 100Hz. By European and American standards compliance is measured at 10Hz. The compliance value for this stylus at 10Hz should be around 18-20 µm/mN.