[david freeman]

Hi
I have at least 50 stereo records from the 1960’s, kept in pristine condition from new, but played many times on a Dansette A35 Stereophonic with a TC8S cartridge at about 7 gms stylus pressure.

50 years on, most of these records play well on my hifi system with an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge with no lack of stereo separation and only mild treble stridency and surface noise.
My view is that these cartridges were not as bad as their reputation suggests and that record wear is more a function of careless handling than poor cartridge performance.