Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

my quest · 23rd Sep 2018, 4:28 pm

Hello everyone. I'm a newbie here to this super site! And I apologise if this question has already been answered before...

I'm in the process of re-commissioning my vinyl collection and hardware.
I have taken my old Rotel RP3000 out of mothballs and set that up with my hifi system - and that's working fine for my own stereo vinyl collection.

However... seveteen years ago, I inherited from my late father-in-law his collection of LPs (mono and stereo) and 78s (approx 600 or so). He bought these mainly from charity shops and car boot sales etc., so they haven't been kept meticulously. They have languished in my loft since then, while I re-purchased my favouite music on CD, haha....LOL. Anyway - now I have two very young grand-daughters and I want them to be experience the joys and fun of vinyl rather than just their digital world of Spotify and Sonos.

I've purchased a very nice Bush SRP31 with Garrard 210 autochanger - to play my father-in-laws collection - and to let our girls do so when they are old enough.

And this is where I need help and advice please. The SRP31 would have come originally with a mono cartridge, I believe. I've read here in old posts and from the Garrard service sheets that in order not to damage stereo records, a stereo compatible cartridge and stylus is required. The existing cartridge doesn't appear to have a model number but the flip under stylus has LPS in black on one side and LPS ST15 in orange on the other... and as you can see from the photo, there has been some soldering... :-(

My questions are, what cartridge and stylus can I use to play mono and stereo 33s and 45s, and 78s (without damaging the stereo records) on this Bush SRP31? And will I need to change the wiring to the 4 pins on the head shell?

Thanks in anticipation.

leslie5555 · 23rd Sep 2018, 6:46 pm

I may be wrong but that looks like a BSR X3M which is a stereo compatible cartridge.
To be sure you can remove it from its mounting clip and look to see what it says on the body.
If you do remove it you have to be very careful so as not to pull the tiny wires that are connected to the cartridge, they come of and are very difficult to refit.

Audio1950 · 23rd Sep 2018, 6:52 pm

That's definitely a stereo-compatible cartridge, so you can play stereo records without damage. There is no need to change anything in the headshell, as this cartridge already joins the stereo signals from the record.

Radio tirana · 23rd Sep 2018, 7:11 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum,
I think you already have a stereo compatable cartridge fitted wired for mono so that both left and right channels are reproduced from the mono amplifier and speaker in the player. I dont recognise the exact type it looks similar to a Garrard KS40A although these are usualy black , originally it would have been fitted with a turnover type Mono cartrige with a small lever at the front of the headshell hence the semicircular cutout.
You should not have to change the wiring.

Kind regards RT

my quest · 23rd Sep 2018, 7:47 pm

Hello all and thanks for the speedy replies.

I took the plunge (for me at least!) and unclipped the cartridge and sure enough on the top was the make and model - BSR X3M - as you can see in the photo.

So - it is stereo compliant and it is wired for mono - which is great.

However, can you please advise about the stylus.

Will the existing one play 78s? Which side do I use for which type of record?

One is marked LPS and the other LPS ST15

regards

leslie5555 · 23rd Sep 2018, 8:26 pm

That stylus is not for 78s what you need to buy is a st8 or st10 stylus which should have LPs on one side and 78 on the other.
Look for Musonic online and they should have the stylus search for BSR St8

my quest · 23rd Sep 2018, 9:37 pm

Many thanks to leslie5555.

tracypaper · 25th Sep 2018, 6:24 pm

Hi.
It is a MONO cartridge fitted to a mono record player and therefore does not have two channels. It is safe for stereo records as everyone else has stated.
Most Bush SRP31s were fitted with an actual stereo cartridge but to achieve stereo you need an add on amp.
Gaz.

af024 · 25th Sep 2018, 9:56 pm

Looking at this great thread ...
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=119339
It looks like the X3M takes ST4 or ST4?

ben · 25th Sep 2018, 11:30 pm

If it is an x3M you need ST3 or 4, NOT ST8/9/10. This error came up again recently in fact!

It will look almost the same as the ST15 that is in there currently, but has a slightly longer shank. Ensure what you buy has the 78 tip (I don't think I've ever seen one of those without one, but you never know).

The ST15 does not have a 78 tip, so you can play them but will get added surface noise.

One question before you go shopping: does it work?

leslie5555 · 26th Sep 2018, 7:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by leslie5555

That stylus is not for 78s what you need to buy is a st8 or st10 stylus which should have LPs on one side and 78 on the other.
Look for Musonic online and they should have the stylus search for BSR St8

Sorry for the mistake I was only going by what is in my X3M.
So which cartridge or cartridges would the ST8 ST9 and ST10 be suitable for?

Edward Huggins · 26th Sep 2018, 8:17 pm

The BSR ST8/9/10 are low compliance styli usually fitted to high-output-cartridges such as the BSRX5H. However, that is a different type of cartridge to your existing BSRX3M and would not be suitable for use in your Bush SRP31. As already asked, is your cartridge working OK?

Michael Maurice · 26th Sep 2018, 11:42 pm

You may find the deck is in need of a service, The rectifier in the amplifier will almost certainly have failed.

One other thing, if the amplifier uses ECL83 valves then they could start to run into grid current.

my quest · 29th Sep 2018, 2:33 pm

Thank you Ben, Edward, Gaz for the informatiom. Much appreciated..

The SRP31 works beautifully (to my ear!) with the ST15 using both styli on both mono and stereo 45s and 33s.

I will, however, take Ben's advice and get the ST3 or ST4

Many thanks again to all!

regards

23rd Sep 2018, 4:28 pm	#1
my quest Diode Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 4	Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus Hello everyone. I'm a newbie here to this super site! And I apologise if this question has already been answered before... I'm in the process of re-commissioning my vinyl collection and hardware. I have taken my old Rotel RP3000 out of mothballs and set that up with my hifi system - and that's working fine for my own stereo vinyl collection. However... seveteen years ago, I inherited from my late father-in-law his collection of LPs (mono and stereo) and 78s (approx 600 or so). He bought these mainly from charity shops and car boot sales etc., so they haven't been kept meticulously. They have languished in my loft since then, while I re-purchased my favouite music on CD, haha....LOL. Anyway - now I have two very young grand-daughters and I want them to be experience the joys and fun of vinyl rather than just their digital world of Spotify and Sonos. I've purchased a very nice Bush SRP31 with Garrard 210 autochanger - to play my father-in-laws collection - and to let our girls do so when they are old enough. And this is where I need help and advice please. The SRP31 would have come originally with a mono cartridge, I believe. I've read here in old posts and from the Garrard service sheets that in order not to damage stereo records, a stereo compatible cartridge and stylus is required. The existing cartridge doesn't appear to have a model number but the flip under stylus has LPS in black on one side and LPS ST15 in orange on the other... and as you can see from the photo, there has been some soldering... :-( My questions are, what cartridge and stylus can I use to play mono and stereo 33s and 45s, and 78s (without damaging the stereo records) on this Bush SRP31? And will I need to change the wiring to the 4 pins on the head shell? Thanks in anticipation. Attached Thumbnails

23rd Sep 2018, 6:46 pm	#2
leslie5555 Heptode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 692	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus I may be wrong but that looks like a BSR X3M which is a stereo compatible cartridge. To be sure you can remove it from its mounting clip and look to see what it says on the body. If you do remove it you have to be very careful so as not to pull the tiny wires that are connected to the cartridge, they come of and are very difficult to refit. Last edited by leslie5555; 23rd Sep 2018 at 6:46 pm. Reason: Typo

23rd Sep 2018, 6:52 pm	#3
Audio1950 Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 3,761	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus That's definitely a stereo-compatible cartridge, so you can play stereo records without damage. There is no need to change anything in the headshell, as this cartridge already joins the stereo signals from the record.

23rd Sep 2018, 7:11 pm	#4
Radio tirana Pentode Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 171	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus Hi and welcome to the forum, I think you already have a stereo compatable cartridge fitted wired for mono so that both left and right channels are reproduced from the mono amplifier and speaker in the player. I dont recognise the exact type it looks similar to a Garrard KS40A although these are usualy black , originally it would have been fitted with a turnover type Mono cartrige with a small lever at the front of the headshell hence the semicircular cutout. You should not have to change the wiring. Kind regards RT

23rd Sep 2018, 7:47 pm	#5
my quest Diode Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus Hello all and thanks for the speedy replies. I took the plunge (for me at least!) and unclipped the cartridge and sure enough on the top was the make and model - BSR X3M - as you can see in the photo. So - it is stereo compliant and it is wired for mono - which is great. However, can you please advise about the stylus. Will the existing one play 78s? Which side do I use for which type of record? One is marked LPS and the other LPS ST15 regards Attached Thumbnails

23rd Sep 2018, 8:26 pm	#6
leslie5555 Heptode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 692	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus That stylus is not for 78s what you need to buy is a st8 or st10 stylus which should have LPs on one side and 78 on the other. Look for Musonic online and they should have the stylus search for BSR St8

23rd Sep 2018, 9:37 pm	#7
my quest Diode Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus Many thanks to leslie5555.

25th Sep 2018, 6:24 pm	#8
tracypaper Octode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,234	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus Hi. It is a MONO cartridge fitted to a mono record player and therefore does not have two channels. It is safe for stereo records as everyone else has stated. Most Bush SRP31s were fitted with an actual stereo cartridge but to achieve stereo you need an add on amp. Gaz.

25th Sep 2018, 9:56 pm	#9
af024 Octode Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ashby-de-la-Zouch (it's not by the sea) Posts: 1,255	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus Looking at this great thread ... https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=119339 It looks like the X3M takes ST4 or ST4? __________________ Now where on earth did I remove that from?

25th Sep 2018, 11:30 pm	#10
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus If it is an x3M you need ST3 or 4, NOT ST8/9/10. This error came up again recently in fact! It will look almost the same as the ST15 that is in there currently, but has a slightly longer shank. Ensure what you buy has the 78 tip (I don't think I've ever seen one of those without one, but you never know). The ST15 does not have a 78 tip, so you can play them but will get added surface noise. One question before you go shopping: does it work? __________________ Regards, Ben.

26th Sep 2018, 8:17 pm	#12
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,327	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus The BSR ST8/9/10 are low compliance styli usually fitted to high-output-cartridges such as the BSRX5H. However, that is a different type of cartridge to your existing BSRX3M and would not be suitable for use in your Bush SRP31. As already asked, is your cartridge working OK? __________________ Edward.

26th Sep 2018, 11:42 pm	#13
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,223	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus You may find the deck is in need of a service, The rectifier in the amplifier will almost certainly have failed. One other thing, if the amplifier uses ECL83 valves then they could start to run into grid current. __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

29th Sep 2018, 2:33 pm	#14
my quest Diode Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Bush SRP31 cartridge and stylus Thank you Ben, Edward, Gaz for the informatiom. Much appreciated.. The SRP31 works beautifully (to my ear!) with the ST15 using both styli on both mono and stereo 45s and 33s. I will, however, take Ben's advice and get the ST3 or ST4 Many thanks again to all! regards