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[Test Note] Check Empire 2000E/III on my setup

Empire 2000E/III

The Empire 2000E/III works as an upper mid-range MM cartridge that plugs straight into any standard MM phono input. Its elliptical stylus carries the designation S2000E/III and can be swapped by the owner. Rated tracking force runs from 0.75 to 1.5 grams with a nominal setting of 1.0 gram. Phono Culture lists three compatible replacement styli for this model.

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Stylus: S2000E/III
Type: ММ
Stylus Shape: Elliptical[ radii (mil / µm) 0.2×0.7 (≈5.1×17.8 µm) ]
Class: Upper Mid-Range

Mounting: standard 1/2"
Tracking Force: 0.75–1.5 g (nominal 1.0 g)
Cantilever: aluminum

Additional Info

The Empire 2000E/III leans toward a warm, forgiving character with genuinely natural vocals and confident dynamics. Its bass feels dense and full-bodied rather than lean, while the sense of space stays wide and stable, so busier passages remain easy on the ears. The elliptical stylus on an aluminum cantilever favors jazz, vocal records and relaxed listening on modest to mid-tier systems. The stylus is user-replaceable, so no retipping is needed when it wears.

Replacement styluses for Empire 2000E/III

JICO	S-2000E/III	Elliptical
Empire	S2000E/III (237-DET)	Elliptical
LP Gear	EMPS2000EIII	Elliptical

Sound × Setup

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Collectors

add 11/12/2025 · upd. 08/02/2026