RADAR is a price search engine. We link to the original listing — we never sell direct. Transactions happen on the source site.
Vintage Phono Stylus Lot - 110 Units NOS (New Old Stock) - Empire, Pfanstiehl, Audio Technica MC AT3230 & moreUp for sale extensive collection of 110 replacement styli (needles) for vintage turntables. All units are New Old Stock (NOS), many in their original factory-sealed packaging. This lot is perfect for vintage audio repair shops, record stores, or serious analog collectors.The collection features a wide variety of American and European brands, including highly sought-after original units and premium aftermarket replacements.Lot Breakdown:Audio Technica (2 units): Premium MC AT 3230 (Moving Coil) needles. High-fidelity gems in original condition.Empire (33 units)Pfanstiehl (36 units)European Brands (39 units): Includes Pfeifer (Germany), DFR, Tonnadel, Killer Salzburg, and Kauf Dreher. Condition:New Old Stock (NOS): Never used.Packaging: Most units are in their original vintage boxes/blisters, showing minimal shelf wear.
This is well above the market: at US$1,300, it sits far past the US$500 75th percentile and more than double the typical recent asking price, so I’d call it ambitious unless the lot is unusually broad, truly mint, and mostly premium NOS stock.
The upside is in the quantity and the NOS appeal: vintage phono styli can be hard to source cleanly, and a mixed lot like this can be useful for restorers, sellers, or anyone building inventory for less common cartridges. The key buyer check is simple—make sure the lot is genuinely intact, properly identified, and not dominated by low-demand or duplicate pieces, because at this level the value depends on what’s actually inside, not just the count.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Empire is best known as a vintage American hi-fi brand that dates back to 1959, when it appeared as Audio Empire in the United States. It began under Dyna-Empire, a precision machine-shop manufacturer, before evolving into Empire Scientific; later history suggests the audio side changed hands and eventually faded as a consumer audio name. Because the brand’s classic era is several decades behind us, some details are unevenly documented, but its roots in mid-century U.S. hi-fi are clear.
In its heyday, Empire focused on analog playback gear, especially phono cartridges, styli, and tonearms. The company was particularly associated with turntable accessories and record-playback components rather than complete systems. That makes Empire a name most often encountered by vinyl enthusiasts, vintage-audio collectors, and restoration-minded buyers rather than shoppers looking for modern amplifiers, speakers, DACs, or headphones.
Today, Empire’s reputation is primarily that of a respected vintage brand with a strong collectible following. Its products are remembered for careful engineering and a place in the golden age of American hi-fi, but it is not a current mainstream audio manufacturer in the modern consumer market. For buyers, Empire is more a heritage name than an active high-end badge, valued for classic analog performance and historical significance.
See all Empire listings on RADAR.
