Empire's First Phono Cartridges 

1959 - 1962. While companies like Shure and Pickering were making cartridges since the 1940’s, Empire’s first attempt was in 1959 with their model 88 cartridge. Unlike the Shure and Pickering models, Empire’s cartridge was more of a half-baked product. The frequency curve of the model 88 looked like a roller-coaster ride and there was an audible hum during playback. It appears Empire did not have proper test equipment or engineering experience to produce a quality cartridge that could compare with the first stereo cartridges from Pickering and Shure. Empire’s second attempt, less than a year later, was no better; the same wild swings of the frequency curve still existed and even with extra shielding, a hum still persisted during playback. It wasn’t until three years later that a decent cartridge was produced with Empire’s model 880; it produced a much smoother frequency curve and the hum was finally eliminated.