Dansk
cantus audio
Alright, I'll preface this by making it clear I'm a relative newcomer to the world of vinyl, and have very limited experience with different types of cartridges. To date I've only heard my current Shure M92, my old Audio Technica AT-71, a cheap Ortofon, and my (incredibly lucky) younger brother's Supex SD-900 Super. (He inherited it from my grandfather along with a Technics SL-1700 mkII... trust me, they're a beautiful combination.) Being a student I obviously can't afford a Supex, since the going rate for them seems to be around $600 or so, if you can find them anymore. I'm looking for a significant improvement over my M92, however. My question is what should I buy?
From the research I've done (a not-inconsiderable amount) I think the M97xe would be the best match for my system. It's priced right, since I'm aiming preferably under $100 or in the very low hundreds at the most, and my curiosity is piqued by reviewers who mention its ease with higher frequencies. The poor response and heavy distortion of high frequencies is my biggest complaint with the M92. It seems to be getting worse as of late, leading me to think it's wearing out and needs replacing. However, I do like the overall sound of the M92, it's very full and reasonably neutral with good bass response, and the M97 has been described similarly. (The Ortofon I've heard sounded thin, which is a word I often find used to describe it and the Duals they're usually associated with.)
I should also tell you that I'm planning on using this cartridge with a Technics SL-Q2, with one of those heavy tonearms. In my internet meanderings I've read that moving coil carts are designed for these tonearms. Is there such a thing as a decent moving coil cart in my price range, or am I dreaming? (Don't worry, I know they're lower output; my Pioneer A8 is MC capable.)
And finally, I'm open to suggestions. I realize that choosing a cartridge is a very subjective process, but after my M92 I think almost ANYTHING will sound better.
From the research I've done (a not-inconsiderable amount) I think the M97xe would be the best match for my system. It's priced right, since I'm aiming preferably under $100 or in the very low hundreds at the most, and my curiosity is piqued by reviewers who mention its ease with higher frequencies. The poor response and heavy distortion of high frequencies is my biggest complaint with the M92. It seems to be getting worse as of late, leading me to think it's wearing out and needs replacing. However, I do like the overall sound of the M92, it's very full and reasonably neutral with good bass response, and the M97 has been described similarly. (The Ortofon I've heard sounded thin, which is a word I often find used to describe it and the Duals they're usually associated with.)
I should also tell you that I'm planning on using this cartridge with a Technics SL-Q2, with one of those heavy tonearms. In my internet meanderings I've read that moving coil carts are designed for these tonearms. Is there such a thing as a decent moving coil cart in my price range, or am I dreaming? (Don't worry, I know they're lower output; my Pioneer A8 is MC capable.)
And finally, I'm open to suggestions. I realize that choosing a cartridge is a very subjective process, but after my M92 I think almost ANYTHING will sound better.
