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Best $300-400ish cartridge for either Pioneer PL-530 and/or Thorens TD145

redondo2018

redondo2018

Active Member
Hi folks. Stuck here in lockdown I realize I want to upgrade the cartridge on either my Pioneer PL-530 (stock everything) or my Thorens TD145 (also stock). Budget is around $250-450ish (not sure spending more than say $500 for a cart for either of these tables makes much sense from what I've read, but I might be wrong, especially for the Thorens).

Ideally, I'd like a cartridge that would sound great on both, but if you have a recommendation for just one, that's cool too. I have all-vintage-somewhat-decent-setups, including decent pre-amps that can handle MC carts (but I've never owned an MC cart...).

I'm guessing something like a Nagaota MP-150 (I have a MP-110 on the Pioneer right now) or an Ortofon 2M Bronze in MM, or a Denon 110/103 in MC is about where I'm at, but if someone has other suggestions, I'd be all in to hear them. Also interested to see if these two AT carts: AT-OC9XEN or VM740ML; might work.

(PS just for kicks, I also have a Dual 1219, a Pioneer PL-71 and an AR XB that are also in rotation (and all stock... I know, maybe I should start upgrading/selling some of these...), so if there is one cartridge that would sing on ALL FIVE of these, that would be amazing :-))

((PPS - I also have an Andante E - a rebadged Grace F9E - that was pretty sweet until the cantilever bent - should I maybe just use my $$ to get that rebuilt?)

Thanks in advance!
 
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If you have a phono stage that can handle low-output moving coil cartridges, the discounted Audio Technica AT-OC9/ML-II will always get my recommendation at this price point. Tracks like a champ and plays way above it's price point.
 
Tedrick said:
If you have a phono stage that can handle low-output moving coil cartridges, the discounted Audio Technica AT-OC9/ML-II will always get my recommendation at this price point. Tracks like a champ and plays way above it's price point.
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The current MLIII is $550 - how about the current AT-OC9XEN at $349? a step down?
 
Ilikevinyl said:
AT-VM540ML.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that one seems to get a lot of love too - $80 cheaper than the 740ML for what seems to be the same performance. One thing that people mention is the added weight of the 740ML because of the aluminum body - seems to add about 1.6g - so I'm guessing one of these doesn't work as well with these arms...
 
redondo2018 said:
Hi folks. Stuck here in lockdown I realize I want to upgrade the cartridge on either my Pioneer PL-530 (stock everything) or my Thorens TD145 (also stock). Budget is around $250-450ish (not sure spending more than say $500 for a cart for either of these tables makes much sense from what I've read, but I might be wrong, especially for the Thorens).

Ideally, I'd like a cartridge that would sound great on both, but if you have a recommendation for just one, that's cool too. I have all-vintage-somewhat-decent-setups, including decent pre-amps that can handle MC carts (but I've never owned an MC cart...).

I'm guessing something like a Nagaota MP-150 (I have a MP-110 on the Pioneer right now) or an Ortofon 2M Bronze in MM, or a Denon 110/103 in MC is about where I'm at, but if someone has other suggestions, I'd be all in to hear them. Also interested to see if these two AT carts: AT-OC9XEN or VM740ML; might work.

(PS just for kicks, I also have a Dual 1219, a Pioneer PL-71 and an AR XB that are also in rotation (and all stock... I know, maybe I should start upgrading/selling some of these...), so if there is one cartridge that would sing on ALL FIVE of these, that would be amazing :))

((PPS - I also have an Andante E - a rebadged Grace F9E - that was pretty sweet until the cantilever bent - should I maybe just use my $$ to get that rebuilt?)

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
That PL-71 would be a good candidate....it gets a lot of love from fans out there, it`s a good, solid unit.
 
Your budget can get you a MP-200 in the Nagaoka line. It is available for $350 USD shipped straight from Japan, on the big auction site. I got one here and I really love it, it was money well spent.

I don't know if it fits well with your tonearms though!
 
redondo2018 said:
The current MLIII is $550 - how about the current AT-OC9XEN at $349? a step down?
Click to expand...
Step down in specs for sure. The ML/II has a Microline stylus on a gold-plated boron cantilever, while the XEN steps down to an aluminum cantilever and nude elliptical stylus. Of course, the ML/II is a $600 cartridge, so in theory it should have better specs than the $349 XEN. As to the sound, I can only speak to the ML/II, as I've not had the opportunity the hear any of the newer members of the OC9 family.
 
redondo2018 said:
Yeah, that one seems to get a lot of love too - $80 cheaper than the 740ML for what seems to be the same performance. One thing that people mention is the added weight of the 740ML because of the aluminum body - seems to add about 1.6g - so I'm guessing one of these doesn't work as well with these arms...
Click to expand...

According to the PL-540 manual, the cartridge weight range is 4 to 10g so no problem with either. I was unable to find a weight range for the TD-145 but the VM540 is close enough to the Shure V15 Type III which was widely used in that model.
 
Tiver said:
Did you try and straighten the F9E? If it's not creased might be worth a shot. Stylus from soundsmith might be a good route. Shame to see the cart retired. Options from$200-$500
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Unfortunately, yeah, it's got a crease ;-( MAYBE someone could bend it back... re: Soundsmith, I haven't yet found one person (and frankly there aren't many people that own an Andante E) that can confirm that the Soundsmith stylus fit the Andante (the Andante has a body more like a Sumiko Pearl than a Grace F9 but internals are all suspected to be F9E) - maybe I just need to reach out to them?
 
El Pee said:
I've been happy with my 02M Blue, I would think the Bronze would be pretty sweet.
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I think it would be nice too, but it's also the most expensive cart - and some reviews say the 740ML is better than a 2M Black (which of course is $900) but take that for what you will...
 
Tedrick said:
Step down in specs for sure. The ML/II has a Microline stylus on a gold-plated boron cantilever, while the XEN steps down to an aluminum cantilever and nude elliptical stylus. Of course, the ML/II is a $600 cartridge, so in theory it should have better specs than the $349 XEN. As to the sound, I can only speak to the ML/II, as I've not had the opportunity the hear any of the newer members of the OC9 family.
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Yeah, $600 is bit out of my budget, but I'll keep it in mind for future-me!
 
Final_Baton said:
Your budget can get you a MP-200 in the Nagaoka line. It is available for $350 USD shipped straight from Japan, on the big auction site. I got one here and I really love it, it was money well spent.

I don't know if it fits well with your tonearms though!
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Yeah, seems to me that it's really down to the price between the MP-150 and MP-200 - same body, so you can upgrade to a MP-200 stylus later if you want, but yeah - all things being equal might make sense to go to the MP-200. Wish they had a better stylus at that price point, but I have heard it in tests and it is a very nice sounding cartridge regardless
 
redondo2018 said:
Yeah, seems to me that it's really down to the price between the MP-150 and MP-200 - same body, so you can upgrade to a MP-200 stylus later if you want, but yeah - all things being equal might make sense to go to the MP-200. Wish they had a better stylus at that price point, but I have heard it in tests and it is a very nice sounding cartridge regardless
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I never tried a line contact so can't compare, but to my ears the MP-200 seems like a super good tracker. And extracts pretty good detail. DIdn't expect that from an elliptical, yet here we are. Very low surface noise too, probably because it is an elliptical.

Might not be a micro-detail monster like other line contacts, but there's still plenty of it. Transients are very well-defined, everything is, it's a super well-defined sound nonetheless.

Other than that : good extension both ways and great balanced sound. bass is velvety and fast and punchy and highs are crisp and airy. mids are sweet

Now : will YOU like the cart's sonic signature? That I cannot answer.
 
Final_Baton said:
I never tried a line contact so can't compare, but to my ears the MP-200 seems like a super good tracker. And extracts pretty good detail. DIdn't expect that from an elliptical, yet here we are. Very low surface noise too, probably because it is an elliptical.

Might not be a micro-detail monster like other line contacts, but there's still plenty of it. Transients are very well-defined, everything is, it's a super well-defined sound nonetheless.

Other than that : good extension both ways and great balanced sound. bass is velvety and fast and punchy and highs are crisp and airy. mids are sweet

Now : will YOU like the cart's sonic signature? That I cannot answer.
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I'm sure I would - I'm running the MP-110 on the Pioneer right now and I doubt there is a better $100 cart out there
 
I own OC9/II, OC9/III, and the Grace F9 with Ruby stylus from Soundsmith. You can't go wrong with any one of them, and all within your budget.
 
The TD145 has, I believe, the same stock arm as my TD125 MkII (the TP16). Mine's sporting a Grado Green cartridge ($95) with a 8MZ stylus ($150), which would be within your budget and sounds amazing to me. Although I've heard the 8MZ and Gold styli are the same now, so a full Gold cart ($260) might be a better, simpler solution.

There's talk of Grados having hum issues with Thorens decks, but I don't have that problem. Not saying you would or wouldn't, but just anecdotally I don't.
 
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