Cartridge recommendations for an MCS 6500 (Hitachi PS-17)?

[baba booey]

hi everyone!

i have recently acquired an MCS 6500 (rebranded Hitachi PS-17 for JCPenny) for free, it's a lovely table from 1977.

I'm wondering if anyone has any good cartridge recommendations for this table? I'm completely ignorant to the world of cartridges and what to get, my budget is around $250-300

i'm sorry that this is probably an annoyingly vague/repetitive question coming from a beginner, but i appreciate any help that i can get
thx!

 

[Mr Boochie]

Nagaoka MP-110?

 

[Crab33]

You can get a pretty decent cartridge on your budget. I think a good starting point would be the AT-VM95 series - it consists of five cartridges with the same body but with stylus profiles ranging from conical through elliptical to shibata. You could afford the top-of-the-range AT-VM95SH but the next-to-top AT-VM95ML with the excellent MicroLine stylus has plenty of fans. The AT-VM540ML, also with MicroLine stylus, is popular too.

 

[Wolfie62]

The Hitachi PS-17 is the 1977 Semi-Auto belt Drive version of the Full-Auto DD HT-463. Both share the same arm.

I have the 463.


The arm is a medium-low mass arm. Pretty much any cartridge tracking 1.5-3.0 grams will be fine on it.

 

[Gary Francks]

I'm going to 2nd the Nagaoka MP110 or at a slightly lower price the MP100.
The MP100 may only be a lowly conical but it's great and being conical it's not critical of set up like some of the upmarket AT's.
If your capable and up to setting up a fine line or shibata then, yes, those AT's already recommended should be on your list.

 

[knotscott]

The AT-VM95ML or SH would be excellent on that. Nude shank shibata or microline....both excellent sounding carts with money left over for records. The AT-VM540ML would be on my shortlist in your price range. The microline will last longest of any stylus shape and tracks extremely well.