• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

cartridge recommendations for pro-ject xpression III

M

mattj

Member
Hi all: to some extent this has been covered in other threads, but i'm hoping to get some even more specific advice.

Looking to replace the underwhelming Ortofon 2M Red cart that came stock with this TT. It should be an MM cart. My rig is in the signature below. I listen mainly to classic rock, jazz, and blues. And the cart should be tolerant of my less-than-pristine old vinyl, from which I will never part.

Cheers

Matt
 
Register to hide this ad
Get an MP-11 by Nagaoka! I just got mine today and I am really blown away by this 69 dollar cartridge!!!

Or try their JT-555 with the shibata and carbon fiber cantilever.
 
mattj said:
Hi all: to some extent this has been covered in other threads, but i'm hoping to get some even more specific advice.

Looking to replace the underwhelming Ortofon 2M Red cart that came stock with this TT. It should be an MM cart. My rig is in the signature below. I listen mainly to classic rock, jazz, and blues. And the cart should be tolerant of my less-than-pristine old vinyl, from which I will never part.

Cheers

Matt
Click to expand...

What are ya looking to spend?
 
The AT-150mlx works well on medium-light arms. I'm listening to one right now on a Clearaudio arm and it's fantastic. In my experience it sounds terrible on heavier arms. Not sub-par...terrible. But with the right arm it is awesome and tracks really well on records with surface scratches, as it tracks really deep in the groove. It's the quietest cartridge I've run, as far as surface noise goes. More than once I've tried to skip tracks with my remote thinking I was listening to my CD player. Doh!
 
Well if your table does indeed have the 8.6c arm, then it is on the lighter side and the 150mlx should work.

For some other options to consider, though I think the 150mlx would be hard to beat at this price range........

Sound-Smith SMMC 3 - I think this would be hard to beat at twice the price. I have heard people say they like it better than a Clearaudio Virtuoso, which is a 800 dollar cart, and some say its quite compairible to a Clearaudio Mastro, which some say is the best MM you can get. This would be the cart I would choose.

Grado Gold or Sonata - they are not a universally loved cart, but I will say that I like them quite a bit! They are excellent for Jazz and blues. They have this amazing midrange that just draws you in. I will always have to have a Grado on hand, Ellington Indigos just needs it!
 
Also just noticed Turntableneedles.com has the 150mlx on sale for a very nice price......
 
What don't you like about your current cartridge? What kind of sound do you like? Is your requirement that it's MM based only on your phono stage or also because of a sound preference? I'd recommend having a look at the Goldring 2500 in that budget range and perhaps save some dough by ordering it from the UK.
 
Last edited:
I have owned the MP-11 and my current one is the AT150MLX. It is not that I disagree about the AT being the quietest card for some people but I actually find it to be very sensitive to surface noise however the musicality for me is what makes it. I have read that some think the highs are bright but what stands our for me is the low/low-mids; well defined without being boomy. I would recommend this cart.
 
Yeah, I wouldn't say the AT150MLX is the quietest cartridge in my pile - based on surface condition. It really depends on how clean the bottom of the groove is? that thing runs deep.

For some LPs I have found a a 4x7 elliptical to be the quietest. It's per LP thing.
 
On the AT-150mlx, it can certainly sound not quiet at all if it is with an arm that is too heavy for it. At least that has been my experience with it. It is a very temperamental cartridge and it likes what it likes. It gets bright if it doesn't like the loading of the preamp, it sounds flat and lifeless with no dynamics on my VPI arm (not that I thought that match would work but it was in an emergency), it was very noisy on a heavy-ish Pioneer PL-570 arm, and it just sounded really odd on my Sony 2251..not sure what was going on there...

So why did I recommend it? Because when everything works for it, it is fantastic cartridge that can be eerily free of surface noise and has a ton of detail. It works well on a short stubby linear tracking arm as well. It's easy to get it wrong, though, at least in my system it has been. I think it would work on the Xpression arm, though.

If others have had different experiences with it, I don't doubt them at all. It's sounded like 4 or 5 different carts depending on what I mate it with. I've never had a cart so susceptible to different arms before, but man does it sound great when it's on a fairly light, straight, good quality arm. It's sounded good on a Linn Basik, Profile and now the Clearaudio Satisfy arm.
 
I am running a Shure V15III on mine, and could not be happier...30 year old cart on a 2 year old 'table, but it works.

I have also run a Shure M91, and the cart it came with the Sumiko Oyster, which I think is decent, but not up to the task of mating with this 'table.
 
What about the AT95E with an upgraded stylus? Heard one the other day and it wasn't half bad.
 
I'm considering a AT7V on a RB200 arm (hoping to capture the sound of my dearly departed Signet TK7e) :scratch2:
 
Bob_in_OKC said:
What don't you like about your current cartridge? What kind of sound do you like? Is your requirement that it's MM based only on your phono stage or also because of a sound preference? I'd recommend having a look at the Goldring 2500 in that budget range and perhaps save some dough by ordering it from the UK.
Click to expand...

thanks all for your replies--much appreciated.

Bob in OKC: yes, I'm saying MM not out of preference but because my McIntosh integrated has an MM phonostage. What don't I like about the Ortofon 2M Red? It doesn't quite sound like vinyl: upper-end detail is pretty good, but mids are lacking and it just isn't that warm. I'm far from the most knowledgeable guy out there, but these are the conclusions I came to on my own, and I became convinced when reading reports of others who agree. (OK, LOL, read it on the internet so it must be true!)

cheers

Matt
 
I have an Xpression III and after mounting a few different cartridges i've decided that I like the AT 440 mla the best. You're lucky to get the 2m Red. Mine came with a Sumiko Oyster which doesn't compare to the 2M Red.

I would save the 2m Red for a backup and purchase something else. I really like the 440mla for my record collection. I buy mostly used and you never know exactly how well an album was treated in a previous life. The 440 minimizes the inner groove distortion issues I had with other cartridges.
 
At the top end of your budget, the Nagoaka MP-50 is on closeout at Needle Doctor. Excellent value for an MM heavyweight.
 
mattj said:
thanks all for your replies--much appreciated.

Bob in OKC: yes, I'm saying MM not out of preference but because my McIntosh integrated has an MM phonostage. What don't I like about the Ortofon 2M Red? It doesn't quite sound like vinyl: upper-end detail is pretty good, but mids are lacking and it just isn't that warm. I'm far from the most knowledgeable guy out there, but these are the conclusions I came to on my own, and I became convinced when reading reports of others who agree. (OK, LOL, read it on the internet so it must be true!)

cheers

Matt
Click to expand...

The reason I asked about MM is that your answer then leaves open the possibility of high-output moving-coil cartridges, too. They don't usually tend toward warm, though, so MM might still be the preferred way to go. I think a Goldring MM is a good answer to lacking warmth and mids. I also think your answer on this topic could mean Nagaoka is an option. In your case I'm not sure I'd want to risk it with AT's MM cartridges, even as good as they are.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom