Cartridge Swapping

joel27

joel27

Super Member
After cartridge hoping the last few days, I got to thinking.... I've been swapping between a Koetsu Rosewood and a Black on two different VPI arm wands, hoping I could get the performance of each closer. Turns out the Rosewood sounds better on one arm and the Black sounds better on another. Incidentally they each sounded better on the arms I originally had them on. Go figure I could have saved multiple hours of setup If I had just left them the way they were lol.

Any ways how often do you switch between multiple cartridges? Is it driven by you're mood changes or is it when you switch genres of music. Or are you completely content to leave well enough alone.
 
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joel27 said:
Any ways how often do you switch between multiple cartridges? Is it driven by you're mood changes or is it when you switch genres of music. Or are you completely content to leave well enough alone.
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At present, I do not switch between multiple cartridges. I used to do that quite frequently when I still had a collection of 78's. I had a cartridge for lp's and 45's on one headshell, and a cartridge for 78's on another headshell. A headshell weight on the one for 78's meant I didn't need to re-set tracking force when swapping between them. These days, no longer owning any 78's, I just leave a cartridge mounted up until its stylus is worn out, then decide at that point whether I want to simply replace the stylus or mount a different cartridge.
 
For many years I would swap every few weeks, just lots of tinkering. All my permanent tables have at least one spare headshell, and they're all ready to go. One of then is set up with a less expensive stylus so I can play the flea scores.

But yeah. Over the last few years I swap less and less. Even on the ones where I can just switch out the headshell without any adjustment. It's become pretty rare. I just don't have the need, or the motivation. Swapping is now pretty limited to stylus changes due to wear or if a table goes on/out of rotation. Spare headshells and sleds are now more perfunctory than a functional necessity.

I think it's just part of the learning and exploratory process. Folks usually end up with one type of component they tinker with long term. Some do arms, some carts, some folks swap speakers weekly.
 
I only have one turntable up and running currently but I have four carts set up for it (that's the wonderful thing about a removable headshell.) I swap out as the mood strikes me. But of late I am most happy with my Me75 so not much swapping going on here these days.
 
I have a Technics SL-1200 MK2 as one of my decks, which makes it so easy to swap carts. I just have them preloaded on their own head shell. My changes are based on music. I have a Denon DL-103 for jazz/acoustic (super lush), Shure M44-7 for rock/reggae (big bass), AT33MONO (old jazz). Then I have a Dynavector XX-2 MK2 (a fantastic all-arounder) that stays on a second deck.
 
I used to do it a lot, but not so much these days. No need to swap carts on the SL-1800, I have the Ortofon Concorde Music Bronze, and a spare Blue stylus. The Denon DP-1700 in the main system is set up for the Ortofon MC X30. I also have the MC X10, set up identically. They use the same motor, and have the same tonal balance, but the X10 is less detailed, and a bit warmer sounding, courtesy of the heavier bonded stylus. I can change carts, for less than well-cared-for LPs, without changing any settings, and without losing a musically engaging presentation.
 
+1 for @justjed2 comments. I have quite an assortment of LOMC carts and used to swap them out like some folks may be doing but now pretty much stick with one cart. I don't have the Rosewood cart but do have a copy of the Rosewood signature. Have owned the Black but no longer have it. JMO but the OP is finding the pleasant and not so pleasant resonance points on the various cart and arm combinations.
 
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I solved the problem by having 2 different turntables, one with AT OC9MLii to the right and Shure V15-IV with Jico SAS B on the Denon 51F to the left.( exact same stylus&cantilever)
I played my AT 33PTGii on the Gyro for a while, but not it is the time to play the OC9, The SME V has a fixed headshell so it is a pain to swap and realign a cartridge, the Denon allow me to swap 3 headshells with different cartridges on.

To select TT I use Denon SUT AU-320 that can switch inputs
 
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joel27 said:
Any ways how often do you switch between multiple cartridges? Is it driven by you're mood changes or is it when you switch genres of music. Or are you completely content to leave well enough alone.
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I've found that once I've dialed in the geometry and like the sound, I do not change the headshell/cartridges. It's searching for that endpoint where all the changes were made. I went through many MM cartridges and a few MC to get to where I am now. Where I haven't changed anything for the last few years.

It's the quality of the LP (production, engineering, and mastering) that I hear, not the cartridge types as much. That goes for all genres, and there's very little you can do about an original mediocre mastering.
 
ernieS said:
I restored a Gerrard Zero 100c table. I’ve six cartridge shuttles all loaded with different models. My fav by far is a Denon dl-103r. I have a Denon transformer. Incredible setup.
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I want to try this on my Zero 100sb now. :)

~


I've tried all my carts on all my turntables, because why not!
All combo's are a close- or good compliance match of course.
 
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mcgjohn said:
+1 for @justjed2 comments. I have quite an assortment of LOMC carts and used to swap them out like some folks may be doing but now pretty much stick with one cart. I don't have the Rosewood cart but do have a copy of the Rosewood signature. Have owned the Black but no longer have it. JMO but the OP is finding the pleasant and not so pleasant resonance points on the various cart and arm combinations.
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You're 100% right on finding the pleasant and not so pleasant resonant points... It's amazing to me how each combo has a sweet spot and although the search is interesting/fun, once I find that sweet spot I don't know why I change it up at all, lol.
 
joel27 said:
You're 100% right on finding the pleasant and not so pleasant resonant points... It's amazing to me how each combo has a sweet spot and although the search is interesting/fun, once I find that sweet spot I don't know why I change it up at all, lol.
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thank you.
And this discussion was only on mechanical noise and vibrations with MC or MM carts.

Once a person also tackles the removes or tries to eliminate electrical noise the resolution will usually increase substantially.
These efforts would include replacing a wall wart with a linear power supply.
trying to reduce the linear power supply ripple from a few millivolts down into the microvolt region.
filter out high frequency ripple generated by the rectifier diodes.

Not always easy to do but most of the really high dollar phono stages are attempting to reduce this electrical noise.
 
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