Help with cartridge, please.

[teddy mcdurham]

I would appreciate some advice. I've a Technics SL-D2 in really nice condition that has a Audio Technica CN5625AL cartridge. It sounds OK but nothing more. Kind of a flat sound. I'd like to replace that cartridge with something better without spending a lot of money, staying in the $75.00 - $85.00 range give or take. Most of the records I play are 45s from the 60s and 70s. I've probably got around a thousand 45s and many are in excellent shape. I've been considering a Shure M97xE or Audio Technica AT100E. Which of these would be preferred? Or would something else be better suited? I'd really like to get the most I can out of these old records without busting the budget. Thanks.

 

[tubewade]

Welcome Teddy. Glad to see another 45 rpm aficionado.

My experience has been that 45s, especially the poly-styrene ones, are often best played with conical styli because sometimes they aren't really in the best condition and playing them back with too much resolution actually sounds worse than rounding things off to some degree. I also generally prefer a lower compliance stylus that tracks a little heavier than I'd normally use on LPs. I like the AT3600L which is essentially the same as your 5625AL but with the low compliance gray coloured stylus with carbon fibre cantilever, and also the Shure M35X which has an almost magical way of rendering loud and worn records without the horrible distortion some other cartridges provide. For records that are in really excellent condition I use a Pickering Stereohedron 2S but these are not easy to find nowadays. I really don't ever use a MicroLine or other fine-line tip on 45s.

Years ago I used Shure N75EDT styli, even on 45s, and was always troubled with distortion. Now I've found that stylus to be too sharp for good sound from many 45s, but on some very good quality ones in good condition it is excellent. I would recommend a cartridge with multiple stylus options so that you may choose the correct stylus profile for the best reproduction of the record at hand. If you purchase the Shure M97xE and later an N35X stylus you would have two good stylus choices available.

Perhaps some others will chime in with their recommendations for good 45 rpm cartridges and styli.

 

[BrocLuno]

That's all good advice

 

[teddy mcdurham]

Welcome Teddy. Glad to see another 45 rpm aficionado.

My experience has been that 45s, especially the poly-styrene ones, are often best played with conical styli because sometimes they aren't really in the best condition and playing them back with too much resolution actually sounds worse than rounding things off to some degree. I also generally prefer a lower compliance stylus that tracks a little heavier than I'd normally use on LPs. I like the AT3600L which is essentially the same as your 5625AL but with the low compliance gray coloured stylus with carbon fibre cantilever, and also the Shure M35X which has an almost magical way of rendering loud and worn records without the horrible distortion some other cartridges provide. For records that are in really excellent condition I use a Pickering Stereohedron 2S but these are not easy to find nowadays. I really don't ever use a MicroLine or other fine-line tip on 45s.

Years ago I used Shure N75EDT styli, even on 45s, and was always troubled with distortion. Now I've found that stylus to be too sharp for good sound from many 45s, but on some very good quality ones in good condition it is excellent. I would recommend a cartridge with multiple stylus options so that you may choose the correct stylus profile for the best reproduction of the record at hand. If you purchase the Shure M97xE and later an N35X stylus you would have two good stylus choices available.

Perhaps some others will chime in with their recommendations for good 45 rpm cartridges and styli.

Thanks. Can you tell me the differences in sound I might expect between the Shure M35X, the Shure M97xE and the 5625AL? Is the M35X also well suited for LPs? Back in my heyday of turntable use in the late 60s/mid 70s, I never worried with such things so trying to get things right now is new to me. Much thanks for your help.

 

[tubewade]

There are many things that can affect how a cartridge sounds, for instance arm mass and capacitance loading and in your case these are unknowns, so I will have to generalise a bit.

The M35X has big, bold, presentation that is great for 45s and many earlier LPs. It's focus is not micro detail but presenting music in an "in your face" sort of way. Some people will find it slightly rolled off but I don't find that to be too bad. It really sounds nice on a huge variety of records. The broad tip is quite forgiving. The bass is nice and not terribly bloated.

The M97xE is more refined, but not too refined. Shure deliberately gave it the "audiophile curve", meaning the higher frequencies are very smooth, "non-fatiguing", some find too smooth and rolled off. Much of that can be adjusted a bit with with careful loading. The output with the N97x stylus is also pretty low, much lower than with the N35X stylus. This stylus has better detail ability than the conical but you may not notice that, or even want that for playing 45s. On pristine LPs and vinyl 45s this stylus will present the music well.

The AT CN5625AL is less affected by capacitance loading and usually has a brighter presentation than either Shure. It does have some of the conical "in your face" sound but less than the M35X. It is not quite as detailed as the M97xE but it is still a bit brighter. I think it has very good detail for a conical stylus. It's bass is good but a little less pronounced than the Shures.

Maybe others will add their observations or opinions.

Edit: Also, the oft recommended AT95E might be worth considering too. It is an elliptical with a broader tip, 0,4mil, so it should have a little better detail than the conical. It will also be brighter than the Shures. Others will have to add their experiences with it, though, because I haven't used an AT95 since the early '90s.

 

[beatcomber]

tubewade nails it.

I've been recently playing with both an M97xE and M35X on my Dual 1019, and they have similarly neutral tonal characteristics. The M97xE extracts a bit more detail, but the M35X provides a more energetic listening experience, and does a slightly better job of suppressing noise. The M35X seems to have better imaging too.

The M35X an astoundingly good cartridge for $35, and a perfect choice for spinning 45s.

(I also like the fact that I can swap out the stylus for an N78S and play 78s on the 1019 without making any adjustments!)

 

[beatcomber]

Further musings...

Any perceived lack of ultimate detail resolution with the M35X is negated by its wonderfully smooth, grain-free, and bold, large-as-life presentation.