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Help with Upgrade (cartridges under $300)

L

lucascgc

New Member
Hi guys

I've been looking into buying a new cartridge, and the search has thrown me into a loop.

The context: I bought a Denon DP-47f turntable about a year ago. Great table. It came however with an AT95E cartridge. The cartridge sounds fine but it definitely seems to be a limitation. The low end is fine, but the midrange is really muddled and there's little soundstage.

So I went on looking for a different cart. I'm looking into spending up to $400 Canadian (a little over $300 US). The one that I looked the closest at was the Denon DL-110. It seemed like a perfect fit for my table, specially given I don't have a LOMC-compatible preamp. However, I'm really bad at analyzing sound, so I can't tell if I'd actually like the cart based on its description. Also, I think I might be allured by the MC of it all.

I run my table through a Denon PMA-600NE integrated amp (and its internal preamp) and KEF Q150s. Overall, I find the sound balanced but lifeless. It just isn't that fun to listen to. I used to have a much cheaper setup with a Nagaoka MP-110 (which I find too warm but grew to like) and I had more fun than I do with this one. I hated it with an Ortofon 2M Red however, so take it with a grain of salt.

What threw me for a loop was that, in a play to improve sound, I tried throwing in a Cambridge Audio Azur 551P phono preamp I had lying around. It made the sound warmer, wider and punchier, but it killed the balance and made the highs too harsh, so I went back to the internal preamp. It got me thinking however if I'm not looking at the wrong place at the moment for an upgrade. Maybe I should get a proper preamp? Maybe even the speaker is the problem (although it sounds fine with digital)?

In any case, any advice would help! Cart recommendations, upgrade ideas, anything.

Thanks!
 
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lucascgc said:
Do the VM styli fit the original AT body, however? I thought it didn't


I thought about Blue, but I had really bad past experiences with 2M Red, so that makes me reticent about it.
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What bad experience with the Red?
I ask because I am testing a new Red vs a Blue about 1/4 way into it's life because I don't get why the Red gets a bad rep with same body and profile as the Blue.
 
The Denon MC "house sound" is very attractive.
I am currently running a DL-300 on my LOMC table, and briefly ran a DL-301 mkII. Both on the refined side, nice balance of detail and smoothness.
I would imagine the 110 to be similar. And that it would be a good match for your turntable. I say go for it!
 
My exwife got my 2m red in the divorce. Fine with me. I never liked it.

My equipment isn't that special but I will say your looking for fun is, to my thinking, the best way to do hifi. I enjoy old dual idlers with shure carts into adcom pre and power. None of which helps you I know.
 
lucascgc said:
Do the VM styli fit the original AT body, however? I thought it didn't
Click to expand...

The A/T literature says they're not compatible, but the VM95 styli will fit and work well with the original AT95 bodies. On the flip side, the AT95 stylus will not work on the VM95 body without modification.

With a budget of $300, you should get better separation from the VM540ML if it's compatible with your tonearm and preamp
.
 
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Slick Willie said:
I thought the VM line is interchangeable.
Click to expand...
Between VM carts they are, but with the original AT line I'm not sure

Slick Willie said:
What bad experience with the Red?
I ask because I am testing a new Red vs a Blue about 1/4 way into it's life because I don't get why the Red gets a bad rep with same body and profile as the Blue.
Click to expand...
I had a lot of tracking issues with it. It never felt like the cart was following the groove properly, doesn't matter how much I adjusted it. It was supposed to be a good fit for my tonearm even, but no dice. I also bumped into it once very lightly and the style tip just flew right off, had to buy another one.
That was on my old table. I did use it on a Pro-Ject Carbon for a while and it sounded fine, but even then I wasn't particularly wowed by it. I do think its sound profile is not for me, particularly.

doctor fuse said:
The Denon MC "house sound" is very attractive.
I am currently running a DL-300 on my LOMC table, and briefly ran a DL-301 mkII. Both on the refined side, nice balance of detail and smoothness.
I would imagine the 110 to be similar. And that it would be a good match for your turntable. I say go for it!
Click to expand...
I thought about going for the DL-301 mkII, but between its price and the fact I'd have to get a new preamp, it's just out of my reach.

bebopdeluxe said:
The DL-110 is an excellent cartridge. It is a high enough output that you won't need an external preamp. I was running it through my Sansui AU-919 amp and it sounded great.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that's very encouraging!
 
i ran a dp47f for about 20 years before switching to a technics sl1700mk2 last year, and i was very happy with the audio technica carts i was running on it. first a 440mla and then a 150sa. i did rig up some loading plugs though to bring down the rise in the highs. the vm540ml might get the soundstage youre looking for.
 
Another vote for the VM95ML, or VM540ML if budget allows for the upgrade. Those ML styli produce wonderful detail, you'll never have to think about sibilance and as a bonus they're rated to have better life expectancy than other stylus shapes.
 
I would suggest replacing the stylus on your AT95 with the AT95SA stylus from LPGear. This is from the earlier AT95 series and not to be confused with the later VM series. Or for a few dollars more get a new AT95SA cartridge / stylus and use the existing cartridge as a spare or sell it. I bought the AT95SA last year for a table project and it is excellent for the $. They have a nice ML option as well. I also would recheck the cartridge alignment / setup with a protractor with the new stylus. Maybe use the remaining budget on a nice Schitt Mani phono preamp. No affiliation with either just a recommendation based on experience with a couple of well done value priced offerings.

http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGATN95SA.html

https://www.schiit.com/products/mani
 
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^^^ Agree excellent choice as well. Sold in the Japanese market for many years before LPGear imported to US. Resembles a Signet. They might be out of stock.
 
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