MC Cart for Pro-ject Carbon Tonearm (7-12g)

[bluepearl]

Cart Recommendation for Pro-ject Xpression III (Carbon)

I have a Pro-ject 1 Xpression III turntable with the supplied ortofon 2M Red cartridge, I haven't been overly impressed with the 2M Red due to an upper range glare that is most apparent in female vocals. My Space Tech Labs phono preamp is MM/MC (tube and transistor), A friend works for a distributor of Ortofon and Grado so I could get a discount on these, but ultimatley I want the best cart for my tonearm, can anyone recommend an Ortofon, Grado or other cart that is a good match for the Pro-ject turntable?

Thanks!

 

[Tedrick]

That 'table/arm combo should do justice to some pretty nice cartridges. What's your price range? What kind of sound do you prefer (warm, detailed, etc.)? What do you listen to mostly?

 

[bluepearl]

I listen to rock, blues and jazz, I need good bass, warm detailed mids, detailed highs and a good sound stage. I just purchased the optional counterweight so my options are carts weighing 4-12 g (plentiful).
I've been looking at;
Ortofon MC-3 Turbo
Ortofon 2M Black
Dynavector 10x5
Grado Gold
Grado Platinum
Audio Technica AT150MLX

I would appreciate feedback on these and others that would work well on my Xpression III

 

[mcubba]

I would be interested in knowing this too...I just got my Xpression III last Saturday and I'm already noticing the criticisms of the stock Sumiko Oyster cart.

 

[Tedrick]

I listen to rock, blues and jazz, I need good bass, warm detailed mids, detailed highs and a good sound stage. I just purchased the optional counterweight so my options are carts weighing 4-12 g (plentiful).
I've been looking at;
Ortofon MC-3 Turbo
Ortofon 2M Black
Dynavector 10x5
Grado Gold
Grado Platinum
Audio Technica AT150MLX

I would appreciate feedback on these and others that would work well on my Xpression III

I only have experience with the Grado Platinum. It's sound pretty well fits all the traits you are looking for to a T. However, since you have the Ortofon 2M Black on your list, I'd add the Grado Sonata, which takes what the Platinum does well and pushes it to the next level. The Dynavector is also, by all accounts, an excellent choice, but won't have quite the midrange warmth that the Grados have.

 

[Mr. Lin]

I have a RM-5, which features the 9c tonearm, and I've found the tonearm to be compatible with virtually any kind of cartridge I put on it. From your list I've used the Platinum and Dynavector 10X5. Although I love the sound of the Platinum, which is warm and lush, it doesn't track very well, and it also hummed with my turntable, though I'm not sure if Grado cartridges hum with the Xpression too.

Now, it's definitely true that your turntable/tonearm could do justice to some very nice cartridges; I'm currently using a Glider on mine. From your list I would very highly recommend the Dynavector 10X5, it's an incredible bargain at that price point, and a serious performer. The 10X5 tracks very well, has crystal clear resolution, lots of macro and micro detail/dynamics, excellent imaging, great frequency extension, and taut, well-defined bass. It also handles records that are in poor condition quite well. So I'd consider all this carefully when making your decision.

 

[Art K.]

I listen to rock, blues and jazz, I need good bass, warm detailed mids, detailed highs and a good sound stage. I just purchased the optional counterweight so my options are carts weighing 4-12 g (plentiful).
I've been looking at;
Ortofon MC-3 Turbo
Ortofon 2M Black
Dynavector 10x5
Grado Gold
Grado Platinum
Audio Technica AT150MLX

I would appreciate feedback on these and others that would work well on my Xpression III

The Dynavector...ofcourse.

 

[Mr. Lin]

The Dynavector...ofcourse.

There, that settles it.

 

[bluepearl]

I would be interested in knowing this too...I just got my Xpression III last Saturday and I'm already noticing the criticisms of the stock Sumiko Oyster cart.

Pro-ject should offer upgrade options so you don't have to cycle back and buy the cart that should have come with your table two months after your purchase...

 

[jlanter]

Pro-Ject 1 eXpression III

Sumiko imports these to the US apparently without the cartridge as Pro-Ject sells them elsewhere without the Sumiko carts.

I've been doing quite a bit of reading on this, and a lot of people like the Dyn 10X5 on this table.

 

[bluepearl]

I had a good chat with both owners of a well regarded local Pro-ject, Dynavector, Ortofon dealer. They recommended the 10X5 as well but believe it or not they both agreed that the 2M Black is the winner! Tough call.......

 

[Mr. Lin]

I had a good chat with both owners of a well regarded local Pro-ject, Dynavector, Ortofon dealer. They recommended the 10X5 as well but believe it or not they both agreed that the 2M Black is the winner! Tough call.......

Art K. has compared the two and prefers the 10X5. I really wish I could hear a 2M Black but I don't know if that's ever going to happen.

 

[gusten]

A cartridge that is also a HOMC and very similar to the Dynavector is Ortofon X1-MCP. Both have standard elliptical needles. The Ortofon is discontinued and can be bought from an ebay seller at an extremely low price, $70!!. Many have bought this and reported of it´s incredible value. I´m considering to try this cart myself.
You also need a P-mount assembly but it´s easy to find. If one is not made of money it´s good not to spend so much on an MC, it will only last about a year.
The Ortofon Black is naturally in another league but so is the price.
/gusten

 

[Mr. Lin]

You also need a P-mount assembly but it´s easy to find. If one is not made of money it´s good not to spend so much on an MC, it will only last about a year.

I have to take issue with this comment gusten. As long as you take good care of your records and cartridge, it will last quite a bit longer than just one year.

 

[bluepearl]

One concern I had with the 10X5 is the Elliptical stylus, which is more of an entry level stylus. I believe the Shibata in the 2M Black is superior, it's design goes deeper into the grove and extracts more information.

 

[cmb3366]

Stick a low output Grado Sonata on that table and you wont get get the upgrade itch for a good loooong time. Rock and jazz is all I listen to, and I love mine; it sounds better than it has any right to for what it cost.

 

[Tedrick]

I had a good chat with both owners of a well regarded local Pro-ject, Dynavector, Ortofon dealer. They recommended the 10X5 as well but believe it or not they both agreed that the 2M Black is the winner! Tough call.......

If the 2M Black is within you price range and you are put off by the elliptical stylus of the 10x5, then you might want to consider the Dynavector DV-20X. It comes in high (2.8 mV) and low (0.3 mV) output versions and features a Micro Ridge stylus. The DV-20X has been very well received by the audio press, and VPI thinks enough of this cart to offer it as an option for their 'tables, albeit in a custom 1 mV output version. Although I have no direct experience with this particular cart, it if is anything like the next model up (Karat 17D3), it should be special.

 

[bluepearl]

Ok, So I went with the Dynavector 20XL low output. Wow! the sound it so far superior to the 2M Red, surface noise is gone, no upper range glare, killer bass, sound stage, highs... well worth the money. I picked-up a Pro-ject speed box while I was there, not sure if it has enhanced the bass as well but it's much more substantial and solid. I actually turned the subs off and ran the cables direct into the speakers and the bass sounded like I had hit a loudness switch!

I was also debating a cork pad for my acrylic platter, would this be productive??

 

[Mr. Lin]

Ok, So I went with the Dynavector 20XL low output. Wow! the sound it so far superior to the 2M Red, surface noise is gone, no upper range glare, killer bass, sound stage, highs... well worth the money. I picked-up a Pro-ject speed box while I was there, not sure if it has enhanced the bass as well but it's much more substantial and solid. I actually turned the subs off and ran the cables direct into the speakers and the bass sounded like I had hit a loudness switch!

I was also debating a cork pad for my acrylic platter, would this be productive??

No, the acrylic platter should be used without a mat.

Excellent choice! As with any cartridge, it will begin to show its true colors once you've let it run for a while. Keep us updated.

 

[Mr. Lin]

You might want to check out the Linn Adikt MM pickup. I'm currently using this with the Pro-Ject 9cc tonearm. The Adikt is a most impressive MM as is the 9cc tonearm.
The Adikt is the first MM that I liked( I've used Linn MC pickups mostly in the past) and probably beats a good number of MC pickups on the market right now. The 9cc tonearm is a tremendous value, in my opinion is better than the Linn Akito tonearm.

I see you're using a Pro-Ject tonearm on a non-Pro-Ject turntable. Some of us here have heard of people doing this but can't figure out how one would go about purchasing a Pro-Ject tonearm by itself. How did you do it?