What kind of cartridge do ya recon? (yet again)

[Eric Lloyd]

I might go with the Shure M97xE for around $85 or 90. It seems to be a very good match for the Technics you're using. Alternatively, many people are very fond of the Audio Technica AT-120E. A very good cart similar to the 440mlb recommended above but slightly less expensive. About $165 at lpgear.com. I think either one would be quite satisfying. Both are very popular cartridges in general.

I also recommend buying a new headshell with new wires. Audio Technica and lpgear both market one virtually identical to the Technics, but far less expensive. This way you can set up the new cartridge on a new headshell and keep the old one set up as a quick-change backup. That's what I do, anyway. I try to have a headshell for every cart in the stable.

 

[rebellovw]

KAB ProS30. 299 no alignment headshell or wire necessary. I prefer that over my AT440

Also the AT used to sell for 99.00 (I bought it then)while the 30 has always been 299.

 

[Eric Lloyd]

Regarding your stereo gear (since you asked); ultimately, if it sounds good it is good. I've only heard Polk 7's a couple of times but they were very sweet. The Technics 1200 has its own world wide fan base for good reason. The receiver I don't have direct experience with but the specs look nice. Personally, I think the whole thing is probably pretty nice sonically but visually I might go with an earlier receiver. Something between,say, mid-70s to very early 80s. In this period there are about a gazillion great pieces with a silver face (to match the record player) and a wood look cabinet to match the speakers and the cabinet you have it all sitting on. Please don't ask which one you should look for - you'll get a gazillion answers! I happen to like Pioneer products these days. I have also had really great Technics components. And I just had a very nice Realistic pass through my hands (bought it for a friend who lost his in a house fire). My girlfriend installed a beautiful Mitsubishi in the living room. Oh, it just goes on and on. Oh, like I said, a gazillion answers! Nevermind.

 

[mprince]

that is a beautiful photo! what is going on there? whaty are the "body" and "apoxy " used for?

The new body is needed because the stock plastic body gets removed. You then take the new metal body and glue (epoxy) the metal cartridge body into it. Takes all resonance of the plastic shell out, adds mass and a solid mounting surface. As a bonus it also allows a wide range of Shure stylii to be fitted as there is no longer any interference from the plastic Shure body. The whole process takes about 30 minutes, and much of that is waiting for glue to set.

This is my most versatile cartridge, I can easily use the stock conical stylus or the VividLine, all I have to do is swap the stylus and reset the VTF.

www.paradoxpulse.com

For comparison, here is a pic of the stock cartridge. The black part is the plastic body that gets removed (it is held on by 2 tiny dots of hot melt glue). Do a search on the M35X here, lots of airplay and lots of AK fans of this budget cartridge that plays way above its price point.

 

[welcomdmat]

I've had success with the Ortofon 2M Red -- and it is easily upgraded to a blue. I used that for a bit, and then I went to a Shure m97xe. Tracks great, and sounds really nice in my system.

There are a lot of options in your price point. The challenge is listening to them. If you find a couple of cartridges around the $100 range, you can also play around and see what you like. There are plenty of folks in your same position that will buy a used cartridge for nearly what you are going to pay for it.

With your deck and its removable headshell, it is really fun to have a couple of cartridges mounted on a couple of headshells and experiment with the different sounds. I like the Ortofon sound on a previous setup, and I like the Shure better now. I sold the Ortofon, and I will pick up something different as I am still learning and it is fun to experiment.

You may find a great cart if you spend every bit that you have, but you will have trouble knowing if it is a good cart or not without checking others in comparison. That is my opinion and how I have tackled finding out what I like.

 

[sreten]

Hi,

My stock $100 recommendation applies here, the AT95VL, research it.
(There are loads of posts about it, AFAIK none negative.)
Its really big on performance and very long stylus life for the bargain price.

rgds, sreten.

 

[slate1]

It's been said, repeatedly, ha ha, but I would wholeheartedly also recommend the AT-440MLa / b - I don't think there's a finer, better tracking cartridge made under $200. One thing you are quickly learning is that cartridges are like wine - everyone has a snobby opinion about them and about their "quality" and everyone has their priorities they are trying to meet. Nobody's "wrong" per se, everyone is just looking for what works good to their ears in their room with their system.

If capacitively loaded correctly (around 100pf - which I'm willing to bet your vintage amp does) and carefully mounted - the AT440 will provide a tonally balanced sound and will track through anything you can throw at it.

 

[danj]

The AT440 is a great cartridge but requires really precise alignment to prevent a too bright sound. The AT120 is somewhat cheaper, tracks like a champ, and has a nice balanced sound. Or you could get a Shure M97xe for around $100. It's a cartridge that I really like, as do many other AK members. To be fair, there are many who don't like the Shure sound.

 

[virak]

If you decide to go for an AT95-something, and you like to tinker with your hifi, they're quite easy to modify on the cheap.

The plastic part of the body is just held on by a single screw. Remove it, glue the metal body onto one of those 3gr. headshell weights, and voila: "Nude" cartridge!
Cut away excess plastic on stylus holder itself for even less potentionally vibrating parts, and maybe add some dampening to the sides of the cartridge body.

Now, Im not saying the other suggestions made in this thread are in any way bad (they're absolutely not), but since I have the impression you're relatively new to turntables, I think it may be wise to play around and learn on a cheapo, If you break it, you're not losing much $$$. If you upgrade, you'll have a back-up for testing second hand records. If you're having a drunken party, you can hide away the expensive cart/stylus and still play records with less worries.

IMO, an ideal cartridge is one that suits the system as a whole, so learning about which sonic attributes benefits/disagrees with the rest of your system (and room) before spending big bucks may not be a bad idea. Unless you swap out equipment a lot

 

[twiiii]

The 681 series Stanton was the calibration series for many years and the 681EEE was my favorite of the type. Tracked well, great imaging, being just a hair forward, and nice clean bass. During the same period I also owned Ortofons among others. And though I preferred the sound of the Ortofons they did not track as well, could be heavy and required careful set up. V-15's of the period from Shure lacked the quality control of the Stantons. And though the V model has a great following, alas Like the Stanton 981 is not longer available. So I would choose the Stanton. Now Ortofon is now making great non moving coil cartridges, to day. They are the most popular now among professionals, If you like tingling highs, you'll love AT, me not so much. Ive become a Dynavector camp member and that's out of your desired budget. But they have a beautiful sound and have brought me back to the LP fold. Quite an achievement in my case.

 

[Embryos]

Several things are involved in designing and manufacturing a stylus. The M35X is a great cartridge for the price. I used to use one sparingly. The stylus is conical which limits groove contact for detail and tracks between 1.5 and 3 grams. The cantilever is fairly thick which affects response, especially highs adversely (The laws of physics). Heavier tracking than I would want to use on a good record. It is marketed by Shure at the DJ market with their "skip resistant" claim, critical for DJ's. My Grado Gold1 and Blue1 plus my Audio Technica AT30E MC cartridge sound quite superior to the Shure M35X to me. They use elliptical stylii tracking great at 1.5 grams with very low mass cantilever. By the same token if you're pleased with the sound of the M35X great. Just know its limitations. Of course SQ is affected by the entire chain starting at the cartridge/turntable then your speakers and ultimately your ears. P.S. I bought my first good cartridge 47 years ago. I've got you beat by 2 years! It was a new Shure V15 II Improved cartridge. I've accumulated a nice collection over the years including Shures so I'm not anti Shure. I recently hooked my older son up with a Technics SL-1700 with a Shure M995ED cartridge and it's a great sounding combination.
I will add I've always shied away from the Uber high end cartridges with non user replaceable stylii. Too risky for me.

considering im so new to all of this, with no experience and even less knowledge, the m35x sounded appealing at this point. Thank you for pointing out the fact that the tracking force is relatively heavy...and the details regaurding the stylus/cantilever...this is the only negative aspect for me at this point. I did go ahaead and order the M35x witht the technics headshell for now...hopefully it wont tear my records up too much!

 

[Embryos]

I might go with the Shure M97xE for around $85 or 90. It seems to be a very good match for the Technics you're using. Alternatively, many people are very fond of the Audio Technica AT-120E. A very good cart similar to the 440mlb recommended above but slightly less expensive. About $165 at lpgear.com. I think either one would be quite satisfying. Both are very popular cartridges in general.

I also recommend buying a new headshell with new wires. Audio Technica and lpgear both market one virtually identical to the Technics, but far less expensive. This way you can set up the new cartridge on a new headshell and keep the old one set up as a quick-change backup. That's what I do, anyway. I try to have a headshell for every cart in the stable.

I did end up purchasing the M35X, but I head to go with the Technics silver headshell..I know this is naive talk but the technics HS is so much prettier. Thanks again.

 

[Embryos]

KAB ProS30. 299 no alignment headshell or wire necessary. I prefer that over my AT440

Also the AT used to sell for 99.00 (I bought it then)while the 30 has always been 299.

when Cartridges are shaped like the KAB you are suggesting (long angled cylindrical),, are those marketed for DJ use? What is the benifit to a cartridge like that? Thanks

 

[Embryos]

Regarding your stereo gear (since you asked); ultimately, if it sounds good it is good. I've only heard Polk 7's a couple of times but they were very sweet. The Technics 1200 has its own world wide fan base for good reason. The receiver I don't have direct experience with but the specs look nice. Personally, I think the whole thing is probably pretty nice sonically but visually I might go with an earlier receiver. Something between,say, mid-70s to very early 80s. In this period there are about a gazillion great pieces with a silver face (to match the record player) and a wood look cabinet to match the speakers and the cabinet you have it all sitting on. Please don't ask which one you should look for - you'll get a gazillion answers! I happen to like Pioneer products these days. I have also had really great Technics components. And I just had a very nice Realistic pass through my hands (bought it for a friend who lost his in a house fire). My girlfriend installed a beautiful Mitsubishi in the living room. Oh, it just goes on and on. Oh, like I said, a gazillion answers! Nevermind.

I certainly wasnt partial to any of the equipment other than The MK5...but I was able to pick it up for a decent price. The receiver and the speakers for $80 didnt seem to0 bad! I am definitely happy overall.. I agree the HK receiver isnt the best aestetic match, my wife and I even considered replacing it with my cheapy Akai that we were using prior. But the HK sounds sooo much better..haha

 

[Embryos]

The new body is needed because the stock plastic body gets removed. You then take the new metal body and glue (epoxy) the metal cartridge body into it. Takes all resonance of the plastic shell out, adds mass and a solid mounting surface. As a bonus it also allows a wide range of Shure stylii to be fitted as there is no longer any interference from the plastic Shure body. The whole process takes about 30 minutes, and much of that is waiting for glue to set.

This is my most versatile cartridge, I can easily use the stock conical stylus or the VividLine, all I have to do is swap the stylus and reset the VTF.

www.paradoxpulse.com

For comparison, here is a pic of the stock cartridge. The black part is the plastic body that gets removed (it is held on by 2 tiny dots of hot melt glue). Do a search on the M35X here, lots of airplay and lots of AK fans of this budget cartridge that plays way above its price point.

View attachment 757591

HOly got damn. Im a ways off from those attempts.. I wonder how many years it will be before I can recognize that level of creativity? I thought I was so cool with my simple MK5!

 

[Embryos]

I've had success with the Ortofon 2M Red -- and it is easily upgraded to a blue. I used that for a bit, and then I went to a Shure m97xe. Tracks great, and sounds really nice in my system.

There are a lot of options in your price point. The challenge is listening to them. If you find a couple of cartridges around the $100 range, you can also play around and see what you like. There are plenty of folks in your same position that will buy a used cartridge for nearly what you are going to pay for it.

With your deck and its removable headshell, it is really fun to have a couple of cartridges mounted on a couple of headshells and experiment with the different sounds. I like the Ortofon sound on a previous setup, and I like the Shure better now. I sold the Ortofon, and I will pick up something different as I am still learning and it is fun to experiment.

You may find a great cart if you spend every bit that you have, but you will have trouble knowing if it is a good cart or not without checking others in comparison. That is my opinion and how I have tackled finding out what I like.

how do you feel about purchasing used cartridges? Any idea how likely they are to slip in effectiveness as the years go by? I saw many more used expensive carts that I considered, but ended up shying away from. But Ive always been a big fan of buying most things used (not undewear), so this is something I really want to consider in the future.

 

[Embryos]

Hi,

My stock $100 recommendation applies here, the AT95VL, research it.
(There are loads of posts about it, AFAIK none negative.)
Its really big on performance and very long stylus life for the bargain price.

rgds, sreten.

cool..thank you very much for the suggestion. I will look into it!

 

[Embryos]

It's been said, repeatedly, ha ha, but I would wholeheartedly also recommend the AT-440MLa / b - I don't think there's a finer, better tracking cartridge made under $200. One thing you are quickly learning is that cartridges are like wine - everyone has a snobby opinion about them and about their "quality" and everyone has their priorities they are trying to meet. Nobody's "wrong" per se, everyone is just looking for what works good to their ears in their room with their system.

If capacitively loaded correctly (around 100pf - which I'm willing to bet your vintage amp does) and carefully mounted - the AT440 will provide a tonally balanced sound and will track through anything you can throw at it.

I purchased the shure m35x..but am considering the ATmlb next. That would fit a standard technics headshell correct?

 

[Embryos]

The AT440 is a great cartridge but requires really precise alignment to prevent a too bright sound. The AT120 is somewhat cheaper, tracks like a champ, and has a nice balanced sound. Or you could get a Shure M97xe for around $100. It's a cartridge that I really like, as do many other AK members. To be fair, there are many who don't like the Shure sound.

Also, can you describe the "Shure sound" to any extent? or would we need a poet? thanks!

 

[Embryos]

If you decide to go for an AT95-something, and you like to tinker with your hifi, they're quite easy to modify on the cheap.

The plastic part of the body is just held on by a single screw. Remove it, glue the metal body onto one of those 3gr. headshell weights, and voila: "Nude" cartridge!
Cut away excess plastic on stylus holder itself for even less potentionally vibrating parts, and maybe add some dampening to the sides of the cartridge body.

Now, Im not saying the other suggestions made in this thread are in any way bad (they're absolutely not), but since I have the impression you're relatively new to turntables, I think it may be wise to play around and learn on a cheapo, If you break it, you're not losing much $$$. If you upgrade, you'll have a back-up for testing second hand records. If you're having a drunken party, you can hide away the expensive cart/stylus and still play records with less worries.

IMO, an ideal cartridge is one that suits the system as a whole, so learning about which sonic attributes benefits/disagrees with the rest of your system (and room) before spending big bucks may not be a bad idea. Unless you swap out equipment a lot

damn. Sound advice. everything is relative right! it comes down to the fact that its gonna take time and just as much money! thats cool though, music is something ive always found to be a worthy investment.