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Which cartridge do you like the best, the least, and why

Which cartridge do you like the best, the least, and why.

  • A is best

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • B is best

    Votes: 8 57.1%

  • C is best

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • The difference is too small

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • The difference is easy to hear

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • A is worst

    Votes: 6 42.9%

  • B is worst

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • C is worst

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    14
S

Sleiven

Active Member
Just a simple impression poll, related to the question how much does the cartridge matter. There is no right or wrong answers here , cartridge price range from 300 usd to 1000usd. I am just curious if there is some similarities in what people prefer. The level is matched to same average level





In about a week or with sufficient number of votes I will tell more about the cartridges and system used.
 
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What makes A the worst is how it makes the violin shriek…..now is that because certain high attributes are present on the recording, therefore A is the most accurate? Although not liking it so B is my choice, and I liked the piano better on B
 
In most cases what's best is just a matter of taste...or your hearing, audio experience, your reference, or simply your idea of good sound...
 
I was expecting to have to buy an new tub of popcorn to watch this thread. Still in simple unlike many other sources vinyl and cartridges are not flat. The mastering and the cartridge influence what you hear. You like some of the influences and dislike other choices. My ears when I went back to vinyl were listening to a different cartridge than I had spent years listening too, something was not right. I switched cartridges to what I was used to with the same quality of stylus and all of the sudden the vinyl was sounding "right" or better stated like I was used to. So what is best outside of being a popcorn chomping event is really what is your taste, experience, or thoughts about what sounds good.
 
I think the attack is better on #3 although they all sound very similar. What phono pre and digital converter are you using? Did you do any digital processing?

Some folks here will say all three sound like their computer speakers :)
 
Recorded to Parks Audio Puffin, with Toslink out to PC va Toslink-USB converter. 48khz 24 bit, to CooleditPro 48k/16 bit..

No digital cleaning or other processing. The record is second hand, bought it on a market last week , 40 years old
 
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The difference is quite apparent to me. but i hear them through my own system of course, but even on earphones and mobilephone the differences are recognized. One cartridge is very clearly inferior…
 
A wild guess: B is Shure v15 type III.

(On a second thought, vintage carts may not have been used here..)
 
Sleiven said:
Why does the format matter?
Click to expand...
I just wondered.

Sorry!

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mcgjohn said:
you are looking for input. Does not help to increase your tally count when you question someone who is contrary to your thinking.
Click to expand...
Good point, let’s just see how the count goes. I did not know how to make the votes hidden . But with enough votes we should get a a conclusion to trust.
Some cartridges sound too similar to differentiate some are quite distinguishable from others. Measurements in general show quite som variation in both distortion, frequency response , separation and trackability, just look at the ASR measurements. This is just an informal test to see if there is some common judgement of these the particular ones audible performance , “like best”. I made the level the same since different levels nearly always make people pick the one with highest level when other differences are small

There is an option to vote for “the difference is small” pick that if you do not think the difference is noticeable, or not enough to care about.

The 3 cartridges here are not very expensive nor the cheapest, and not uncommon to use. The simple question is do you prefer one of them? Or not ..

I do not regret buying any if these 3 cartridges , some others not presented here I will not buy again.
There is no wrong answer in the poll, all opinions about these different or not are valid
 
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