Yamaha pf-800 cartridge... what to get?

[RunOutGroove]

I'm on my second one of these Denon DL-110 cartridges and by my estimate I have a hundred or so more hours, or really a couple of months life left on it, so I'm thinking ahead to a suitable replacement. I really like the sound I get with this thing and my Schiit Mani II phono preamp. It's a livelier, airier sound than what I remember getting with the MM cartridges I've had, but then again those were with a different table, and different phono preamp. My issue with buying another DL-110 cart is that the price has gone up a lot from when I bought the one I have now, from $260 to $450, which is more than I want to spend for something that I'm needing to replace every couple of years. I see cheaper ones, listed as new on ebay, but I don't quite trust that and for a phono cart; I'd rather buy from a more reputable source (my last one was bought on Amazon).

With all that in mind, what's a good choice for a not necessarily dirt cheap, but +/- $250 cartridge that would sound great on this table (and maybe have some of the qualities that I like in the DL-110)? I think I dig the MC sound, though I could be convinced to go with MM, if there's a good choice for that. I know that the tonearm on the is a lighter type design, so it's got to work well with that.

 

[RunOutGroove]

The plot thickens... I just looked at Amazon again and there's one seller, from "The Denon Store" no less, that has the DL-110 for just $225, half the price that I saw it selling for before. Unless there's likely to be a better option for around that price, I might just replace my DL-110 with another one of the same...

 

[SONDEKNZ]

The plot thickens... I just looked at Amazon again and there's one seller, from "The Denon Store" no less, that has the DL-110 for just $225, half the price that I saw it selling for before. Unless there's likely to be a better option for around that price, I might just replace my DL-110 with another one of the same...

Smart move... it's a great cartridge

Alternatively, buy with confidence from 2juki-cartridge on eBay for around USD $200.00. This trader has been looking after all of us for years. No association.
2juki-cartridge on eBay

Lastly, you could take one of your used DENON DL-110 cartridges from the past and have it rebuilt by Skyanalog, here in China. They run a global cartridge repair service Skyanalog's cartridge-repair.com and deliver superb service at very competitive pricing. The Chinese international logistics systems are very reasonably priced - as you've probably seen in the low-cost Ali-Express delivery prices - which Skyanalog takes full advantage of.

I have personally travelled both of these last two options and would highly recommend the Skyanalog rebuild. It delivers you a cartridge that is much further up the food-chain than the (wonderful) stock DENON DL-110, for similar money to a new purchase. Our pimped DENON DL-110 - with boron cantilever and nude elliptical stylus - remains one of our favourite cartridges.

Read about my DENON DL-110 journey here...
The Tale of the Pimped DENON DL-110

 

[sound hound]

If you have any interest in vintage cartridges, you might look at a Grace F8 or F9.

 

[RunOutGroove]

Smart move... it's a great cartridge

Alternatively, buy with confidence from 2juki-cartridge on eBay for around USD $200.00. This trader has been looking after all of us for years. No association.
2juki-cartridge on eBay

Lastly, you could take one of your used DENON DL-110 cartridges from the past and have it rebuilt by Skyanalog, here in China. They run a global cartridge repair service Skyanalog's cartridge-repair.com and deliver superb service at very competitive pricing. The Chinese international logistics systems are very reasonably priced - as you've probably seen in the low-cost Ali-Express delivery prices - which Skyanalog takes full advantage of.

I have personally travelled both of these last two options and would highly recommend the Skyanalog rebuild. It delivers you a cartridge that is much further up the food-chain than the (wonderful) stock DENON DL-110, for similar money to a new purchase. Our pimped DENON DL-110 - with boron cantilever and nude elliptical stylus - remains one of our favourite cartridges.

Read about my DENON DL-110 journey here...
The Tale of the Pimped DENON DL-110

Thanks... that's all good info. I thought about getting the tip rebuilt by some place in the US last time I wore out my cart (also a DL-110), but it was more expensive and I didn't bother. I think I may end up doing the same thing again and just getting a brand new cart, particularly since it doesn't sound like a more expensive re-tip would buy me any more life than the 500 hrs that the stock thing is rated for, even if there is likely to be some improvement in sound quality. I find the sound quality I get with the stock one, to be more than satisfactory. Maybe if I'm feeling a bit richer later, I'll send in one off my worn out DL-110 carts for a premium rebuild. I hate the fact that these things are so expensive and have such a short life. I estimate that I'll be getting just 2 years out of my current cart, and I don't even use my TT day in and day out (I play CDs and the radio, and even when I'm home I often don't have any of it on). 2 years life on that thing is really only an average of about one side of an LP every day.

In that thread were you detail the whole rebuild thing, you mention that you use a blank LP to set anti-skate control. I wonder if that can be any old blank LP? if it can be, I'll pull out the blank side of my Johnny Winter, Second Winter LP as that's an odd 3 sided 2 LP set...

 

[SONDEKNZ]

In that thread were you detail the whole rebuild thing, you mention that you use a blank LP to set anti-skate control. I wonder if that can be any old blank LP? if it can be, I'll pull out the blank side of my Johnny Winter, Second Winter LP as that's an odd 3 sided 2 LP set...

I confess that I have since moved away from the blank LP for anti-skate setting. The blank record I was using is not record vinyl, so it skewed my findings.

These days I simply try for a very gentle grab towards the spindle - when I first lower the stylus into the groove lead-in.

That seems to sound best.

Meanwhile, if you want to consider spending less on another excellent daily-driver cartridge, you might want to have a read of this!

Audio Technica AT-VM95C: Is it worthy of all the fuss?
(PS: Personally, I have never enjoyed the Audio Technica house sound - finding it a bit lightweight - but this little blue fella has changed my mind...)

 

[seely]

FYI, it is not sold by Denon. Amazon is borderline deceitful with the way they link legitimate stores/companies to 3rd party sellers. Not saying this isn't legit, though. But it's not coming from Denon.

 

[seely]

Just a thought on the replacement interval -- are you going strictly by hours? I imagine there's all kinds of factors that influence/change a stylus' life, and the manufacturer likely errs on the side of caution with their recommendation. If you're that religious about stylus wear, I would consider investing in a scope to visually examine the styli, you could be replacing a perfectly good cart you're going by hours.

I got a cheap digital scope off Amazon awhile back, and while it's not the best, you can evaluate the tip and overall condition of the stylus. Even on ones I've bought used, and used for a number of years, show little to no appreciable wear.