• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Your FAVORITE carts?

scootsity5

scootsity5

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Hello all,

Asking for purely subjective thoughts here, what are your favorite carts and why?

They don't have to have the greatest specs or anything, I'm just curious what people love and why? What deck do you love it on? Are there other carts you love on other decks?

While I think this is just an interesting conversation prompt, I'm also interested because I think it's time to expand my cart collection, and I am hoping to get some ideas of some cool stuff that doesn't pop up in the 'best $x carts' threads. So, odd balls, specific use-cases, etc are all very much of interest.

So, I'll start things off with my own.

My daily driver is a DL-160 that I got from the dude who taught me how to fix turntables and ****. It had a bent cantilever, and I used it that way for years. Once it was discontinued, I sent it to soundsmith for the ruby retip. It's on my TD-160 super, which has that ultra low mass sme arm. The cart is not a great match for the arm. But, the arm has a liquid dampener on it, so when that's filled with goo, they actually match extremely well. It took a lot of tweaking with dampening goop, but it's a spectacular setup now.

My go-to for other people is an OM 10 and pretty much has been since the Shure M92 was discontinued.

The OM10 is to me, kinda boring but it's also one of those carts everyone will like, it's so middle of everything. There's nothing that sounds bad on it. And, it's so readily upgraded that it's a good way to get people into working up the food chain.

My former go-to was an M92. Mostly because I lived near Shure and they were cheap in Chicago, and for the money, they sounded fine. I've got limited experience with the Shure range, but I always enjoyed how musical they were.
 
Register to hide this ad
Ortofon Super OM 10. Does everything right to me. Great bass, soundstage, tracks everything I throw at it and gets tons of details other carts miss. I love it on my Syntec 220 and my Dali Spektors seem to really let this cart shine. I think it likes a medium mass arm.

I like many other carts, but the OM 10 really is my fave.
 
Last edited:
The long-forgotten Precept PC-440; nude Shibata on a beryllium cantilever. It simply sings. Does everything right.
Even the PC220 is a winner, with a nude square-shank .002 x .007 on a tapered alu canti. Still can be had for short money (under $100) and are terrific at most everything.
 
I spent some time the last decade buying, listening, and selling cartridges. Currently I own three, as I have three tables and these are all I need.

1. Transfiguration Audio Proteus
2. Ikeda 9 Kawami
3. Ortofon A90

All of them sound very good. The Transfiguration and Ikeda are more similar sounding than different. The Ikeda is a bit warmer, the Transfiguration is more layered in its presentation. The A90 is darker sounding, but has a purity that is addicting.
 
Now its Dynavector, 20 x & 20x 2. I was never thrilled with the Stantons 881, 981, and Shures V-15's like I am with the Dynavectors. The best cartridge I never owned a Grace F9E.
 
Favorite that I've owned: Lyra Delos.
Favorite that I've heard: tie between Dynavector XV-1S and Ortofon MC Anna.
 
ZYX 4D-X/SB2
Jico Seto Hori
AT33PTG/ii
E86E9C69-1705-4C03-9070-55F6A44EF668.jpeg 5DDEF939-E68B-4D95-9BAB-84A3FDEB5ED9.jpeg B8C88164-AC00-4CC7-8203-49E2FCD3F0DF.jpeg

All of these carts sound excellent to me and one thing all three have in common is they have boron cantilevers so maybe that’s what draws me to them I don’t know.

My favorite combination is the ZYX with my Thorens TD-125/SME 3009 , with the Jico/Marc Morin ARXA they make exceptional music . The AT33PTG/ii is my daily and plays anything and does a great job at it.

Audiofreak71
 
Last edited:
scootsity5 said:
Hello all,

Asking for purely subjective thoughts here, what are your favorite carts and why?

They don't have to have the greatest specs or anything, I'm just curious what people love and why? What deck do you love it on? Are there other carts you love on other decks?
Click to expand...
Sadly, the cartridges that come to mind for me have been discontinued. I loved the Stanton 681 on my LP12/Ittok, and the Shure M97xE was like a match made in heaven with my Rega RP3. I could have happily lived out my days with either of those, but they're gone. On a Well Tempered Record Player, the Grado Statement Platinum really shined, but surprisingly close was the modest Grado Green1. No longer having the Well Tempered, I don't have any experience with the newer, modified versions of those two cartridges.

Last year I bought an AT-LP120XUSB to be able to play 78's. I didn't care for the stock AT-VM95E cartridge for lp's, but I switched to the bonded conical VMN95C stylus and was very impressed. The AT cartridge with VMN95SP also does a good job with 78's. This week I pulled out a Sumiko Oyster and mounted it up on an extra headshell. Dynamics, resolution, and instrumental timbre were much improved, and I may have found my perfect cartridge match for this AT turntable. Surprisingly satisfying sound from such a cheap combination.
 
My all-time favourite is the Shure M95ED. This is not my most expensive cartridge but does all the the right things for me in terms of balance, detail, dynamics and refinement. It just seems to fit with what I want to hear.

You could improve your OM10 in one of two ways - upgrade the stylus to a Stylus 20 (nude elliptical) or replace the OM body with the Super-OM (which is more dynamic but also a little brighter). The OM20 has a fabulous sound. The Super-OM10 is very lively and will spice-up the sound from the Stylus 10.
 
Decca Gold... nothing else in the 200+ cartridges I have can come close when this is properly matched to the arm and table. True for clarity and imaging. The sound is just there. Speakers and direction disappear.
 
Last edited:
I change carts out less frequently than my socks, but I do like to change up things every so often. I have found with my ears I like conical set ups. My fave for a year or so has been my Shure M33-7 with a legit Shure N33-7 needle. I keep an Osawa OS-101 around in case I wander back to that. Really loved that one. Loved my Pickering XV 15 625e but I have not listened to that in years. A bonus for all of these carts is needles are plentiful and cheap for now, so I can play these until I have to go to a life level where I do not get to have turntables anymore. And we all get there eventually.
 
I'm surprised to hear more love for the Pickering V-15 than the Shure V-15. Was there any relationship between the two carts, or just two companies using the same name?
 
I’ve got 83 vintage cartridges. Mostly collected out of curiosity or opportunity.

Favorites are the Empire EDR.9, 2000Z, Shure M97HE and V15 Type IV, Stanton/Pickering 681EEE/XV15 and the GE VR1000.
 
New to me and a step up from all my previous carts.

Denon DL 300 retipped by Needlestein.

I’ve a couple Micro Acoustics from him too that are very good. My Stanton 681EEE with LP Gear Vividline stylus is also a favourite.
 
I really like my Signet TK-5ea with ATN 125LC. It seems to do everything just right. I'm planning on picking up an ATN-150Sa for it soon to see how it does.
I also like my Grado Gold 1. It is much more mellow than the AT but still very enjoyable.

Stuff like this is what's interesting about the hobby for me. Two carts that sound very different but both seem to work somehow. For reference I'm running them on an SL-1800mk2 using the phono pre in my Yamaha A-950 driving B&W 804 Matrix speakers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom