Cartridge recommendations

[Jonti]

At the moment I'm using a Denon DL-107 spherical tip MM cartridge with my Technics SL-1200 Mk 5. The DL-107 is from 1969 and delivers clear treble and well defined bass, but I'm sure there must be many better cartridges for listening to Jamaican music, so... any recommendations for MM carts? What do you use?

[I-Lion Tafari]

Try a mc system and you´ll feel the sun rising...

[Jonti]

Yeah, I'm thinking of switching. Any MC cartridge recommendations, then?

[AnorakTrev]

It`s all down to how deep you want to dig in your pockets.An analogy is " Can you afford a Ford Focus or a Ferrari " There are mc cartridges that can be got reasonably cheap,but, as with all things, the sky is the limit !!!

If,as and when, you get an mc cartridge there will be no going back .

The amount of detail that you will pick out of the groove will amaze you.But the only problem with an mc cartridge is you can`t just replace the stylus.It`s the whole thing.Take that into account .

Trevor

[I-Lion Tafari]

I personally use a Goldring Eroica LX. It sounds very dynamic. Even jamaican back yard pressings sound nice with this system.
Price is around € 229. It has a strong magnet and the output voltage is 0,5 mV > every modern phono pre-amp can do it. The needle is Gyger II shaped - absolutely harmless for the record grooves.
The system fits excellent on rega players. If you use silver wires inside the tone arm and use a silver connection to your amp, you´ll get an audiophile sound if the other components of your hi-fi are good.
I play my system for more than 5 years now and it was checked under the microscope a few weeks ago. It´s still in fine shape.
Cheap cartridges have to be replaced more often.
Best wishes, play on!
Nuff greetings,
I-Lion

[Dizzle]

How about the Denon DL-103?

[Thomas]

_Jonti_, I used an Ortofon MC15 super for a few years - I would recommend it without hesitation. It has great bass and very detailed mids and highs. I upgraded from a Shure V15 moving magnet cartridge.
MC cartridges are usually very low output, so if your amplifier does not have a switchable MM to MC phono stage you might need a step up transformer or separate phono amp.

[darewon]

I swear by the Shure M44-7.

I also am a little fond of the Ortofon Pro S.

[leggo rocker]

I tested two set ups this morning.

Amps are a pair of Alchemist Genesis Monos. Pre-Amp is the Alchemist Freya. Phono Stage is a Creek OBH-15 which has inputs for both MM and MC and is switchable between the two. Speakers are B&W 683.

Moving Magnet set up

Sony PS-X65 with an XL35 MM cart.

This sounds rich with a very full bass. In fact it all seems to be about bass with this set up. My windows rattle, literally, even at medium volumes (OK, so my wife thinks medium volume is extremely loud, but she's wrong!)

Moving Coil set up

Sony PS-X600 with a Sony XL44L MC cart

As soon as I switch to this set up I have to wind up the volume controls on the Freya by maybe 25% or more.

While the trebles are clearer and I can hear more detail in the upper levels there's very little bass. I even wonder if the reason for the clarity at higher frequencies is just an illusion caused by the fact that the bass is so slow I can actually hear the treble.

I am looking to upgrade the PS-X65 to an MC but don't want to lose that fantastically fierce bass response I presently enjoy so much.

The PS-X600 is a fascinating deck to own. ue to it's Bio-Tracer arm it has the ability to change the stylus balance on the fly. There's a little wheel at the front of the deck that enables you to adjust it as the record spins. It's so cool watching the tone arm press the stylus into the groove and see the cantilever responding to the tracking weight changes. It also means that it is really easy to find the sweet spot for the fitted cart.

However, I think the PS-X65 is the better of the two decks sonically. But my ears are shot so I may not be the best judge.


Any comments on these observations from the audiophiles?

[Thomas]

_leggo_ The cartridge you need is a ZYX Atmos - start saving for it now!