The Best Cartridge You Have Heard/Owned

[malvai]

Hi guys,
Considering that we now have a lot of vinyl heads in the forum, I felt that we should have a thread that documents the best cartridges (MM/MC/MI) vintage or new, at various price points!

Small or long reviews/ opinions are very welcome!

 

[kuruvilajacob]

I have tried several MM carts in my vinyl journey and the best I have heard is Goldring 1012 and MC DL 103. But there are several others which are excellent but these come to my mind as the best from the lot. In my opinion, MC carts costing a bomb are not suited for our climatic condition and i don't have systems to match them. So I do not wish to attempt buying them.

 

[malvai]

I have never really tried the Goldring carts... maybe one day if i get a decently priced lightly used one!!

I do agree that for the money the Denon 103 series is very very good!

I write about my experiences with the carts I have experienced soon! meanwhile guys chime in!

 

[reubensm]

I have listened to quite a few carts over the years but the cart which somehow sounded good to me, was the vintage Shure M75-6s with its original Shure N75-6 stylus. It was very smooth, very neutral and pleasant to listen to. We were brought up to believe in the philosophy that an average to good cart with an excellent phonostage is always way ahead of an excellent cart with an average phonostage

 

[mpw]

Hi,

I use a Denon DL 103 with a Lehmann Audio SE2 PWX Phono stage with a belt driven Technics SL23 TT.

Have tried a few AT carts with a project phonostage in the past but my present setup is very satisfying ( for me ) - considering the price points and the modest setup i have.

I play rock, female vocals, old hindi LP's etc.. on my TT.

The DL 103 is an all rounder and does most things very well and sometimes it suprises you with how well it plays.

Its been a bit more then a year with me and i feel no urge to experiment or change at all.

rgds
mpw

 

[guls]

Nagaoka OS300 is the best I have used. It was significantly better than a Denon DL110 I had.

 

[longshanks]

ZYX R1000 airy 3 fixed in the Yamaha GT-2000.

 

[jls001]

More than the "best" this is more like my cartridge journey:

I started out with a Shure M44-7 cartridge, purchased new, mounted on a Pioneer PL200 direct drive. It sounds bold and big but not particularly refined. It tracks really well, though. But the turntable itself sounded a bit lethargic compared to my next turntable - the Thorens TD 160 B Mark 3. On this TT, it sounded much better.

Up next was a Shure M55 which I got used. It was a bit more refined than the M44-7 but the stylus had seen better days.

The next one too was a Shure - an M97xE, purchased new. It has a nice balanced sound.

Up next was another Shure, the legendary V15 type III. This vintage cartridge beats the modern M97xE on almost all parameters - better high and low frequency extensions, while being more resolving.

My next cartridge is a Denon DL 160, a high output MC cartridge. It betters the V15 or the M97xE, especially in the mids.

The next cartridge was a rocket ride into outer space. From modest Shures to entry level HOMC Denons, it was straight to an Ortofon Kontrapunkt c cartridge, from a much higher price and performance bracket. The short time that I had the "c" was a pleasure. Very refined, well defined bass, superior high frequency extension, a hint of warmth while being the most resolving cartridge ever I have had in my setup, and a fluid midrange. The midrange was the most wonderful I have ever heard. It had a Soundsmith ruby cantilever and Soundsmith Nude Contact Line tip.

The next cartridge was quite a come down in terms of price bracket, but the Denon DL 103 showed why it has been such a beloved cartridge since its inception in 1962. With the right tonearm to match its low compliance, it can make serious music.

The next cartridge is a ZYX RS30-02. Way more refined than the Denon DL 103, and certifiable bass champ. This and the Denon 103 are my work horses. The ZYX operates on the Lenco L75 turntable and the 103 works on the Thorens TD124. Both are very likable.

My last purchase is a Decca London Super Gold. This beats the ZYX on all parameters except the weight of the bass. It needs a damped arm to play well. It offers dynamics and immediacy like no other cartridge, and has a midrange that is detailed yet warm. The highs are sparkling and pellucid.

What is unsaid here is that the above journey was accompanied by a constant evolution in phono preamps too (been through five of them!).

 

[Rajiv]

Hi,


Manav, you have a few exotic cartridges in your possession. Looking forward to your impressions of the rebuilt SPU, and Koetsu long body.

Regards
Rajiv

 

[reignofchaos]

Bauer DPS with a miyabe is on top of my list. I also liked a well tempered Amadeus with a dynavector 17d3. Another combo I liked was the vpi scoutmaster with a Grado sonata 2. Beautiful sounding mids. Jochen's scheu premier with an EMT tsd15 sounds stunning as well.

 

[prem]

Compared to others on the forum, my experience in the analogue world is zilch. But from whatever little i have heard i quite like the Denon DL 103. I have heard the TSD15 only in my system which is obviously extremely optimised for it. So cannot comment on how good it will sound in other systems

 

[malvai]

Hi,





Manav, you have a few exotic cartridges in your possession. Looking forward to your impressions of the rebuilt SPU, and Koetsu long body.



Regards

Rajiv

Will write up in a bit bro!!

 

[navinsinha]

A bit of digression - just 2 days back, I purchased a Thorens TD 160 (thanks a million to brother Joshua JIS 001 for helping me source it). I am currently using AT VM8 cart. I request the FMs to kindly advise me a better cart, not very expensive. Thanks

 

[malvai]

A bit of digression - just 2 days back, I purchased a Thorens TD 160 (thanks a million to brother Joshua JIS 001 for helping me source it). I am currently using AT VM8 cart. I request the FMs to kindly advise me a better cart, not very expensive. Thanks

Navin you can buy an Ortofon 2m black or if you are on a real budget you can buy a Shure M97xE if you can spend about $200 the Grado Blue is good too! I am using one for now and I prefer it to the Shure M97xE, though not as much as the Ortofon 2M. In fact an Ortofon OM10 is a decent budget cart too!

 

[reignofchaos]

The only low priced AT cart worth buying is the 150MLX. It sounds fantastic when setup properly.

 

[peace_sells]

I'm a newbie but I've come across a few carts : Audio Technica at-5625al, Shure m97xe, Ortofon 2M Red, Denon DL-110 and Nagaoka MP-110. Among these I liked Nagaoka the best (based on how it sounded on my setup)! Just the correct amount of warmth and punch (m97xe was too warm and had very little punch.. the 2M red had a bit too much of bass and was a tad bright for my taste).. Plus I was really amazed at how well it cancelled out surface noise (esp in comparison to the Denon cart where the surface noise was quite high)..it tracks very well too. Overall i loved the mp-110!

Planning to the the Nagaoka sometime this year (I'd borrowed a friends' Nagaoka for a couple of days).. Also I have to buy new speakers. Can't wait to hear the Nagaoka through proper speakers :licklips:

 

[navinsinha]

Thanks a lot Bro,
Any idea, where do I get the Nagaoka in Mumbai?

I'm a newbie but I've come across a few carts : Audio Technica at-5625al, Shure m97xe, Ortofon 2M Red, Denon DL-110 and Nagaoka MP-110. Among these I liked Nagaoka the best (based on how it sounded on my setup)! Just the correct amount of warmth and punch (m97xe was too warm and had very little punch.. the 2M red had a bit too much of bass and was a tad bright for my taste).. Plus I was really amazed at how well it cancelled out surface noise (esp in comparison to the Denon cart where the surface noise was quite high)..it tracks very well too. Overall i loved the mp-110!

Planning to the the Nagaoka sometime this year (I'd borrowed a friends' Nagaoka for a couple of days).. Also I have to buy new speakers. Can't wait to hear the Nagaoka through proper speakers :licklips:

 

[IndianEars]

Best cartridge I have heard : KOETSE Red.

Its was eons ( 25 years ? ) ago ....

 

[prem]

I think the performance a cartridge is highly dependent on the accompanying tonearm and the phono. I feel it should never be evaluated in isolation. For every cartridge there is possibly one or two combos that work the best for that cartridge. For example, if you put a Decca in my table, its unlikely to sound good. But Decca in the right set up can sound glorious.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

I think the performance a cartridge is highly dependent on the accompanying tonearm and the phono. I feel it should never be evaluated in isolation. For every cartridge there is possibly one or two combos that work the best for that cartridge. For example, if you put a Decca in my table, its unlikely to sound good. But Decca in the right set up can sound glorious.

I fully agree with you. Even a base model may sound better than a reputed one . Many factors are involved in reproduction from cartridge. So evaluating cartridges is not that easy.