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What to buy

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Posted on July 4, 2015 at 07:22:24
Kindablue
Audiophile

Posts: 1072
Joined: August 7, 2003
 Just a few facts
Got about 200 bucks for a new cart
Sick of searching and reading
TT is a early generation probley one of the first few made Music Hall MMF-5
tables
Listen to blues blues blues
Have a pair of Bozak B-4000 speakers I am using now along with tube amps
Trying to keep it simple here
Any experience with the TT and what would you suggest for a cart and please respect my lack of knowledge got to start somewhere so I ask here and now.
Thanks,
Exhausted searching and being lead in all directions. And I am not rich.

 

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Blues, blues and blues deserves sweet sounding carts..., posted on July 4, 2015 at 08:21:46
Interstage Tranny
Audiophile

Posts: 3063
Location: Eastern
Joined: October 4, 2006
 Low mass, classic mm carts that inevitably sound sweet and juicy, are many. Have you heard the Grace F9E or F9L ? How about the old Sonus (post ADC), B&O SP-12 or even the Shure M91ED or M95ED carts ? You could probably get a mint Grace F9E for $200. and will be very enthralled.

When the other posters respond with "try this Audio Technica..." please be warned that very few AT carts sound "sweet" or "warm" with most bordering on "cleaner, more neutral...even too bright" sounding. If you can find an owner, fellow record collector nearby, bring a few discs over to audition their more modern choices...before spending the $$$.

If you are almost ready to try mc carts, everyone likes their Denon 103C conicals, available for less than $200. but requiring a step-up tranny or high gain phono stage. The Denon AU-320 SUT excels at conveying the music, without resorting to the more expensive, "newer is better" trends. In fact, if you expect to get another table, like a mono or 78 rpm based table, the AU-320 can switch between two tables/arms !

If you wish to hear the music as our fave musicians heard, consider some higher mass, early stereo offerings, as many disc collectors choose. Some great cartridges to consider from that 1958-1963 era are: Pickering/Stanton 380, Shure M3D with N21D stylus, B&O Stereodyne also marketed as the Dynaco/B&O Stereodyne II, among other offerings. These will be a bit "tricky" to setup with lowish mass arms, but well worth the efforts sonically...ENJOY the audio journey !...........................

 

A grado would probably hum on an MMF-5, posted on July 4, 2015 at 10:18:28
vinyl1
Audiophile

Posts: 3948
Joined: October 3, 2001
 Always check the Grado hum database.

 

RE: What to buy, posted on July 4, 2015 at 16:02:14
MAS
Audiophile

Posts: 2328
Joined: February 26, 2002
 Over time, the things a cartridge does wrong will weigh on you, so balanced frequency response and good tracking ability are musts for long term enjoyment. In my system, the tubby bass of the Grado prestige series, sucked out midrange of the AT440 mla, poor tracking of the AT110 meant they did not last long in my system despite other positive traits.

Other people don't hear it that way. They hear the great Grado midrange, or the extended highs and great tracking of the 440MLa. People hear differently, and cartridges can sound different in different systems. In fact, a "fast" cartridge like the AT120E is often a recommendation in an overly warm system, and vice versa, a warm cartridge can be use to help an overly analytical system.

That was a lot of blah blah blah to try and explain why recommendations can be all over the place.

Ortofon 2M Blue is a cartridge for about $200 that I can recommend. It has a clean balanced sound that is easy to live with. Neither highs nor lows are spotlighted. It tracks good too. With tapped inserts in the mounting plate, it is incredibly easy to mount. Many inmates like the similar 2M red, but its bonded needle results in higher tip mass, which in my experience correlates with poor tracking.

Another cartridge for you to consider is the Audio Technica 120E. It has been a while since I heard it, but the AT120E is good performer for the money. Do some searches here and you will see it is a well regarded cartridge. It might be a good counterbalance if you feel the sound of the tubes and vintage Bozaks is a little too warm. The 2M would be warmer than AT, for sure. Impossible to say which you would prefer in your system, but I think either would let the music come through.

The MMF-5 has a medium mass tonearm which will accomodate most modern cartridges, including the two I have mentioned. I would stay away from cartridges that are very high compliance (ADC, Sonus) or very low compliance (Denon DL-103).



 

AT120E..., posted on July 4, 2015 at 16:08:28
jazzthusiast
Audiophile

Posts: 3078
Location: SE Texas
Joined: July 9, 2002
 Interstage Tranny warned you about audio technica recommendations, but the AT120E is quite warm and mellow by comparison to say the 440mla in the price range you are talking about. It's a moving magnet cart w/ nude mounted elliptical stylus vs. line contact. I was fond of the 440mla w/ line contact stylus, but did find it could be a bit edgy & bright. Then I tried the AT120E. It became a favorite. Nice extended bass, warm full mids, with plenty o' detail. Definitely within your price range & w/ low tracking force & elliptical stylus will last a good long while & the stylus is replaceable. See link below (no affiliation). You're using tube amplification & Bozak speakers, so any edgy cart would be softened by that combo, I would think. Others might suggest the Ortofon 2M Red, which I have & is a good value cart, but I prefer the AT120E. The 2M Red is punchy & muscular but does not sound as open as the AT120E, IMHO. The AT is a great tracker as well. I never noticed any groove distortion with the AT.

Just my humble opinion. Good luck!
Jim

"If less is more, just think how much more more would be!" - Frasier Crane.
-----------------------------
Russco Studio Pro B/Syntec S220/Empire 2000E/3-Technics SL1210mkII/DL103R/Yam C-4 pre-Yam M-4 amp-KLH 5 spkrs-Outlaw sub

 

Blues = vintage, posted on July 4, 2015 at 17:21:24
valvesonly
Audiophile

Posts: 755
Location: Ontario
Joined: May 27, 2005
 The recommendations so far. To summarize blues = tone tone!! The 103R in MC (needs SUT), Shure M91ED with SAS, or Grace F9 for purity and tone.

To add to these,consider a Goldring for sweetness and midrange, or for a SPU type sound, an Ortofon VMS cartridge, either 20 or 30 VMS MK II.
.
must..NOT..resist..."upgraditis"

 

This one is quite dynamic and not a bad sound, posted on July 4, 2015 at 19:50:21
Penguin
Audiophile

Posts: 7116
Location: Delaware
Joined: August 5, 2001
 also gives you 80 bucks to spend on something else.

dee
;-D
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.

quote by Kurt Vonnegut

 

RE: Blues, blues and blues deserves sweet sounding carts..., posted on July 4, 2015 at 22:46:10
bluemooze
Audiophile

Posts: 269
Location: New Jersey
Joined: November 18, 2009
 Since the OP stated that he wants to keep things simple and he noted his lack of knowledge, I believe that your recommendations for him to enter the world of used cartridges does him a disservice.

 

RE: What to buy, posted on July 4, 2015 at 23:09:36
AudioSoul
Audiophile

Posts: 4594
Location: north central AZ
Joined: July 9, 2005
A Denon Dl-110 cart. is well balanced and work well with blues.....s

 

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