|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
73.53.57.61
Hi all,I've been using a Dynavector 10x5 on a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon III. Speakers are Polk Monitor 5's, receiver is a Harmon Kardon 330c. Nothing too fancy but it gets the job done.
My problem is that I listen to enough vinyl that I blow through a needle every six months or so. With the Dynavector, getting it re-tipped every time is prohibitively expensive. I'm trying to figure out how to downgrade to something more economical that I can, well, afford to replace regularly.
The other twist: I have a decent number of rare records with storage warps, often from having been sealed for years. Clearance is a real issue for me. I had been playing a Ortofon 2M blue but the body was scraping on too many records.
I guess I'm wondering what might be an affordable option with decent clearance. I'm tempted to just go back to a Shure M97xE, which I recognize would be a major step backward but also way more suited to my $$ needs.
Any suggestions for something in the $150 - $200 range that's 1) bang for the buck 2) has a design that offers good clearance?
Thanks
WJ
Edits: 02/21/17 02/21/17Follow Ups:
If not, and I haven't done the Math, could you possibly be putting 2,000 to 3,000 hours on a cartridge in six months?
My tables in use every afternoon for several hours and it's taken me almost 2 years to get to 1200 clicks on my supermarket clicker thingy. Thats about 400 hours.
Maybe you need a clicker thingy .
2 years = 730 days
400 hours / 730 days = about 33 minutes a day, not several hours. That's maybe three fourths of an LP per day.
For someone who listens to several LPs a day, the stylus needs to be replaced more frequently than every two years ears or more.
By the time distortion due to stylus wear is audible, your records are being damaged. 1000 hours is a pretty consistent estimate across sources, including makers and others, for expected stylus life. There are some variables though, mostly how clean the LPs are.
The OP is taking a rational path for someone listens to lots of LPs and wants to preserve them.
It's kind of like grills on speakers. Sure, it probably sounds better without a grill, but an intact driver with a grill is still preferable to a driver with a hole in it due to pet or kid damage and no grill. Likewise, if forced to choose, I'd pick an unworn lesser stylus over a pricier one that I won't replace often enough to avoid damaging my records. Okay not a perfect analogy, but both show the worth of some pragmatism over audiophile religious purity.
My unsolicited two cents, YMMV, etc.
Best,
Brent
the nagoaka seems like a good way to go but have never heard one myself. other than that, the audio technica at95e has no right sounding as good as it does for $50.
...regards...tr
I'd add another vote for the Shure M97xE - even in its stock form, I actually like the tonal balance especially for jazz and classical. My only reservation regarding an unconditional recommendation is the variability in the tip azimuth and variable tracking ability compared to the specifications. You can always opt for the slightly more expensive alternatives such as the JICO SAS (nearly 5x the price of the stock Shure stylus) or the LPGear Vivid Line (about 2x the price) if you want to "upgrade" the performance.
I would also add a vote for an AT cartridge, but the running costs are going to be higher.
Just as an alternative thought....would you be averse to recording your favourite records and playing back the recordings instead? You could use your computer with a Korg DS-DAC10R and it is both an ADC and DAC.
I realise it's not quite the same fun as spinning a record, but it will slow down the rate at which you will wear both your records and styli!
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
The Shure M97 is a good cheap cartridge. I also like the Audio Technica At120E, it's a decent $100 cartridge. Replacement styluses are readily available. I recently picked up an Audio Technica AT15SA with a new Jico stylus for $91, probably the best cheap cartridge I have purchased in the last few years.
Thomas
"In a democracy, uneducated voters get the leaders they deserve."
.
The Shure is a great option. Don't discount picking up a used V15 ... your Debut Carbon III can easily handle it and excellent replacement styli can be obtained from JICO and others. Plus you might consider one of the Grado 'presitge' series which have considerable clearance over the disc to accommodate warps and are known for their musical qualities.
Later Gator,
Dave
Very nice and dynamic for the $$ at their respective pricepoints, have replaceable fronts/stylii like the Shure cartridges and are very compact from a size standpoint. If you want more detail look at the AT carts.
You'd be going from a high output moving coil.. but I doubt the move to their MP-200 ($400) or to their MP-300 ($600) carts would be a step down.. and you'd see a savings when you replaced the tips instead of having to have a real rebuild. The lower priced Nags at 100 - 275 bucks are also really solid at their price points.
Opus 33 1/3
Considering the warps, it seems hard to imagine a better budget choice than the Shure with its damping brush. The brush really negates much of the warp issue.
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: