suggestions

Consider the Soundsmith line...nt, posted on February 21, 2025 at 08:15:38
Steve Parry Audiophile Posts: 2509 Location: No. California Joined: August 19, 2002	.

RE: Consider- enough hot air to launch a ballon. , posted on February 21, 2025 at 18:13:49

beach cruiser
Audiophile

Posts: 7333
Location: so cal
Joined: September 24, 2003

I think soundsmith a very solid recommendation , with the better carts being moving iron , a design I favor over moving magnets. And if moving iron is on the table , Grado with moving iron designs is certainly well respected.

rega is also a top brand with high output carts. their website used to be clear about using moving iron in their better carts, now they are kind of vague , saying they have re-invented the moving coil, I believe in part because of the power the Moving coil designation has become in the market place.

I don't really keep up. Although hardly a cost is no object deal, I just bought the ortofon Beethoven 2M black moving magnet because it went on sale , had a lot of features, ortofon said it was a good match for my arm on their website, and because I know a MM sounds really good in my system , playing a lot of rock records and such.

all the best, in your quest.

I was really looking hard at all varieties of non moving coil designs, to keep amplification simple , but shelved my fantasies , swallowed some mistaken pride, and bought what ia hope to be a serviceable replacement for a destroyed classic shure cart.

Three Suggestions, posted on February 21, 2025 at 23:20:02
afro18 Audiophile Posts: 652 Location: NorthEast Ohio Joined: December 1, 2003	Here's three I used with success: 1. Nagaoka MP-150 2. Nagaoka MP-200 ...and my current favorite... 3. Shure V15 Type V with a Jico SAS Boron stylus Current Table: Technics 1200G Martin N.

Clarification, posted on February 22, 2025 at 06:58:32
M3 lover Audiophile Posts: 6749 Location: SW Mich Joined: May 29, 2005 Contributor Since: July 4, 2007	Martin, I suspect you intended to say Jico SAS boron cantilever? "The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

My Favorites:, posted on February 22, 2025 at 08:33:11

mraudio
Audiophile

Posts: 499
Location: Northern Colorado
Joined: November 4, 2006

I own a ton of cartridges, (was in the business for over 40 years). These are my favorites:

Goldring E3 (Giant Killer. REALLY wonderful. Less than $200.)
Shure V15IIIHE with Jico SAS stylus
Audio Technica AT150MLX
Audio Technica AT150Sa
Gold Note Vasari Gold
Gold Note Vasari Shibata
Ortofon 2M Black LVB
Vertere Sabre (expensive, but worth it)

RE: Consider- enough hot air to launch a ballon. , posted on February 22, 2025 at 09:24:48
stereo5 Audiophile Posts: 1369 Location: New England Joined: June 22, 2008	Audio Technica VM 540. Less tipped up highs than the more expensive AT cartridges Shure V15 Type IV with Jico SAS/B with boron cantilever. My favorite cartridge, especially for Rock music. "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."

Here are some..., posted on February 23, 2025 at 08:25:59
Cougar Audiophile Posts: 4702 Location: SoCal Joined: June 25, 2001	I liked. Audio Technica AT15Sa and Empire 2000EIII (Moving Iron). For NEW I really liked the Sumiko Amethyst reminds me of my Shelter 901. Now I haven't tried these myself but I have been reading some good stuff on the REGA cartridges.

RE: suggestions, posted on February 23, 2025 at 16:57:15
Goober58 Audiophile Posts: 6308 Joined: November 15, 2016	I had a ClearAudio Virtuoso Wood before I got into MCs that was a great sounding MM cartridge. I also had a real good experience with one of their lower priced MM carts (arum beta) as well.

Are those made by...., posted on February 23, 2025 at 18:55:01
Cougar Audiophile Posts: 4702 Location: SoCal Joined: June 25, 2001	Audio Technica for ClearAudio?

RE: Are those made by...., posted on February 23, 2025 at 23:02:39

Goober58
Audiophile

Posts: 6308
Joined: November 15, 2016

Far as I know ClearAudio cartridges are manufactured in Germany. Whether some components that go into the ClearAudio cartridges are sourced from Audio Technica I have no idea. Never owned an AT cartridge but lots of people like them.

When I upgraded my TT the carts were all high output ( a couple of affordable high output MCs ), a moving iron and a MM. On the better table and arm only the Arum Beta played up enough to sound good (though not much bass) so I upgraded to the Virtuoso Wood. Decided to try low output MC so swapped a board on the phono section and bought a low output coil (Dynavector 20xl) about the same price as the ClearAudio. I liked it, but never decided it was better than the Virtuoso Wood until I upgraded the tonearm. I've always wondered if the MM would have shown such an improvement with the tonearm upgrade as did the MC. Then I upgraded the low output MC to a more expensive model in the same line and since then I've been using the same cartridge (Dynavector XX2) since and have traded it in on a new one every 1000 hours or so since them.

suggestions, posted on February 24, 2025 at 11:39:48
Basher52 Audiophile Posts: 127 Joined: February 18, 2016	I'd second the recommendations on one of the Soundsmith MI types. I run their Aida alternating with a Van den Hul MC One and find the Soundsmith a delight. Also a Shure V15 (Type VxMR if you can find one) with Jico SAS/B (with boron cantilever .. sapphire is also available if you favor that 'sound').

I would love to try the Nagoakas, posted on February 28, 2025 at 22:44:05

hifitommy
Audiophile

Posts: 15470
Location: canyon country califiornia, orig from buffalo ny
Joined: June 9, 2000

from MP200 and above because of their boron cantilevers. reviewers that I trust have had good things to say about them. i own the V15xMR/SAS Boron and when I read the review by Paul Seydor, I found it to parallel to my opinion. i have never heard a stock Shure stylus that I liked the sound of but the SAS Boron makes that cartridge sound like it should.

other recommendations are the AT170ML with its nude square shank diamond and the Stanton 880S.
...regards...tr

Vinyl Asylum

suggestions

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