Best MM?


I want to try a MM with my Herron VTPH-2a. What's the best one? Maestro 2, Zephyr III, AT VM760SLC? Something else?
dhcod
Yes, it's from the 70's - early 80's. I'm still looking for their Dimension 5 model. 
I have a Sonus Blue Gold, acquired NIB in the heyday of Raul's MM/MI thread.  It's the highest compliance cartridge in my collection of vintage MM/MI. Mounted to a TransFi Terminator it was magnificent except for lightness in LF.  I need to try it once more with a Signet XK-50 tonearm.    
The lower frequencies continue to improve as I approach about 20 hours or so.  The sound is addicting from this cartridge.  The naturalness of timbre and overall presentation of music is just great for a cartridge that cost me about 300 bucks.  I have spent more than 2 grand on cartridges that did not give me this much satisfaction.  
" The naturalness of timbre and overall presentation of music is just great for a cartridge"

+1 That is exactly what I like about well designed MM's
My Original ADC XLM  checks in at  65x10 .ONLY suited for back in the day ultra-light arms .
Dear @tzh21y : ADC/Sonus came from the same designer but the latest ADC.

I own and owned almost all Pritchard designs and all are very good but the best of all those is the ADC 26/27.

@schubert  , you can try your XLM with a medium mass tonearm and will " sing ".


@dgarretson  that is a very good tonearm by the AT group, I owned and will match very good your Sonus cartridge.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R:
@schubert

ADC XLM checks in at 65x10


It’s probably STATIC compliance, not DYNAMIC
this is why the figure is so high, you need to know dynamic compliance to choose the arm.

Hums proudness of ownership is a myth. I knew that I own

Stanton 981 ''somewhere'' . I own many boxes with parts

because my mom learned me never to trouw away anything.

The motto ''search  and you will find'' seems to work but only

sometime. I, alas, deed not find Stanton 981 but , to my big

surprise , ADC 26 . No idea when and how I got this one so,

obviously , I can impossible be proud of something that I

had no idea to own. I am ,alas, not a rich guy. So you can

imagine how many things the rich own about which they have

no idea that they own. I assume that Hume was an poor bastard

otherwise he would never make such nonsense. There is this,

say ''concept'' of saturation. Bread for example. The necessary

condition for survival. But nobody buy more than can eat.

Those who can afford much more than bread buy watches and

cars. The curious thing is that they are not able to invent

something else. what kind of proudness is involved by coping

others?

Anyway despite the fact that I owned ADC 25 in the 70is I

 then moved to MC kinds in order not to stay behind. But I

am still confused not with the nomenclature like by AT's

but with the styli . The assumption that people can remember

colors better than names is curious . Anyway I can't remember

any color in connection with stylus kind or shape . My ADC 26

is white but those for 25 are black. Is there any difference

between them except the color?


@nandric There is nothing special about those cartridges if you will look at the specs and diamond/cantilever types.


ADC 26 is very cheap cartridge from the 60’s, 25/27 designed before XLM series (which is crap too)

IM type cartridge with the same standard as ADC - 25, equipped with standard elliptical needle only. By adopting a newly developed magnetic circuit, we have acquired broad band reproduction, light needle pressure and racing ability. The ADC - 25, ADC - 26, ADC - 27 and the ADC - X series have stylus compatibility respectively, and it is possible to upgrade by replacing the stylus.

Model IM type cartridge
frequency band 10 Hz to 24 kHz ± 2 dB
output4.5 mV (5.5 cm / sec)
Separation30 dB (50 Hz to 15 kHz)
compliance50 × 10 -6 cm / dyne
Tracking angle15 °
Impedance47 kΩ
Tip0.3 x 0.7 mil (R-26)
Stylus pressure0.5 g to 1.25 g
Own weight 9 g

ADC 27 is next model from the 60s/70s:
IM type cartridge which aimed at cost reduction based on ADC - 25, 26.

The magnet that was attached to the conventional stylus assembly is embedded in the body at the bottom of the assembly. In addition, a magnet yoke is installed in the assembly and it is made to be magnetized when it is set. As a result, the assembly can be easily inserted and removed, there is no excess or deficiency of insertion, and the magnetic force always holds the cantilever in the center.

Because the main body of ADC - 27 is common design with ADC - 25, it is possible to use it the same way as ADC - 25 by adding stylus of R - 252 or R - 253.

Model IM type cartridge
frequency band 10 Hz to 22 kHz ± 2 dB
output 4.5 mV (5.5 cm / sec)
Separation 30 dB (50 Hz to 15 kHz)
compliance 40 × 10 -6 cm / dyne
Tracking angle15 °
Impedance 47 kΩ
Tip 0.3 x 0.7 mil (R-27)
Stylus pressure 0.5 g to 1.5 g
Own weight 9 g




@chakster , Thanks ! As I stated before you ar the fastest

learning member of our forum. ''Our encyclopedia'' so  to speak.

No need to search on Google (grin). Curious how our brain

works. Anyway my. I have no idea how my ADC 25 sounded

but well its price back then. It was my own present to myself

for my Law degree. The price was ''astronomic''  for a student:

250 Dutch Gulden (= German mark). My scholarship was 200.

 With the usual inflation the present price should be above 1000

euro. I am not aware that you belong to the new Russian rich and

don't understand why you call those ADC' s ''cheap''.

I intend to try my ADC 26 today.


@nandric the price for any ADC would never be higher than $200 today, there are plenty of them available everyday. The exception is for rare Astrion MM with Sapphire cantilever (but an average sound) and the latest TRX IM 1,2,3 series designed for them by Nakatsuka-San (now Zyx) with Titanium, Beryllium or Sapphire cantilevers (i know you got some of them). 

Sorry chakster, One should not trust anyone. I like you very

much but according to Raul I own the ''best ever'' ADC 26

which is according to you not only ''cheap'' but also mediocre.

It is , obviously, in my own interest to believe Raul more than

you. Besides I own about 40 MM carts thanks Raul's carts

of the week , the months and now of all years.

Dear chakster, I don't believe that you ever owned one of

those ADC 25/26and 27. I just listened to my ADC 26 and

am very much impressed. Never heard Portuguese guitar

more natural sounding before.  Speaking in your terms

never seen such low mass cantilever/stylus combo. My

only problem is light hum which I only get with MM carts and

never with my MC carts. I deed try everything but alas.

My only new idea is to connect ground of both cart connectors

together. Ground is an real enigma but looks very simple

because everything is connected with ''the same'' ground.

But before trying I hope to hear from my comembers if

anybody has try this ''solution''.