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Vinyl noob needs help with cartridge

I wanted to,dip into vinyl so I swung a deal on a super scoutmaster signature.  I am now trying to decide on a cart.  I am a vinyl newbie and have been trying to bone up on everything.  I was originally going to get an ortofon 2m black, but it's more than I really want to spend.  I considered the 2m bronze, the sound smith otello (or the modded version from mapleshade), and the zu audio modded denon103.  Anyone have an opinion on those choices?  Is the 2m black worth the extra? Any others closer to 500.00 that are of honorable mention?  
2out2sea
2out2sea OP
72 posts
 

thanks everyone.  I hate to sound lazy, but can you link to the thread by raul?  is there a vendor that handles nos cartridges? 


i figure a description of my system might help as well.  i have an emotive audio sira custom tube pre-amp (as well as the aforementioned mothballed audible illusions), janszen za2.1a hp electrostatic speakers and am awaiting the arrival of the VPI super scoutmaster signature that should be here next week.


I want to stay around the 500.00 mark for this first cartridge.  crazy cartridges may come later if i find audio nirvana.  i am not married to either mc or mm.  i do value immense soundstage and engaging over the ability to hear a cricket fart so hopefully that helps. 

chakster's avatar
chakster
2,482 posts
 
@2out2sea sure, you are welcome, i’m sure it will take a year to read everything but it worth it!

The vendor who can fix any cartridge is Axel Schürholz in Germany.
I got my Technics EPC 100cmk3 and Glanz FMG-71L from him not so long ago, feel free to contact him axel.schuerholz@web.de

For under $500 you can grab Glanz 31,51,71, Astatic MF100 and MF200, Garrott P77 or P77i, Ortofon M20FL, Grace F9 Ruby, Victor X1, Pickering 3000 or 4000, Audio-Technica AT-ML150 OCC or AT-ML160 ... just to name a few. They are all extremely good!

Original Garrott P77 is my favorite at the moment!

For a bit more you can find Technics EPC 100cmk3 or 205cmk4.
I have Technics 100c mk3 for sale (retipped by Axel).


P.S. thanks again to Raul and all the contributors! I’ve been using $4000 modern MC but now enjoyin’ vintage MM carts (along with some vintage MCs).



swampwalker's avatar
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swampwalker
5,132 posts
 
I'm going to be a bit of contrarian and say that if you go MC, I would avoid the HO carts.  The extra output is obtained by more windings on the coil.  More windings = more mass = more inertia = slower response = smeared transients and diminished microdynamics.  You're basically sacrificing the characteristics that MC carts are known for. 

Check out the KAB cartridge gain calculator on line and plug in anticipated overall system gain.  If your amp and/or pre is high gain, the MM stage may work just fine.  Also, there are phono stages w enough gain that you don't need a separate step-up. 

OTOH, if you're just dipping your toe in, then a lot can be said for a good MM or even an MI cart from Soundsmith, using your current AI phono stage which is reported to be quite good. 
martykl
3,563 posts
 
If you're using the Audible Illusions preamp phono section, you're pretty much locked into an MM.  I happen to like it a lot (I had one for years), but it is (or, at least, was) optimized for MM/MI without the flexibility to adjust capacitance or gain.  It will probably work well with some HOMCs, but not so well with others.

That still leaves lots of good choices in your price range.  I assume that you're using the unipivot VPI arm, so a good match there is important, too.  You might think about the Grado MI carts which are IIRC reputed to be good mates for VPI.
marktomaras
535 posts
 
My first "real" cartridge was a dynavector 10x5 and it can be had for $500. I was very pleased by it for a long time. My previous cart was a $35 junko that came with the regs rp1 table. I ran the dynavector for a year or two, and then I stepped it up to a Lyra Delos. Anyway, I can recommend the Dynavector. It's a solid piece of gear.
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