Thanks @harold-not-the-barrel for a kind words, i am glad my contribution on this forum is interesting for some people. I miss old days of the audiogon when we had a cartridge of the month over the years when i was only a reader of this forum. Now when we have "what's the best phono stage" threads every week from different users it's getting a bit boring. Also when cartridge recommendations comes to the same 3-5 modern models in every thread it is also boring. Luckily we have the world of vintage cartridges and i am trying to discover some hidden gems (at least for myself). I don't care about digital at all, you are right, my passion is vintage vinyl (original pressings).
Appart from my short experience with KARAT 23RS MR from the 80's i was very impressed by this NOS Klipsch MCZ-10 i've bought recently. Both cartridges have Ruby cantilevers, but they are completely different. The Klipsch has push-pull damper, nude VITAL profiles diamond (i'd like to find more about this profile), Samarium-Cobalt magnet, Special Yoke ... Impedance is 2 Ohm, Output is 0.2mV, Recommended tracking force is 1.8g and the compliance is 10cu (it's a low compliance cartridge if this figure measured at 10Hz, no info in the manual). Since it was a sealed ( NOS) cartridge i need some time to mage judgement. But this is one of those MC that you love from the start, i use ZYX CPP-1 headamp and JLTi MM input and this is a pure magic, it could be a cart of the month and probably it will be. Not so long ago i bought NOS Lustre GST-801 toneam new in the box, this sample works just fine (magnetic tracking force, magnetic antiskating), much better than my previous sample of this arm which i sold. I am very positive about this Klipsch cartridge, love the silky bass, liquid midrange, and not overestimated highs.
@nandric I have not exceeded my red line for cartridges or tonearms, everything fine, it is not more expensive for me, i love to keep on digging and sometimes i got my prize like some rare cartridge in NOS condition for reasonable price (what can be better). When we have many great cartridges it's hard to choose which one is better, because good cartridges are all good. This is became my problem, so it is more about how to use them (which arm, phono stage etc). Still a lot of things to learn and try.
Appart from my short experience with KARAT 23RS MR from the 80's i was very impressed by this NOS Klipsch MCZ-10 i've bought recently. Both cartridges have Ruby cantilevers, but they are completely different. The Klipsch has push-pull damper, nude VITAL profiles diamond (i'd like to find more about this profile), Samarium-Cobalt magnet, Special Yoke ... Impedance is 2 Ohm, Output is 0.2mV, Recommended tracking force is 1.8g and the compliance is 10cu (it's a low compliance cartridge if this figure measured at 10Hz, no info in the manual). Since it was a sealed ( NOS) cartridge i need some time to mage judgement. But this is one of those MC that you love from the start, i use ZYX CPP-1 headamp and JLTi MM input and this is a pure magic, it could be a cart of the month and probably it will be. Not so long ago i bought NOS Lustre GST-801 toneam new in the box, this sample works just fine (magnetic tracking force, magnetic antiskating), much better than my previous sample of this arm which i sold. I am very positive about this Klipsch cartridge, love the silky bass, liquid midrange, and not overestimated highs.
@nandric I have not exceeded my red line for cartridges or tonearms, everything fine, it is not more expensive for me, i love to keep on digging and sometimes i got my prize like some rare cartridge in NOS condition for reasonable price (what can be better). When we have many great cartridges it's hard to choose which one is better, because good cartridges are all good. This is became my problem, so it is more about how to use them (which arm, phono stage etc). Still a lot of things to learn and try.