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a dilemma for cartridge/phono stage combination

the cantilever of my Benz-Micro MC-20E2 "High Output" cartridge was broke.
fixing it will cost more than a new one.
benz offered me what they call  repair/exchange with a nice 40 % discounted price.
i'm thinking to go on it.
my dilemma is between a high output cartridge like mc silver, which is kind of equivalent to the one i had, or to the low/mid output.
i'm working now without external phono stage and with my 2.0 mv that i had i used to raise the volume of my intagreted amp not more than 11-12 clock.
i read that generally low output mc are better quality that the high one's.
another cartridge that i have with 0.4 mv ( monster cable alpha 2) gives me very thin and dull sound, so i guess i will need an phono stage for the low output cartridge.
if it'll give me a real sound improvement i am ready to spend on a phono stage.
i know that benz micro also sell those. 
the models i consider for my budget limit are :
Benz Micro MC Silver
https://artsexcellence.com/benz-micro-mc-silver.html

Benz Micro MC Gold
https://artsexcellence.com/benz-micro-mc-gold.html

Benz Micro ACE-S low
https://artsexcellence.com/benz-micro-ace-s-low.html

Benz Micro ACE-S medium
https://artsexcellence.com/benz-micro-ace-s-medium.html

Benz Micro ACE-S high
https://artsexcellence.com/benz-micro-ace-s-high.html?___store=ae_en&___from_store=ae_nl

my turntable and arm are well tempered.

i'll appreciate very much some guidance .

stone1
roberjerman
2,086 posts
 
You can get a Bellari VP549 phono stage and MT502 step up transformer. This combination plugged into the aux input of your integrated amp will give you superior sound quality (SQ)!
roberjerman
2,086 posts
 
The Monster Cable Alpha 2 is a very good sounding mc cartridge! It will work just fine with the Bellari step up transformer (SUT) straight into the phono input on your integrated amp! I still recommend adding the Bellari VP549 phono stage (to replace the internal phono stage in your integrated amp).
roberjerman
2,086 posts
 
As for a better (newer) mc, I can recommend the Hana SL. It has a superior stylus (Shibata) that will enable it to sound better than either the Alpha or Benz Ace MC's! More detail from your LPs and less wear!
roberjerman
2,086 posts
 
I own the Bellari MT502 step up transformer. Excellent product!
stone1 OP
24 posts
 
i am open to your suggestions.
i'm sure that it isn't the major to buy something.
but it's a bit of temptation to buy from benz since the offer me a big discount.
maybe i should start with the  SUT  and the  phono stage , try the alpha 2 and decide then.
those components can serve me later on for other cartridges.
especially since i am planning sometime to go for a new amplification that mower days come usually without a build in phono stage.
since i didn't have before any of those , i understand that with only sut i connect it to the phono internal stage.
and with both of them i connect to a regular line ( like aux, cd etc.
so you are saying that there is more sound advantages using both of them compare  to only a phono stage?
two questions:
1. those two models ( the sut and phono stage) that you specified are to your opinion the best from that company? since i saw there several other models.
2.if i want to go step by step i understand that you recommand to try first the SUT ?

regarding your cartridge suggestion, one of the things that are very important to me ,more then details, stage etc. is the naturalism of the sound , how much it close to the real instruments and voices.
can't stand cartridge with coloration even if it gives me many other sound advantages.





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