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Best Cartridges for the Money You've Experienced

I'd like to ask those of you who have tried many a cartridge over the years to nominate ones that you feel are among the very best and are available today, new or used, at a substantially lower price than most of today's reference-level cartridges. Feel free to mention great cartridges from years past that still show up now and then on Audiogon.

I currently have a Koetsu Rosewood Signature mounted on an SME-5 arm. I'd like to go up from there in sound quality without having to rob a bank.
bolson
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
All cartridges have their personalities..I've heard lots of them. The top Benz's are more like Koetsu's because of that lucious midrange...as an added bonus, they track well, have good lows and highs, and great dynmics. The Koetus and the Benz's are very musical as opposed to analytical, cerebral, etc., etc.
james1969's avatar
james1969
345 posts
 
I concur with Paul above, just installed my ebony head shell on my 103r this evening, completely changed the 103r, gone are all the bad points that were irritating. In retrospect, the 103r is a terrible sounding cartridge in stock form.

This is a tremendous cartridge when you get a wood shell around it, replacing the factory plastic one.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Dear Pauly: Over the years I used several ones like: Dennesen, DB, Mobile Fidelity, ADC, SAEC, etc, etc.

Today that I'm using only removable headshell tonearms I'm using the one from Dynavector, Technics and Pionner, all these for the overhang and obviously are out of tonearm with the cartridge/headshell on " hand ": easy.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,486 posts
 
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Shure V-15 Type III and Type V

both of these cartriges were purchased 30 years ago and they sounded great. I haven't heard one in over 20 years.
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stevecham
3,298 posts
 
Having owned van den Hul, Benz, Koetsu, Shelter and Grado, I have concluded that Lyra makes the best-for-the-money catridges. I now own both a Helikon and an Argo i and they track like not others with those line contact styli.
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