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cartridge for Sota Comet

Hi,
Thanks to some careless dusting, I managed to break the stylus on my Blue Point. The cartridge was pretty old and it never really "moved" me anyway. So, I am in the market for a new cartridge. I am looking for something warm, with a large soundstage, and is not harsh. I can take it being rolled off much better than grainy or harsh. I am looking to spend around $400. I was thinking either a Dynavector or a Benz. My setup is Sota Comet with LMT III arm, CJ tube pre, CJ ss amp, Martin Logans. I am open to any suggestions in this price range. Thanks in advance.

P.S. I put a Grado Black that I had lying around on to the time being, and it hums, so no Grado please.
saltec
twl
3,251 posts
 
That might work, but I can't guarantee the results. If you already have the gear laying around, it wouldn't hurt to try it. Just make sure that you don't try to use two phono stages. Use the Adcom phono, come out of the main preamp output, and go to a line level input on the CJ. By dialing in the gain on both units to an acceptable level, you may get away with it. There may be an increase in noise floor, and a long signal path, but it may be acceptable to you.
saltec OP
3 posts
 
Twl,
Thanks for your help. At only $125 for the X5, I will try it. If it doesn't work, I haven't lost much. I can always sell it and go with the Dynavector.
lanceo's avatar
lanceo
9 posts
 
Folks,

I have been lurking through this entire repartee, but I felt that I should respond before someone makes a decision based on erroneous information. My point is that the X5 will do quite nicely with 38db. I say this because I have one in my Comet, and it works quite nicely (and loudly, when need be) with only 40 db of boost from my Musical Surroundings Phonomena. If you consult the Ortofon web site you will see that the X-5 has a very high output for an MC cartridge. Ortofon advertises the X5 as a High-Output Moving Coil cartridge, and at 2.2 mv it is right up there with many MM cartridges. BTW: I know that the web site states that the output is 2.0 mv, however, the leaflet that came with my cartridge states that it is 2.2mv. I have also seen the later value stated in several reviews.

As for sound, that is precisely the reason why it lives on the end of my Comet’s tone arm. I think it sounds just fantastic. It has a much better mid range than the Benz Micro Glider that preceded it… and a much tighter bass that the Dynavector 17D2, which preceded the Benz.

Quite frankly, I cannot think of a better cartridge I have heard on a Sota Comet. But, (here is a rather quirky observation) when I tried the X-5 on my Well Tempered… let us just say that I was dissatisfied (in the extreme).

Bottom line: the Sota Comet and the Ortofon X-5 make an exquisite match. One can certainly spend much more money, but I do not feel that the Comet can make better music with another cartridge.

Best,
Lance
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