3 Top Cartridges Picks


What are your choices,3 Top CARTRIDGES.I want to know what was your experience with them,(if any).
Thank YOU
blcube
I have listened to a goodly number of good to excellent phono cartridges over the years, but have really owned only one that I consider to be a true high-end analog product: the Grado Reference (4.5 mV output, $1200 MSRP).
I have a Lyra Titan in a Basis Vector arm and this combination sounds terrific. According to a test record, this combination is just inside of the ideal range for mass/compliance compatibility. This combination brings so many records to life, both in terms of speed and dynamics, as well as rich harmonic palette. I don't know if this is a problem unique to the Titan, but I hear a big difference in sound for relatively small changes in VTA (thick records sound a bit dull when VTA is set for average records). I am not one inclined to fiddle with VTA, but if you are, the Vector arm is a pain in the ass to adjust VTA. I understand that Basis just came out with a retrofittable upgrade for easy VTA adjustment, but it costs something like $700 dollars and I think something (arm, armboard?) has to be sent back to Basis.

I also like the Temper W cartridge a lot -- extremely smooth and neutral sounding. I could live with either.

I don't like the sound of Grados myself -- overly rich in the midbass, muffled sounding (like sound coming through many layers of cotton) and the music seems to just slow down. However, if you like that kind of rich, creamy sound, I would suggest looking into the Allaerte cartridges which have that kind of sound, but not to the extreme of Grados.