Best mm cart for VPI scout/jmv-9 memorial arm

I also second the Ortofon 2M Black, great cart!

I have had the Grado Sonata with this tonearm and it sounded nice. I moved up to the Aida from Soundsmith which is a bit more than the Zephyr and the improvement was astounding. My stereo supplier form Wilmington, Delaware recommends the Zephyr for this tonearm. If you can save for the Aida, it would be a great impromement. Hope this helps. Steve

I believe that what seperates the VPI Zephyr from the other Soundsmith cartridges is that the compliance is tailored for the VPI unipivot arms.

The Soundsmith Othello cartridge lists at $479.00, in your approximate price range. I would call Peter Lederman at Soundsmith and ask him if he can make one for you at the appropriate compliance for your arm. They custom make them anyway.

I took a look at the Soundsmith collection of carts and researched some other forums to see other opinions about them. All were positive and several commented on the attributes of the Aida. It's just out of my price range. I wonder how the Ortofon Bronze and the Soundsmith Otello compare with each other. I do like the fact that I don't have to buy a new cart with the 2m Bronze if I want to move up to the 2m Black.
Plus - Are Moving Irons superior to Moving Magnets?

I like that about the Ortofon 2M series as well, replacable stylus assemblies are just great. Plus they are just fantastic sounding cartridges.

Monetarily though, a Bronze replacement stylus will cost you around $240.00, Soundsmith will retip the Othello for $250.00, so that's pretty much a wash. You don't have to buy a new cartridge.

I also believe that you can also order the ruby cantilever and radical contact stylus when you do the retip, but this will cost extra, somewhere around $350.00, but it does take you up two levels in something or other. Cost certainly. You can contact Soundsmith for the details.

Moving Iron cartridges are pretty much equivilent to MM cartridges from a functional standpoint.