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

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.

From reading other forums I found that the only drawback to replacing the tip of a Soundsmith is the wait time. The wait time average being somewhere around 2 months. A replacement or upgrade for the 2m Bronze would be anywhere from same day to up to a week* (if ordered via the net*).

If there was a significant edge to using the Otello I would not mind the wait. But if it's a wash then I would go with the @m Bronze.

So is there any difference in the quality of sound each one produces?

No, that is not the only drawback to the Soundsmith, you would have the shipping costs as well as the wait time.

Yes, there is a difference in the sound quality each one produces.