2. misc-audio
  3. 131521-371

Why do better MC cartridges cost a fortune?

I mean $5k - $10k for a piece of what? I can understand $10k for a turntable but for a tonearm or cartridge?
They charge and we gladly pay? And you have to retip or replace it soon enough. Most of them come from Japan. They sure know how to do business, don't they?
inna
inna OP
5,245 posts
 
It's like real estate in Manhattan. Do you know who drives the prices up and how exactly it's done?
$2.5k for an ordinary cartridge is a lot. It must be outstanding.
By the way, great $50k speakers is okay with me. If you keep them for 20 years it's not too bad.
inna OP
5,245 posts
 
Besides, if you get $2500 cartridge you better have $5k tonearm, $10 turntable and at least $5k phono stage. Add tonearm cable and power cords and it's $25k only for the front end. Which means $100k system, about.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
Even so, any decent cd player will be superior. Turntables are just money spinners for the trade, and if you are like me and you like mechanical engineering, they are also nice toys.
inna OP
5,245 posts
 
We are not talking about cd players, you might've lost the direction a little bit.
dlcockrum's avatar
dlcockrum
2,105 posts
 
inna,

Assigning relative cost structures to equipment is ludicrous. Results vary widely regardless of price and are instead tied to educated equipment matching and proper setup, especially with turntables, tonearms, cartridges, and phono stages.

Dave 
More to discover