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How to choose a cartridge you can't hear on your system?

My personal cartridge history has gone from a humble Goldring to a decent Benz H2 and finally a Dynavector XV-1s.  Recently my 3 year old decided to break the needle on both my Dynavector and Benz (two arm setup).  This tragedy prompted a me to send my Dynavector out for re-tipping and the purchase of a new cartridge to sustain me through the expected rebuild period.  I bought a decent Sumiko Evo III.  

All of this is to come around to a realization.  In many ways, each cartridge brings something new to the table.  The Evo II had more solidity or weight to the sonic presentation than the others.  The Benz had a seductive warmth and the Dynavector a detailed nuance I most enjoyed.  I don't think it is possible to know ahead of hearing a cartridge in ones own system which brands house sound one prefers.  

I find cartridges to be the hardest audio component to buy.  How do you choose?  
chadlesko
nandric's avatar
nandric
3,263 posts
 

What my brother chakster forget to mention is that thanks to this

MM thread chosing carts was a kind of luxury. Because we were

the first to know we were able to sell the carts which we deed

not want to keep for more than we paid for. Experimentation for

free so to speak. This luxury however does not apply for the MC

kinds. Chakster dad obviously does not belong to the new Russian

rich (grin). So he must consider the prices. But he discovered

 something  similar. There are ''oldschool'' MC carts which are as

good as the new one with ''astronomic prices''. Say: XYZ, Palladian,

Anna , Atlas, jewel Koetsus, etc. Those are for the rich Russian

who want the most expensive stuff not necessary good stuf.

The reason is : ''my is more expensive than yours''.

The problem however is that since the debt crisis selling carts is

much more difficult than buying them. That is why his brother

Nandric owns about 50 carts which he does not need.

racedoc
39 posts
 
Hi chadlesko,

if I do not want to change most of my rig I do it as follows:

1. filter which cartridges are compatible with my tonearm and phono stage

2. which tonality (warm, detailed, spatiality, analytics, ...) I want 

3. hear different cartridges at dealers and friends

4. if possible invite someone with a possible favourite cartridge to
hear it in your system at home together with him

In the end my last new cartridges all were exactly what I expected
and what I desired (Ortofon Vero, DS Audio).

Just 2 days ago I heared together with some friends an Ortofon
SPU modified by Shindo in my system. Now I know that my next
cartridge will be a SPU.
ps68
214 posts
 
This is the question that Davey f posed on wbf recently, he added a poll with expected results I guess. Most of us take a punt every now and then unless we want to stay with the same maker. Hearing is next to impossible, which is not so good for the makers.. I am in the same position, there are carts I wish to hear, but the dealers say no demo, just buy it, so I dont.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
1,174 posts
 
Ps68, that’s pretty funny...just buy it..so I don’t.lol.
I wasn’t actually “expecting” any specific winner to my poll, but the results were probably predictable, I guess??
It is a shame that this is the one piece of gear that people seem to buy with little to no real experience as to how it is going to sound. I am having the same predicament right now, shopping for a new cartridge, and one that will be better than what I already own, is no easy task. I will most likely have to drop my cash and hope for the best. Not what I like to do at all in this hobby. 
Plus, as some have mentioned, this wasn’t such a big deal in the past when the cartridge price was maybe a few hundred dollars, but today we are talking multi thousands!


inna
5,245 posts
 
I see. You support the system as it is and then complain that it’s no good. Who in fact makes it possible to thrive? Stop buying this multikilobuck $hit without listening. In one year they will beg you to listen, personally deliver it to you and will send you flowers on Christmas. And if not - to hell with them and their cartridges.
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