Much better MM cartridge than Shure V15 IV?

Sbrownnw, How would you characterize the difference in the phono stages between the Cronus and the Pro-ject tube box....was it slight or was it night and day, or somewhere in-between?

FYI, I just had my Cronus upgraded to a Magnum, and also went with the huge Tungsol KT120 output tubes instead of the KT90s. The changes to the overall sound are interesting. I get less audible record surface noise than before, blacker backgrounds and a sense that the music moved way from 'demonstrating' and into the domain of live music. Particularly at low listening volumes. The larger tubes increased the power rating of the Cronus considerably, but with my speakers, it doesn't show up as louder, but as more controlled.

The Shure V15 and the table are fully able to allow these changes to show up, so I'm having a new respect for the cartridge. Of course there may be other and better cartridge choices which I'm still looking out for.

Sumaato, I'm just using a Musical Fidelity V-LPS for now. It actually sounds quite good. I haven't tried any other cartridges with this table - just the Blue Point 2. I've been considering trying something else, but I just can't decide (plus the Blue Point 2 sounds pretty good).

Sumaato, to sum things up, I would say the Cronus was good and the Pro-ject was "yeah, that's right" but not the best I've heard. The Pro-ject images so well will a big and musical sound stage plus has MM/MC and tube rolling options. I hope to go to a low output MC Benz Ace soon. As for interconnects, I have used the Mogami 2549 for unbalanced with great results. Same with 2921 for their speaker wire. Have heard that their 2534 is great for balanced.

It seems like a significant shift upwards from my Shure v15 IV/Jico SAS might be an Ortofon 2M Black, used with my Cronus phono section (this is the MM direction) or, for similar outlay, an Ortofon Rondo Red MC with a cheaper phono MC preamp such as the Cambridge 651P or the Musical Fidelity V-LPS. (This is the MC direction) Both directions are about the same dollars.

Any thoughts on which direction might be wiser?

I doubt that a 2M Black would be a step up from a V15IV-SAS.

It might be a step sideways, but not up.

The SAS is higher compliance with less damping than the 2M, so would prefer a lighter arm, but with the brush down, it does get some additional damping....

I would call it a sideways step rather than an upwards step.

I would consider the needle on the SAS to be superior to the Shibata in the 2M, but could not say about the cantilever quality - the Ortofons are very good, but so is the SAS....

It would probably come down to arm/system matching and synergy.... also such things as cartridge loading adjustment etc....

bye for now

David