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New cart reccomendations

M

Mikeandvan

Banned
Any recommendations for budget carts - around £150 - £300. TT is Heybrook TT2, arm Origin live silver mk3a. Had an Ortofon rondo red which I liked but snapped it, hence why I need a budget cart! Listen to rock/pop/jazz, not classical. Was thinking Denon 103.
 
I have a low hours Ortofon rondo red available, pm me.

Though as there is probably only £ 25 pounds worth of materials there they must be a rip off with an rrp of £ 300 plus....
 
Mikeandvan said:
Any thoughts on the Denon 103?
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rusty-nail-isolated-white-background-33336137.jpg
 
Mikeandvan said:
Any thoughts on the Denon 103?
Click to expand...

If you listen pretty much exclusively to classic Blue Note, Riverside, Impulse etc jazz and or 12" singles it is a simply stunning cartridge, a real taste of the high end. If however you like the last track on a record that plays for over about 16-18 minutes a side it is a bit of a disaster! Definitely not the tool for opera! Fabulous cartridge equipped with a rudimentary conical tip, the tip being the limitation as it is simply too big to trace dense end of side modulation with accuracy.
 
View the Denon 103 as a 'gateway' cartridge so beware. I loved my first Denon 103 but be careful as it leads to more expensive MC cartridges. I think the AT 33 series are better trackers, offer a better overall experience and are not too expensive as MC cartridges go.
 
AT are kings of 'best value sound for pound' carts. No idea how they do it (no bullshit marketing maybe), but regardless, for less that £200 very few makers have that kind of choice.For £180 the VM530EN is a great performer (MM/eliptical sylus) or, for another £50, upgrade to the 540 ML with microline stylus (less surface noise, more detail). Both excellent.
Makes the Denon sound like the rusty nail it isn't.
 
oldius said:
At that price, AT are the obvious choice IMO.
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Yes, been looking at the cheaper Audio Technica mc carts, AT2 and AT7 at less than £200. But then I get to thinking, well that At33 seems to get rave reviews, but its £400 +, and I'm not the most careful vinyl user, I often knock the tonearm and off it goes skidding across the record, I'm not retarded or anything, just a bit impatient. :D I think I'd cry if I broke a £400 cart.
 
The 103 r is a slightly more refined in the higher frequencies, but not enough to overshadow the standard 103.

Everyone should at least try a 103, it is not the best cart out there but it's hard to find a cart that gets the fundamentals of music so right for so little.
 
Mikeandvan said:
Yes, been looking at the cheaper Audio Technica mc carts, AT2 and AT7 at less than £200. But then I get to thinking, well that At33 seems to get rave reviews, but its £400 +, and I'm not the most careful vinyl user, I often knock the tonearm and off it goes skidding across the record, I'm not retarded or anything, just a bit impatient. :D I think I'd cry if I broke a £400 cart.
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Look around. LP gear in the States is an excellent supplier and they also have regular offers. Delivery and quality is spot on.

http://www.lpgear.com/product/ATC01.html

£325 at current exchange and a superb cartridge.
 
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