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Your Cartridge History

Linn Basic or K9 bought in 1989
Troika 1989 sold with only 25% wear in 2020.
Krystal 2020. Wished I had kept Troika.
Kandid 2020.

Should find more time to listen to music me thinks.
 
Cheap Ortofon and Nagaoka then..
Len Gregory’s Music-maker times two over four years of intense hifi interest.
AT-VM95SH to be fitted.
Coming back to Hifi after fifteen years away I’m surprised the cart market has remained so buoyant. I left when there was still a distrust of digital but the classical market seems to have succumbed and the rest would follow.. FWIW, once I started handling my LPs and going through the turntable rituals I’m an analogue fan again….
 
Various Goldring and Shure carts in my Garrard and Technics years, to long ago to remember models but the good old G800 was a Goldring Fave.
Planar 3 had a rega cart as std which was swapped for AT oc3.
Lp12 AT oc3, AT oc5, AT oc7, Linn Krystal.
I was going to go for the oc9 but was recommended the Krystal on my last upgrade, I tried it and it stayed.
 
Starting from late 80s...
1.) K9 > Arkiv B > Akiva > Krystal (couldn't afford Kandid) > Troika (Goldring rebuild)
2.) Adikt
3.) K9/VM95C/E > Adikt > Karma (Goldring rebuild)

The first Akiva was my favourite cartridge upgrade
 
Not many here, though I have only had a couple of turntables, a gyro and sme 20/2

Dynavector DV20 D2
Dynavector DV17 D2
Dynavector DV17 D3 Karat (still have it in a box)
Koetus Black (currently using this)
Koetsu Rosewood (needs some attention now I think but been fabulous for many years)
 
Since getting back to vinyl this year:

Grado Gold2 (On Revolver)
Rega Ania (On P6)
AT VM95E
AT VM95ML
Grado Reference Sonata (came with current LP12)
AT OC9XML

The OC9XML so far is the best sounding even not broken in. I could never shake myself of the feeling that the Ania was a bit bright (I know - tough to separate from the P6/RB330, just never quite sat right with me). Don't care for either Grado.
 
Since getting back to vinyl this year:

Grado Gold2 (On Revolver)
Rega Ania (On P6)
AT VM95E
AT VM95ML
Grado Reference Sonata (came with current LP12)
AT OC9XML

The OC9XML so far is the best sounding even not broken in. I could never shake myself of the feeling that the Ania was a bit bright (I know - tough to separate from the P6/RB330, just never quite sat right with me). Don't care for either Grado.
 
Haven't posted here in years, or bought any new kit in a decade, but as I find myself searching for a new cartridge, it seems a good moment to jump back in.

Linn K5 (Rega Planar 2) late 80s
Rega Elys (Planar 3) 90s
Rega Elys 2 (Planar 3) 90s - I just found it in a box. I may try it out with some Drum N Bass 12"s on my SL1200
Denon DL110 (Gyrodec/Rega RB350 and later on an SL1200/Moth) - My 3 yr old trashed the suspension, trying to play the slip-mat 'just like Dad'.
Denon DL304 (Gyrodec/Rega RB350 and later SME IV) - I trashed the suspension with a careless duster
AT33/PTG/ii (Garrard 301/SME IV) - I trashed the suspension with a careless dressing gown sleeve but it was at end of life anyway.

I replaced it with another one and may do the same again. It's nearly at end of life. Curious about a 2M Black though.
 
AT K5
Grado 8mz
Sumiko Blue Point
Monster Cable 500
Monster Cable 1000 (magic)
AT OC9
Grado Sonata Platinum
Linn Karma
Dynavector 10x5
Hana SL
Ania (did not live up to the hype)
 
Leaving aside the cartridges I reviewed my own list is surprisingly short
Shure M95ED
Shure V15III
Decca London Gold
Linn Asak
FR MC201
FRMC702
Koetsu Black
What do you think of the Decca Gold? What Tonearm have you paired it with?
 
Haven't posted here in years, or bought any new kit in a decade, but as I find myself searching for a new cartridge, it seems a good moment to jump back in.

Linn K5 (Rega Planar 2) late 80s
Rega Elys (Planar 3) 90s
Rega Elys 2 (Planar 3) 90s - I just found it in a box. I may try it out with some Drum N Bass 12"s on my SL1200
Denon DL110 (Gyrodec/Rega RB350 and later on an SL1200/Moth) - My 3 yr old trashed the suspension, trying to play the slip-mat 'just like Dad'.
Denon DL304 (Gyrodec/Rega RB350 and later SME IV) - I trashed the suspension with a careless duster
AT33/PTG/ii (Garrard 301/SME IV) - I trashed the suspension with a careless dressing gown sleeve but it was at end of life anyway.

I replaced it with another one and may do the same again. It's nearly at end of life. Curious about a 2M Black though.
I had the 2M black and found it to be a bit bland.
 
ERA turntable inherited from my brother, ca 1974, had a Shure M-75 on it. Everybody used them in those days.
ADC Q32
Stanton 681 EEEEEE - one of the better ones I've owned, but, everybody was talking about MC's, so:
Dynavector 21R - Probably quite good, but it didn't work with a ultra wide band Kenwood head amp.
Dynavector 19A - Better with the above- later used with a Dynavector low price transformer which tamed the highs but also removed most of bass.
Ortofon MC-10 with it's own head amp.
Finally a proper turntable - Ariston RD80 - Still my largest upgrade ever. With a big margin.
Linn K9 - Relief!
Linn LP12
Linn Troika's - I think I had three.
Linn Arkiv B

I seem to have forgotten a Dynavector/Ultimo 10X just after the Stanton.
In those days there where stores where you could do a home loan of exotic MC's, one I remember as stunningly good was a Nakamichi 500, why on earth didn't I buy that one? Just lately it has struck me it must have been a rebadged Denon 103. Are they still being made?
 
I had the 2M black and found it to be a bit bland.

In the end I just got yet another AT33. I can't find a reason to dislike it and I think it basically gets everything important right. I think I'd need to significantly improve my phono stage to get the most out of anything better too.
 
I seem to have forgotten a Dynavector/Ultimo 10X just after the Stanton.
In those days there where stores where you could do a home loan of exotic MC's, one I remember as stunningly good was a Nakamichi 500, why on earth didn't I buy that one? Just lately it has struck me it must have been a rebadged Denon 103. Are they still being made?

There was a Nakamichi step-up transformer too, wasn't there? I wonder if they outsourced that one too?
 
Don't know. I remember a more expensive Nak MC, possibly called MC 1000, that was a traditional low output one, so there should have been a matching transformer. The MC 500 was quasi high output, just like the Denon(?).

Always fun with a bit of HiFi archeology :)
 
I'm probably missing a few, but from memory ...

Linn Troika (x2)
Goldring 1042
Audio Technica OC5 and OC9
Audio Technica AT33
Van den Hul Frog, Black Beauty and Colibri
Ortofon Rohmann
Koetsu Rosewood
Sumiko Blue Point and Blue Point Special
Dynavector 20x2L, XX2 and XV-1S
Benz Glider (x2), L2, L0.4, Ruby Z (x2) and LPS (x2)
Rega Apheta 2
Ortofon M25FL
Nagaoka MP300 and MP500
Hana SL
Denon DL103 and 103R
Lyra Clavis DC and Clavis Evolve 99, Helikon, Kleos, Delos, and Etna SL
AMG Teatro
Transfiguration Proteus
Phasemation PP-1000
Kuzma Car 40
Ortofon Jubilee, Cadenza Black, Bronze and WIndfeld Ti

Currently using the Windfeld Ti on the PTP Solid 9/Audio Origami PU7, and the Cadenza Black on the Rega P8, with a Cadenza Bronze and re-built Jubilee as back up.

Recently I have become more and more converted to the Ortofon "sound", with their combination of tonal neutrality and accuracy, and consistency of production.
 
Ortofon VMS20
Grace FCE+
ADC QLM 36/III
Stanton 500E
Decca Maroon
Decca Gold -sent to Queensland for Garrott Brothers mods *
Ortofon MC10 Super
Dynavector Karat Ruby
Supex SD900E
Micro Seiki LC80w (I would love to get one of these again - so if anyone knows of one for sale, please let me know)
Grado FTE+ *
Decca FFSS Mk IV C4e - John Wright rebuilt with Paratrace **
Ortofon M20FL*
Ortofon VMS30**
Ortofon SL15Ell with ESCo Paratrace *
Denon 103C1 with ESCo Sapphire cantilever/Paratrace **
Garrott P77i *
AKG P8ES Supernova *
Allaerts MC1B **

* Still have these, but not currently mounted
** Currently mounted and playing regularly
 


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