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3 Cartridges that have really given you the wow factor - past or present

Just for the hell of it I’ll now try and remember every cartridge I’ve owned 1978-2020:

(Goldring Lenco GL75)
Shure M75EJ
Grado F1+

(Leak 3000)
Ortofon VMS20E
Grado F3E (I think, a grey one anyway)

(Ariston RD80/Linn LVV, soon replaced with Audio Technica AT1120)
The budget thing with the black stylus assembly that came with the crappy Linn LVV arm, i.e. not the usual Linn Basik
Linn K9
Ortofon M25FL
Fidelity Research FR-101


(Roksan Xerxes/RB300)
Stilton Audio Nagoka MP11 Boron
Stilton Audio Audio Technica ATF5

(Linn LP12/Ittok)
Audio Technica OC9

(Rega P9)
Lyra Lydian B
Dynavector XX1L

(Rega Planar 3/RB300 (2nd system))
Rega R100

(Linn LP12/Ittok (different one), then Mission 774SM, finally Zeta)
Ortofon MC10 Supreme (death by yellow duster)
Ortofon MC25FL
Denon DL-103

(NAS Spacedeck/Spacearm then Hadcock 242SE)
DL-103 Pro
DL-110
Audio Technica AT33PTG

(Lenco L70 (2nd system))
Pickering V15
Pickering XV15
Shure M3D

(Garrard 301/SME M2-10)
Ortofon 2M Black

(Thorens TD124/SME 3009)
Denon DL-103 x 2 (one death by yellow duster)
Shure M95ED*
Ortofon 540/II*
Nagaoka MP-500*

Some appeared on more than one deck, I’ve listed the decks as much as anything to jog my own memory.

So, nothing there that would qualify as real high-end, its all pretty much mid-level stuff aside from the DV XX-1L, which as stated left me somewhat unimpressed. The ones I’d most like to hear again are actually some of the early MMs, the F1+, M25FL, FR-101 and Stilton MP-11. I suspect they’d stand up well.

*Still got these, plus a Linn K9 body! I’ve owned several K9s as they were fitted to so many decks I bought and sold, but I never really liked them so swiftly replaced them!
 
Tony L said:
Just for the hell of it I’ll now try and remember every cartridge I’ve owned 1978-2020:

(Goldring Lenco GL75)
Shure M75EJ
Grado F1+

(Leak 3000)
Ortofon VMS20E
Grado F3E (I think, a grey one anyway)

(Ariston RD80/Linn LVV, soon replaced with Audio Technica AT1120)
The budget thing with the black stylus assembly that came with the crappy Linn LVV arm, i.e. not the usual Linn Basik
Linn K9
Ortofon M25FL
Fidelity Research FR-101


(Roksan Xerxes/RB300)
Stilton Audio Nagoka MP11 Boron
Stilton Audio Audio Technica ATF5

(Linn LP12/Ittok)
Audio Technica OC9

(Rega P9)
Lyra Lydian B
Dynavector XX1L

(Rega Planar 3/RB300 (2nd system))
Rega R100

(Linn LP12/Ittok (different one), then Mission 774SM, finally Zeta)
Ortofon MC10 Supreme (death by yellow duster)
Ortofon MC25FL
Denon DL-103

(NAS Spacedeck/Spacearm then Hadcock 242SE)
DL-103 Pro
DL-110
Audio Technica AT33PTG

(Lenco L70 (2nd system))
Pickering V15
Pickering XV15
Shure M3D

(Garrard 301/SME M2-10)
Ortofon 2M Black

(Thorens TD124/SME 3009)
Denon DL-103 x 2 (one death by yellow duster)
Shure M95ED*
Ortofon 540/II*
Nagaoka MP-500*

Some appeared on more than one deck, I’ve listed the decks as much as anything to jog my own memory.

So, nothing there that would qualify as real high-end, its all pretty much mid-level stuff aside from the DV XX-1L, which as stated left me unimpressed. The ones I’d most like to hear again are actually some of the early MMs, the F1+, M25FL, FR-101 and Stilton MP-11. I suspect they’d stand up well.

*Still got these, plus a Linn K9 body! I’ve owned several K9s as they were fitted to so many decks I bought and sold, but I never really liked them so swiftly replaced them!
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I’ve owned a good many, too many to remember, I usually change and move them on long before they’re worn (I wouldn’t sell a cartridge that was possibly near EOL unless I was listing as EOL).
 
linnfomaniac83 said:
I’ve owned a good many, too many to remember, I usually change and move them on long before they’re worn (I wouldn’t sell a cartridge that was possibly near EOL unless I was listing as EOL).
Click to expand...

I did too, which is why I have so few left. In the days when vinyl was really my only source I changed cart every year and used to factor the sale price of the old one in. Annoying in hindsight as I let some now valuable MMs go for very little cash! Now I work to a different model as I play far more CDs than vinyl (being so cheap and plentiful they are where most of my new music resides), so I’d expect to get at least 5 years out of a stylus/cartridge, possibly a lot longer.
 
Mike Reed said:
Well well; see my previous post, Matt. This and the 30E do stand out historically.
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Yes, the fact that they're all probably knackered now and that I don't own an MM phono stage means I'm unlikely to ever try another but it was a very nice cart, was on a TD-125 Mk2.
 
Tony L said:
I did too, which is why I have so few left. In the days when vinyl was really my only source I changed cart every year and used to factor the sale price of the old one in. Annoying in hindsight as I let some now valuable MMs go for very little cash! Now I work to a different model as I play far more CDs than vinyl (being so cheap and plentiful they are where most of my new music resides), so I’d expect to get at least 5 years out of a stylus/cartridge, possibly a lot longer.
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Yep, I’ve started keeping them longer but still move them on with sub 400 hours on them. I’ve just bought another Linn Ikemi which I’ve just completely overhauled to as new condition and I’m buying and playing loads of CDs, I’ve bought 30 today in Lichfield for around £40!

CD might not be fashionable but that suits me fine, I’m hoovering the bargains up and this Ikemi sounds wonderful. I’ll have to take a look at the CDs in your record shop.:)
 
TheDecameron said:
Given its age I’m surprised vdH haven’t sold you a defibrillator. Do you get him to re-tip it?
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Few rhetorical question about the VDH repairing service.
Have you never regret after experimenting the VHD repairing service? Is it fast and cheap? Didn't you get a pre-quotation or paid in confidence with a blank check? Did VDH ask you something about the repairing? Can you sent directly to him without pass through ravenous distributors? DID you save something instead of buying a brand new cartridge?
 
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There are things about the Decca that make me think everyone else is doing it wrong. I'd really like to explore that again.
 
Luca said:
Linn Asaka
Benz Glider
Audio Technica AT95e (the greatest bargain in the cartridges market). It doesn't make me feel the need to listen to the others I have in the drawer (Sumiko BPS and VDH MC ONE special).
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Luca, of all the manufacturers, it’s AT I have the greatest respect for. I’ve loved their products over decades, from skint twenty- something to middle aged and better off- particularly the reliability and consistency.
 
Yank said:
There are things about the Decca that make me think everyone else is doing it wrong. I'd really like to explore that again.
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Indeed, that is where I am now. Either Decca is right and everyone else is wrong, or, Decca is wrong.
As I really enjoy live music, and I enjoy listening to my Decca Gold in an arm that is (theoretically) totally unsuited to it, the Decca is 'high fidelity' for me.
Oddly - the move from CD to streaming gave me the same 'this is live' buzz that the Deccas do, so I'm tempted to not worry about it too much, and just enjoy the music!
 
Luca said:
Few rhetorical question about the VDH repairing service.
Have you never regret after experimenting the VHD repairing service? Is it fast and cheap? Didn't you get a pre-quotation or paid in confidence with a blank check? Did VDH ask you something about the repairing? Can you sent directly to him without pass through ravenous distributors? Have you save something instead of buying a brand new cartridge?
Click to expand...

Full List if this helps

Expert Stylus Repair (Wyndham Hodgson) are UK based and offer complete rebuilds.
[email protected]


Northwest Analogue are UK based and offer extensive rebuild services including rewinding coils, etc.
https://www.northwestanalogue.com/cartridge-repairs.html


Andy Kim aka The Needle Clinic.
http://www.phonocartridgeretipping.com/index.html


Holistic is in the Netherlands
http://holisticaudio.nl/services.html


Peter Ledermann, best known and recommended retipper in the US.
https://www.sound-smith.com/services/cartridge-rebuilding-retipping


Steve Leung of VAS NOVA fame.
https://vasnyinc.com/repair-service/

Garrott Bros. are Australian based and also mfr MC carts.
https://garrottbrothers.com/repairs-retipping


AJ Van den Hul –
https://www.vandenhul.com/product/cartridge-repair-modification-re-tipping-available-services/

Goldring is UK based and a well known
https://www.goldring.co.uk/goldring-cartridge-repair-refurbishment


Ana Mighty is based in France .
http://anamightysound.com/cat/cartridge-retipping/

Len Gregory aka The Cartridgeman is in the UK
http://www.thecartridgeman.com/


John Wright aka J. Wright Audio Services, UK based DECCA cartridge guru.
http://www.london-cartridges.co.uk/

Roberto Torlai is in Italy
http://www.torlai.it/

AudioSilente based in Italy.
http://www.audiosilente.com/riparazi…a-testine.html

JFS Tonabnehmer German
https://www.tonabnehmerservice.de

West-tech are a US based
http://www.west-techservices.com/p1.htm

Jilco Japan.
https://www.jico-stylus.com/
 
Koetsu Rosewood Signature, my all time favourite. Bought it from a lawyer in Florida, 2nd hand. Had it re tipped and sold it for the same price I paid, three years later.

Benz LP Ebony

Ortofon SPU Synergy.

I have kept the last two, alternating and re tipping them.

As an aside, I've never understood peoples fears about 2nd hand cartridges. I understand the risks to ones precious records, but I have always been lucky and they tend to be low in price, because of those risks. I bought the Koetsu for 1/3 retail, with 40 hours on the clock and I believe that. It was as good as new.

Following on from the last post, I have always used Expert Stylus for retips and they are excellent
 
Etsuro Urushi - Japanese exotica

Audio Note Io Ltd - more Japanese exotica this time with an electromagnet and external battery power supply

For Mono records. General Electric VR II. Extraordinary.
 
My Top 3

Troika / Aro , superb and tracks really well 9/10
AT33PTG Very good, great value. 8/10
AT33ANV Better i think than the PTG more grunt, but mistracks on middle grooves 7/10

Bottom 3

Goldring 1042 - Others like it so perhaps it wasnt suited to the Aro 4/10
Benz Micro Silver - Awful 2/10
Sumiko BPS - Even worse than the Benz... -5/10
 
Lyra Skala on Moerch 4 and 6 ( both of which were on a Notts Analogue Spacedeck that I didn't get along with. Though it could sound really fab when the mood was right. Apheta and Planar 8. A serious jump up from my previous Rega flirtation ( P25 with Dv17 that rounds out this list. In between P8 and P25 I had a Technics SL10 with OM40 that sounded right but was pretty tired by the time I was finished with it. The P8 just sounds great.Even though the Neo PSU is still in beta.

​
 
I’ve only really used 3 cartridges for the last 30 years. Most of that time with a series of DV 17D2s and 3s, along with the little Michell marketed iso, which was actually Tom Evans first stand alone phonostage.
Next up was a Proteus, which improved on the DV in terms of transparency, dynamics and a feeling of greater substance, all with no loss of speed.
Lastly there is now an SPU Royal N. This one is the biggest surprise, I expected the Proteus to improve on the DV, that’s why I bought it, I didn’t anticipate just how enjoyable that SPU is, if you have an arm that can get near 20g effective mass anyway.
I do also have a London Decca maroon but wired for mono and in a system 1000 miles away so hard to compare. It’s surprisingly good too but I’m dodging the rather low vertical compliance and it is rather susceptible to an intermittent hum from something in a neighbouring flat.
 
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