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Goldring 2100 MM Cartridge

I have a 2100 on my B-Deck (TT2 with Linn LV X arm)

It goes through an Arkless phono stage.

The A-Deck has a 2m Black on it.

The 2100 cart/deck gets used for records that are less than near mint on the whole.

The 2100 tracks well, I have it set at about 1.7 g. maybe a tiny bit less.
It doesn’t have the detail and highs/lows that the 2m has, but it doesn’t embarrass itself.

I like it for what it achieves, I guess how good it sounds will depend on what you are running currently ?
Before the 2100 cart. I was using an Audio Technica AT-95 (probably from 15+ yrs. ago, not a current model, I think it cost about £30+ ??) and the Goldring 2100 was an obvious improvement.

It is very easy to change the styli over (I have a few) and I managed to set the cartridge up myself, onto a detachable Headshell. Sounds plenty for me and I have no intention to swap the 2100 for anything else.
Must have been using a Goldring 2100 for over a decade now.
 
I've no direct experience of the Goldring 2000 series, however, having used many different Nagaoka models over the years, and currently running a MP30 here now, I think that for the asking price (RRP £195.00 although these can be had for £165ish if one shops around), the 2100 spec doesn't appear to exceed that of AT-VM95E. Not that these would necessarily sound the same, mind, only 5x the price of the A-T for what advantage, exactly? MI vs. MM? This certainly wasn't much of an advantage with plain old MP11/110; and I'd take AT-VM95E over either of these, not to mention that one can have AT-VM95ML (RRP £154.99) for less than the discounted price of Goldring 2100.

The goalposts have been moved, only the competition hasn't quite figured this out yet.
 
Craig B said:
I've no direct experience of the Goldring 2000 series, however, having used many different Nagaoka models over the years, and currently running a MP30 here now, I think that for the asking price (RRP £195.00 although these can be had for £165ish if one shops around), the 2100 spec doesn't appear to exceed that of AT-VM95E. Not that these would necessarily sound the same, mind, only 5x the price of the A-T for what advantage, exactly? MI vs. MM? This certainly wasn't much of an advantage with plain old MP11/110; and I'd take AT-VM95E over either of these, not to mention that one can have AT-VM95ML (RRP £154.99) for less than the discounted price of Goldring 2100.

The goalposts have been moved, only the competition hasn't quite figured this out yet.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the VM95 series is the new reference for cartridges under £200?
 
I used one for a long time, before I went all audiophile, and liked it a lot: I remember it as rich-sounding, opposite to the AT sound. I do remember a bit of inner groove distortion but might have been down to wear or setup. A mixed bag in terms of mounting: captive threads are helpful, rounded body less so.
 
Craig B said:
I've no direct experience of the Goldring 2000 series, however, having used many different Nagaoka models over the years, and currently running a MP30 here now, I think that for the asking price (RRP £195.00 although these can be had for £165ish if one shops around), the 2100 spec doesn't appear to exceed that of AT-VM95E. Not that these would necessarily sound the same, mind, only 5x the price of the A-T for what advantage, exactly? MI vs. MM? This certainly wasn't much of an advantage with plain old MP11/110; and I'd take AT-VM95E over either of these, not to mention that one can have AT-VM95ML (RRP £154.99) for less than the discounted price of Goldring 2100.

The goalposts have been moved, only the competition hasn't quite figured this out yet.
Click to expand...


Goldring 2100 cartridge and stylus £104 at Juno Records, free delivery.

https://www.juno.co.uk/products/goldring-2100-moving-magnet-cartridge-stylus/305386-01/

Good price, if that is what is desired.
 
Seanm said:
I used one for a long time, before I went all audiophile, and liked it a lot: I remember it as rich-sounding, opposite to the AT sound. I do remember a bit of inner groove distortion but might have been down to wear or setup. A mixed bag in terms of mounting: captive threads are helpful, rounded body less so.
Click to expand...

please, explain.
do you mean the Goldring 2100 is not audiophile?
 
gerlando said:
Do you mean the VM95 series is the new reference for cartridges under £200?
Click to expand...
IMO, yes.

That isn't to say that there are no decent cartridges from other brands, or even from A-T's own VM series up to say VM530EN as competition, only there are no 0.3 x 0.7mil bonded tips that are going to give a nude ML anything to worry about by way of tracing and ultimate HF resolution ability, not to mention mean time between replacements.
 
Craig B said:
IMO, yes.

That isn't to say that there are no decent cartridges from other brands, or even from A-T's own VM series up to say VM530EN as competition, only there are no 0.3 x 0.7mil bonded tips that are going to give a nude ML anything to worry about by way of tracing and ultimate HF resolution ability, not to mention mean time between replacements.
Click to expand...

I already have a VM95ML which I really like.

I wanted to try something different without going for MC cartridges that hit insane prices.

The GL 2100 intrigues me, but I haven't much loved the Nagaoka MP110 on which it appears to be based.

Other possible solutions are the Denon DL-110 and the Dynavector DV10x5, which I have both had and they seemed great.

The turntable is a Wilson Benesch + ACT 0.5.
 
gerlando said:
please, explain.
do you mean the Goldring 2100 is not audiophile?
Click to expand...
I mean before I got obsessed with sound quality. I’m not sure what I’d make of the 2100 now that I am a bit obsessed, but I think it probably wouldn’t cut it. Looking back it might have been the IGD on the 2100 that got me interested in better hifi.
 
Seanm said:
I mean before I got obsessed with sound quality. I’m not sure what I’d make of the 2100 now that I am a bit obsessed, but I think it probably wouldn’t cut it. Looking back it might have been the IGD on the 2100 that got me interested in better hifi.
Click to expand...
No IGD on IGY, that is, unless it's the single (or possibly the version from near the end of 'The Best of Howard Jones', but somehow I doubt it).

(with apologies to Donald Fagen)
 
Craig B said:
I've no direct experience of the Goldring 2000 series, however, having used many different Nagaoka models over the years, and currently running a MP30 here now, I think that for the asking price (RRP £195.00 although these can be had for £165ish if one shops around), the 2100 spec doesn't appear to exceed that of AT-VM95E. Not that these would necessarily sound the same, mind, only 5x the price of the A-T for what advantage, exactly? MI vs. MM? This certainly wasn't much of an advantage with plain old MP11/110; and I'd take AT-VM95E over either of these, not to mention that one can have AT-VM95ML (RRP £154.99) for less than the discounted price of Goldring 2100.

The goalposts have been moved, only the competition hasn't quite figured this out yet.
Click to expand...
I can't keep up with the AT 95 series. The 95e used to be an honest enough budget MM that adorned every Dual 505 in town, more than a few Regas and a few LP12s belonging to people who were skint and/or listened to dealers. It spawned however many Linn spinoffs at elevated prices. It was always a bit screechy, but it worked and at change from £20 there wasn't a lot not to like.
Now it seems to support a whole range of V, VM, ML, E, Christ knows, at a much more elevated price point. What are the differences?
 
stevec67 said:
I can't keep up with the AT 95 series. The 95e used to be an honest enough budget MM that adorned every Dual 505 in town, more than a few Regas and a few LP12s belonging to people who were skint and/or listened to dealers. It spawned however many Linn spinoffs at elevated prices. It was always a bit screechy, but it worked and at change from £20 there wasn't a lot not to like.
Now it seems to support a whole range of V, VM, ML, E, Christ knows, at a much more elevated price point. What are the differences?
Click to expand...

Stylus profile
 
@gerlando

Looks like you are many miles away, otherwise you could have nipped over and had a quick listen.
Auditions are a luxury I suppose.
 
I had a 2500. I liked it. Punchy, detailed, clean, nothing to complain about except rounded body made alignment trickier.

I've recently decided that I prefer the AT VM520E to the VM95SH, a saving of ~£80, so I'm not sure that the various VM95s are the obvious choice under £200. I won't be recommending the 95. If the Goldring 2100 is available for £104 somewhere, it puts the whole range of 2000 series styluses on your menu. Worth considering.
 
sonddek said:
I've recently decided that I prefer the AT VM520E to the VM95SH, a saving of ~£80, so I'm not sure that the various VM95s are the obvious choice under £200.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the VM95s are. You might have compared like for like - a VM520SH to the VM95SH (or E, ML, etc.).
 
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