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Cartridge Comparison - with Needledrops

pure sound said:
I'm away from early tomorrow am & won't be back online til next thursday. Do people want the id's of these tonight or after I return? I don't mind either way.

.
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Personally I'd like to know now, since I've done my comparing. I'm particularly interested in knowing what H is. Could you could possibly pm me if you've time and other people still want to do a blind test?

Thanks again for all the work!
 
Tony L said:
On the Eartha my favs are:

F: I really like this one, it's got a lovely warm and funky yet open and clear sound. Maybe not quite the cleanest tracker of the pack, but very good indeed. This is the one I'd buy by a fair distance.
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I think F does benefit from an almost ideal setting of the levels on the Eartha track. Every other cartridge really needs to be adjusted to that level. That said, I'd agree she does sound very saucy with F!
 
pure sound said:
I'm away from early tomorrow am & won't be back online til next thursday. Do people want the id's of these tonight or after I return? I don't mind either way.

I'm still expecting a couple more interesting cartridges to arrive but I could always do those later with some different music throwing in one or two from this group as a reference point.

I expect there may be more opinion once people know what's what. ;)


Incidentally the modern Ortofon included in this group is a Cadenza Bronze, not the Kontrapunkt B.
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If & when the new cart files are posted please include a comparison track against the originals A-J.
my vote is for either (or both) Mozart & Eartha.

Excellent & useful exercise this btw.
 
Here they are.

A = Shure M3D
B = Ortofon SPU
C = AKG P4
D = Io Gold
E = Goldring 1042
F = Technics EPS310MC
G = Ortofon SL15
H = Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
J = Koetsu Black (just refurbished by Goldring)

No Troika this time. The sample was too shagged. No Denon 103 yet either.

The Koetsu still sounds like a Koetsu if a little more polished than a standard Black. This one has had new silver coils, cantilever suspension & tip. Most people seem to have spotted the cheapy AKG which actually serves well enough for non critical (ie out of the room) listening.
 
Thankfully I chose the lo Gold for 1st place.
I put the M3D second, which alarms me not a little. It that a standard version?
If so I'd best find one and have a play!
 
Yes, standard but with a supposedly NOS Shure stylus bought from Needledoctor. It is one of the cartridges that worries me on the complex stuff. Sounds good with records of its vintage though!
 
Phew! Seems like I can recognise an Io when I hear one, it would have been be a bit embarrassing if I hadn't preferred the brother of my cart. Interesting that I liked the 1042 and SL15, too. The SL was "characterful" but in a good way. I had thought it might be the SPU.
 
Guy, which stylus does your M3D have, the original N3D or the lighter, thinner cantilever N21? What arm was it in and what weight are you tracking it at? I'm especially curious about this one as I've got one boxed up in my currently unused Lenco L70 upstairs. I've got a Jico stylus in it at present, but I've also got a NOS sealed Shure N3D stylus.

Tony.
 
The two I went for most consistently were the Ortofon SPU and the late entry Ortofon Cadenza Bronze, which I though was really good. I only briefly got one track of the Koetsu. On the Mozart and on the SRV I really thought those two Ortofons were superior, but then I also liked the cheap Goldring on the SRV. My howler though is that I liked the 'cheapy AKG' on Eartha Kitt, which Guy has identified as the cart of shame. I've just had a brief listen again though, and I find that track very tricky. They all sound pretty thin to me. You can't turn Eartha Kitt into Sarah Vaughan. Will go back and try the Io perhaps.
 
well stroll on I highly rated A for Eartha & in the Mozart it was the separation of the voices made me go for F

I've looked at the M3D prices lately & they are much higher than I like so will stick with my 95. I look forward to the 97 when it comes.
 
What I've missed is the mid range options, since here am I with my AT95E lusting after these £1400 Ortofon MC's. Its a bit of a leap! The Troika would have occupied the middle space.

Can anyone suggest - if I liked both the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze and SPU - is there anything with a similar flavour for, say, £400ish?
 
Elephantears said:
What I've missed is the mid range options, since here am I with my AT95E lusting after these £1400 Ortofon MC's. Its a bit of a leap! The Troika would have occupied the middle space.

Can anyone suggest - if I liked both the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze and SPU - is there anything with a similar flavour for, say, £400ish?
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Wait for the next batch - would be nice if an AT95E was included

I have no real idea of the cost of any of these carts other than the Ebay prices on the M3D -
 
Guy, if you need to borrow a Troika then give me a shout.

Sorry I did not get around to listening to the files but I have been out every night thus week on business.

Andrew.
 
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