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Cartridge Comparison - with Needledrops

Thanks Andrew. I'll be in touch when I get back.

Tony, I need to sift through some ebay purchases from early last year (no time now) & find the details. It tracks at 2.4-2.5g which was right for that stylus (whichever version it was).

EDIT: It was the N21 equivalent marked as OEM Shure and it cost $51.95. See here.
http://www.turntableneedles.com/Needle-757_p_1374.html

The Jelco has pretty high eff mass ie >20g so may not have been ideal for some of the higher compliance cartridges here, but it is easy to switch headshells :)
 
Well I picked the IO, so that pretty much puts the nail in the vinyl coffin for me. I had already binned it off but I'm definitely selling the vinyl now.

I picked the 1042 second, it sounded similar to the IO, do they share any DNA?
 
matt j said:
Well I picked the IO, so that pretty much puts the nail in the vinyl coffin for me. I had already binned it off but I'm definitely selling the vinyl now.

I picked the 1042 second, it sounded similar to the IO, do they share any DNA?
Click to expand...

Once upon a time the 1040 & the Io shared the same vdH type 1 tip. Now the UK made Io's have a diamond sourced in Japan & the 1042 uses the Gyger II but both are pretty fine and along with that on the Cadenza are arguably the best quality diamonds here.
 
The IO is relatively very bright, which may be why it stood out. OTOH it sounded more correct to me than the others I listened to.

I have the SRV track so I'll grab it over the weekend as a comparison.

Paul
 
Looking at my notes I thought that the IO had consistently good spacing and articulation, but it never seems to have got me like the Ortofons did - they seemed richer in timbre and voice to me. Did no-one else like them so much?
 
Elephantears said:
Looking at my notes I thought that the IO had consistently good spacing and articulation, but it never seems to have got me like the Ortofons did - they seemed richer in timbre and voice to me. Did no-one else like them so much?
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Yes, me.

It was the Cadenza that really stood out for me. Will go back and listen to the other Ortofons now I know which is which; I only listened to the Mozart and agree with your comments.

The interesting bit for me is that (according to what Guy says above) my current Goldring 1040 carries a tip not that far removed from that on the Cadenza; if you spot a 1040 (or even a new 1042) I very much suggest you try one. I'm not saying you'll get the Ortofon's richness, but I think you do get a taste of what the stylus profile is doing for a lot less cash.
 
Coda II said:
Yes, me.

It was the Cadenza that really stood out for me. Will go back and listen to the other Ortofons now I know which is which; I only listened to the Mozart and agree with your comments.
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Yes it was the Cadenza for me too, although that was added after my initial comments on the Mozart. I commented later that the Cadenza was the best, although the SPU had been the first round winner for me. Sounds like I'd be happy with either. The Cadenza was also the best of all on SRV for me, but that's not so much my music.

As for the 1040/1042 - is the 1040 the better one? Unfortunately I didn't like the 1042 at all on the Mozart, although I did like it on the SRV. I didn't like it on Eartha Kitt either, but then I didn't like much there.
 
Elephantears said:
As for the 1040/1042 - is the 1040 the better one? Unfortunately I didn't like the 1042 at all on the Mozart, although I did like it on the SRV. I didn't like it on Eartha Kitt either, but then I didn't like much there.
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I've not heard the 1042 - maybe wait till Guy's back as he has had both. (not suggesting he's the only one that has btw).
 
The Cadenza would have been my fourth choice - nice, but a bit bland and a little uninspiring in comparison to the others.
 
i_should_coco said:
The Cadenza would have been my fourth choice - nice, but a bit bland and a little uninspiring in comparison to the others.
Click to expand...

Strange, it was precisely the least bland to me, but perhaps its a question of whether you look for timbral richness or articulate spacing or biting timing. What's 'nice' to one person is 'rich' to another (such as myself).
 
Tone, timbre and dynamics, generally. I'm not so worried about "space" or "imaging" or such.

I only had time to listen to the SRV tracjks, but thought D was way ahead of the pack. I was a little surprised to like the 1042 so much (so much for preconceptions against MM), and I thought that G must be the SPU as it was rather characterful, but enjoyable. Interestingly, Guy has told me in the past that he likes the SL15 as a rather less characterful version of the SPU. This seems borne out by this test, at least for me.
 
pure sound said:
Hmm. Cartridge J appears to have its channels reversed. I didn't fit that one to its headshell. It was borrowed already fitted to a headshell & its gone back now. Ah well.
Click to expand...

Just while I remember:

was it not H that had flipped channels? ie the Cadenza not the Koetsu

Not that I'm likely to acquire either any time soon.
 
"...Guy has told me in the past that he likes the SL15 as a rather less characterful version of the SPU. This seems borne out by this test, at least for me..."

I should be ashamed of myself for contributing to this thread, having decided neither to post nor to listen to needledrops (I did break down and listen to Guy’s one of the simple –miked recording of the brass band): but I can’t help commenting on the above quote.

I used to own the SL15E (I had two of these in a row) and was sad when they stopped making them. I found it a better cartridge than the SPU (I owned two SPUs).

The point that I want to make is that the SL15E is a better cartridge than the SL15 due to its eliptical stylus; stylus shape DOES (or at least can) affect the sound considerably.

I assume that Guy has used an SL15 and has not inadvertently left the ‘E’ off!
 
The SL15 I have is a NOS one, barely used from 1968. It says 'elliptical diamond' on the cartridge body.
 
seems from my notes i like most of them , except the Shure and the AKG , my favourites were between the SPU, the cadenza bronze , Koetsu , and the IO gold. I had marked the Cadenza bronze as best , with the SPU very close behind ...seems I like Ortofon.
 
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