Cartridges
- Thread starter nbaptista
- Start date
colasblue
pfm Member
I suspect very few serious vinyl users could get away with that little actually, particularly if the TT is expected to compete on level terms with a decent digital source.
I'm at £350 for a PTG II grey import but have spent more in the past.
Obviously you need a serious TT/Arm/phono stage as well otherwise an expensive cartridge is a complete waste of money (clearly into multi thousand pound territory).
If you just use a TT to play a few old record you have lying around and aren't after ultimate sound quality it's a completely different story and very satisfactory results can be had out of the budget Regas, older Thorens TT's and such with things such as the AT VM95e and similar.
TBH I see very little space in the market for most of what's in the middle these days.
I'm at £350 for a PTG II grey import but have spent more in the past.
Obviously you need a serious TT/Arm/phono stage as well otherwise an expensive cartridge is a complete waste of money (clearly into multi thousand pound territory).
If you just use a TT to play a few old record you have lying around and aren't after ultimate sound quality it's a completely different story and very satisfactory results can be had out of the budget Regas, older Thorens TT's and such with things such as the AT VM95e and similar.
TBH I see very little space in the market for most of what's in the middle these days.
Paul Hindle
Do you mock me?
Very happy with an ORTOFON 2M Red on my Project. No plans to upgrade it.
Tumeni Notes
pfm Member
Last I bought was an Ortofon Quintet Red, at around the £300 mark, as I recall. To go on a Linn LP12 with Basik Plus. Has a more rounded sound than the -
Audio Technica AT-OC5 which preceded it, can't recall how much at the time, but maybe less than the Ortofon.
Audio Technica AT-OC5 which preceded it, can't recall how much at the time, but maybe less than the Ortofon.
Tony L
Administrator
I’ve added a poll as suggested.
PS I’m running and am very happy with a Nagaoka MP-500, so £501-1000 category, but I’m not sure that is quite right as the running costs are pretty low, e.g. a new stylus can be had straight from Japan for £180-250 if you time it right and use an eBay discount code. I’ve done it three times so far (I’ve got an unused one waiting).
PS I’m running and am very happy with a Nagaoka MP-500, so £501-1000 category, but I’m not sure that is quite right as the running costs are pretty low, e.g. a new stylus can be had straight from Japan for £180-250 if you time it right and use an eBay discount code. I’ve done it three times so far (I’ve got an unused one waiting).
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Don't think I've bought a sub 2 grand cart in decades, unless the Karma in the mid eighties and Clavis/Helikon and Shiraz were a bit lower than that back in the nineties. To be fair 2 grand is the most I've paid for my m/c cart's though. Can't think I'll be looking for new cart's any time soon, as they have to be the fastest depreciating part of the hifi chain, and with good reason.
chris@panteg
pfm Member
Well I have a Hana SL and ML £535 and £600 for the ML virtually unused.
Having lived with the ML I don't think I could use anything less capable now.
Having lived with the ML I don't think I could use anything less capable now.
uncl_nigel
pfm Member
I stop at the regular price for an AT 33PTG even though I shelled out for a Chord Signature tonearm cable about a year ago and run a silly price TT and phono stage.
Same old story with cart's as anything else, a general rule - assuming the rest of the kit warrants it, never listen to anything more expensive than you already use, unless you can find the cash for the more expensive.
I suspect that most people have an imaginary "sweet spot" in terms of price - a combination of what they can spend and what they hear. For me, MC - probably 1000-1500 (new price) - beyond that I have not and will not listen as I feel happy to tell myself that beyond that, returns become ever slighter per £ expended.
Another same old story - I got the bulk of my LP-replay a long while ago, but I also essentially never buy new. As and when I need a new cart', there will/should be a nice trade-in on my current one, so not full whack price for the new one.
A personal thing - I have abysmal aural memory, so gave up trying to judge deterioration of sound from a stylus, long ago. I own two of my preferred cart' and the two arm pods on the Hypersapce makes life super-easy. If I ran MM, life would be easier again - just keep a spare stylus and swap.
I suspect that most people have an imaginary "sweet spot" in terms of price - a combination of what they can spend and what they hear. For me, MC - probably 1000-1500 (new price) - beyond that I have not and will not listen as I feel happy to tell myself that beyond that, returns become ever slighter per £ expended.
Another same old story - I got the bulk of my LP-replay a long while ago, but I also essentially never buy new. As and when I need a new cart', there will/should be a nice trade-in on my current one, so not full whack price for the new one.
A personal thing - I have abysmal aural memory, so gave up trying to judge deterioration of sound from a stylus, long ago. I own two of my preferred cart' and the two arm pods on the Hypersapce makes life super-easy. If I ran MM, life would be easier again - just keep a spare stylus and swap.
Dean Jordan
pfm Member
I had a london decca gold with decca pod when they were £600
Currently running a hana sl cart and it's very nice.
Currently running a hana sl cart and it's very nice.
Craig B
Re:trophile
I suspect that Nuno was specifically inquiring about cartridges within the £60 to £120 range, perhaps as potential upgrade for his Planar 2 (2016).
I can't recall where you had left off @nbaptista. Had you switched out the Carbon for an AT-VM95 model?
I can't recall where you had left off @nbaptista. Had you switched out the Carbon for an AT-VM95 model?
In which case, differences in presentation/style and the like, apart, I strongly suspect that most people would suggest that that area of the market offers the largest opportunities for improvements/differences in what you hear. He is, after all, talking about doubling the potential outlay.
Yes, the VM95e which I Will replace for the 95ML microlinear. I was just curious how often people looks for a new cartridge as an upgrade and their budget.The idea of a poll was all right.
Craig B
Re:trophile
I agree. Exact (or similar budget alternative) is as far as anyone should go with Planar 3/RB330.
Sticking with Rega MMs, Elys 2 is as far as one should go for Planar 2/RB220.
Having said that, in Nuno's case, should he currently have (and enjoy the sound of) VM95E on his, then he can't go wrong changing the stylus out for VMN95ML.