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Is there such a thing as a true rock'n'roll cartridge? MM/MC/MI?

Rosewind

Rosewind

Lost in Translation
I am thinking about selling my retipped Benz Micro Gullwing SLR when I get it back from Switzerland some time soon. As I am a rock'n'roll / jazz type of listener, I wonder if there are any great rock'n'roll cartridges out there?

I am looking for a cartridge that will work well on my light-weight Empire 698 arm and that will play rock music with a a good balance between details and tight groove without becoming too colourful or too evenhanded. I am not tired of the Benz Micro Gullwing SLR but I feel that I haven't heard it at its best, or if I have, it sounds remarkably close to music through my digital play-back chain.

My set-up is quite revealing in that I have a DIY DCB1 buffer pre with an EAR 516 and Quad ESL 57s.

So now it is time to peddle your own favorite rock'n'roll cartridges ...

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Let me just add that I only have hands on experience with the following cartridges over a span of 40 years:

Stanton (681 or which one?)
Ortofon MC200 (still here)
Ortofon MC30 Super mk. ii
Denon 103R
Benz Micro Gullwing SLR (on its way back here)
Shure M91ED (mounted on the Empire 698)
 
No idea about matching to your arm, but Linn cartridges have always grooved in a rock n roll manner. Even a K9 could show the door to many any exotic cartridge in this area.
 
I have little experience of it admittedly, but I've read on many occasions that the Decca London carts have thrilling dynamics and speed, so would definitely rock. I think it's going to be my own next upgrade, tbh, because rock and / or roll is my own preferred genre so would love to hear the combination
 
A 12g mass arm is not too fussy. Have a look at Stereophile’s test of the Dynavector DV 20 x2 low. I swapped a Cadenza black for one, just because I wanted more life and punch. Very happy. It loves rock. More sophistication with your rock? Any Lyra you can afford:)
 
I use a sadly, daftly expensive MC most of the time for most my music. But if I'm in the mood for Led Zep, Sabbath, Purple, Greta Van Fleet, Opeth..... on goes the Ortofon 2M red (price £95). It just seems to love rock. It doesn't stay on for Mozart or Laura Marling though.

PS. Detachable Headshells are such a good thing.
 
Rockmeister said:
Any Lyra you can afford:)
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Salamander said:
I think my Lyra Helikon rocks
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These. Helikon is no more, (I've had that and Clavis prior to it), but the lower Lyra cart. is very good, as are all of them. Versatile, not arm fussy, exc. p/x, dynamic yet even-handed and with a decent stylus guard. Also very popular, so there are a fair number of used examples if that's your bag, Peter. Had around 12 years of Lyras playing the Animals to Zepp.

Dv cart's are/were prolific with LP12 fans; I've no experience but they can't all be wrong. Some Denons are low compliance, so maybe not suitable. As you're used to (?) a Benz with its superb musicality and even-handedness, I'd maybe stick to a coil, and Lyras are a shade less warm than Benz but maybe more 'foot-tapping'. However, if your Gullwing needed refurbishment, you may find it a changed cart. when you get it back. I'm a bit surprised (unless I've misread your comment) that the Benz is on the same presentational plane as your CDP.
 
Quad 57s can rock well enough in my very small study (9 square meters only). Still I am tempted to add one or two small subs or a Magnepan Woofer.

RE carts: I may actually have a Linn K9 lying about. I never used it but i seem to remember that I got it with the Ortofon MC30 Super mk. ii way back when I was a lot younger.

As for exchangeable headshells - it is not going to happen. The headshell assembly / connection is very, very frail on the Empire 698 arm so I am not going to push my luck.
 
Mike. I am surprised too, but things may very well change if/when I put the retipped Benz cartridge on the Empire 698. I used it on a Thorens TP16 arm + Schopper TP63 armwand on the Thorens TD147 Jubilee that is not in my possession any longer.

I may very well have cloth-ears but I heard a distinct change for the better - resolution and sweetness . when the DIY Directly Coupled B1 was introduced in the replay chain. It was much better - to my ears - than the previous DIY B1, and better than a generic DIY attenuator box I used and slso bettet than some other well-respected preamps I had here.

Why the cartridge will change its sound after a retip with Benz in Switzerland, is a point I don't understand, unless the retip is made by someone else but the team who produced it in the first place.
 
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Not sure any Grado cartridges will match tonearm in question.

Fwiw I had a Grado Signature back then, decades ago, it was really great on rock and the likes.
 
Rosewind said:
Why the cartridge will change its sound after a retip with Benz in Switzerland,
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Depends upon how knackered the old one was; they'll almost certainly check the cart. (suspension etc.) out as well, or at least I would expect that subsidiary service. The Thorens TP16 (?) arm wasn't considered to be brilliant in its day; no idea if the 63 was better. I remember, when I bought my TD125 2 in the late 70s/early 80s that the SME was recommended, so had that. I know nothing of your Empire arm, either, so must look it up (didn't know they did arms; only cart's (again, in the day).
 
Mike. The arm was indeed a Thorens TP16 with an "improved" (stiffer) Schopper TP63 armwand on it. My bad.

The Empire arms came with the turntables.
 
Apparently the new Audio Technica VM95 series styli fit the k9 so that might be worth exploring.
 
Never had any issues with my ESL57s on any type of music. Okay I was not looking for extreme volume levels. What they lacked in depth of base they made up for with quality of base. Only problem was that they did not suit the layout of the room, so reluctantly they had to go.
 
alanbeeb said:
I use a sadly, daftly expensive MC most of the time for most my music. But if I'm in the mood for Led Zep, Sabbath, Purple, Greta Van Fleet, Opeth..... on goes the Ortofon 2M red (price £95). It just seems to love rock. It doesn't stay on for Mozart or Laura Marling though.
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That's exactly how I feel about the entry level AT VM95C (on K9 body). It's conical stylus is more medium-fi than hi-fi but it too loves rock music (and electronica) and powers / boogies along a treat - AC/DC sound fab, with great timing too.

The stylus alone is about 18 quid so the OP won't be out of pocket much by giving it a go. The matching body is supposed to be better than K9 body but not compared myself. It needs 30+ hours to get going.
 
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