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Phono cartridge recommendation under GBP 750

P

Pani

pfm Member
Have been looking for a decent cartridge without spending a lot for quite some time now. I have already tried these:
1. Denon 103pro - Good tone but lacks resolution and sounds too raw, and lots of surface noise on lesser records
2. ZYX RS30 - Great dynamics and extension but lacks warmth in the midrange.
3. Dynavector 17D3 - Good but nothing special. Doesnt have the tone of the Denon or dynamics of the ZYX. Glosses over the micro details many a times.

I listen to music ranging from Rock to Classical so may be my requirements are such that if there is a weakness it stands out with some or the other kind of music. What options do I have ?

1. 47 Labs MCBee
2. Shelter 501 MK2
3. Ortofon Kontrapunkt H or C
4. Benz Micro Glider or Wood SL
5. Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood (MM)
6. ....

My TT is a JC Verdier and tonearm (still experimenting) most probably is either a Basis Vector 4 or Naim ARO. Just expecting accurate tones and good PRAT. Dynamics is also high on my priority list but the top two is Tone and PRAT.

I would have loved to add London Decca cartridges to my shortlist but my record collection is a mix of new and used so I am worried my older records may not be listenable enough.

Would be nice to get some recommendations here, after all it is going to be a blind buy:rolleyes:.
 
If you decide on an Ortofon, they are making a small number of returned and refurbished cartridges available online

I've been really pleased with a Kontrapunkt B, and now have a Cadenza Blue - both a bit over your budget; but I believe there is a family sound over the range.
 
The Glider is a very nice sophisticated cart, if you can stretch a bit more the Lyra Delos is sublime and the leader at that price point.

Also the Bence Ace is a fantastic cart at £600, rich and meaty.
 
Thanks Guey and Gaius.
Ortofon - I have heard a Rondo Red and a Cadenza Bronze on two different TTs. Generally I liked them.

Benz - It will be an experimental buy. Not sure what its strengths are but seems like a popular cartridge in this price point.

Lyra Delos - I have heard it only once on a Technics SL1200 with its stock tonearm and I thought it has great dynamics but somewhat thin on midbass and peaky in the highs. Now, whether a Technics is a good TT for a Lyra, that is definitely a question!!
 
The Benz Wood SL is excellent and a good all rounder.

Also considerr Transfiguration if your budget stretches that far.
 
I have modified my initial post. I forgot to add the cartridge that I am most interested in:)
47 Labs MCBee.

Unfortunately there are very few user comments about this cartridge on the forums, not sure why. I generally like 47 Labs product and they do many things right about music reproduction. But a user or listener comment would help me take a call with more assurance I guess.
 
There is a Van den Hul MC10 (I think, from memory) going online (may be Emporium - I'll confirm if you are interested) with a new diamond for £500. Fantastic little cartridge
 
If you like the tone of the Denon 103, try the Zu DL103 or similar rebodied versions, and then maybe the ESCO cantilever and diamond modification. I have a Zu modified by ESCO and it is by far the best cartridge I've used. Imagine all the best bits of a Decca London, the DL103, and Lyras finest, and you re just about there. Works well in the ARO.
 
Pani said:
Have been looking for a decent cartridge without spending a lot for quite some time now. I have already tried these:
1. Denon 103pro - Good tone but lacks resolution and sounds too raw, and lots of surface noise on lesser records
2. ZYX RS30 - Great dynamics and extension but lacks warmth in the midrange.
3. Dynavector 17D3 - Good but nothing special. Doesnt have the tone of the Denon or dynamics of the ZYX. Glosses over the micro details many a times.

I listen to music ranging from Rock to Classical so may be my requirements are such that if there is a weakness it stands out with some or the other kind of music. What options do I have ?

1. 47 Labs MCBee
2. Shelter 501 MK2
3. Ortofon Kontrapunkt H or C
4. Benz Micro Glider or Wood SL
5. Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood (MM)
6. ....

Dynamics is also high on my priority list but the top two is Tone and PRAT.
Click to expand...

A blind buy is always risky. :) I would suggest you should focus on MMs (or Grado MIs) rather than MCs as IMO you get more bang-for-your-buck at the lower end of the MC price range with an MM/MI.

One which might fit into your price bracket is the 2nd-top Grado HOMI - the Reference Statement (4mV). I bought their top model HOMI (Reference Reference1, 4mV) recently for about 800GBP and I'm finding it in the same league as my USD5K Benz LP (LOMC).

So the Reference Statement - or even the next model down, the Reference Sonata - should fit your price bracket?

These Grados have dynamics, tone & PRAT in spades. (BTW, shirley "PRAT" implies "dynamics"?)

Regards,

Andy
 
The Dynavector XX2 MK2 works extremely well in the Naim ARO. It is just over your budget at 1049GBP.

Regards,
Andy
 
I've had the 103R, Glider SL and 501.2. From your description I'd suggest the Shelter might be a nice fit. The Glider worked very well in the Aro though (and I much preferred it overall to the modded 103R, Dorian and Helikon I also had at the time for instance).

Of the MC carts I'm familiar with under a grand, the Shelter fits the description of your needs best but I never used one in the Aro.
 
Thank everyone for all those suggestions.

As an update, I got an opportunity to try out an Ortofon Rondo Red in my system. I LOVED the tonal qualities of this cart. It is very well saturated but still very accurate tonally. The instruments have a bigness about it, it is wet and nicely alive, just like a quality tube amp. The Dynavector comparatively sounds more solid state like, smaller tones, more cut out, less colourful though a little zippy compared to the Rondo Red. Dynamically the Dynavector seems to have an edge over the Rondo, the Dyna has a little more macro dynamic presentation and slightly crisper leading edge giving a sense of "little" more excitement in some music. It also has a little more speed compared to Rondo. But overall the Rondo sounds more emotional and correct tonally. This has led me to think of higher end Ortofons. Can I expect the Kontrapunkts to give me all that I got from the Rondo Red with more resolution, dynamics and speed ? I was thinking of the Kontrapunkt B. Anyone ?
 
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