Ortofon A90 new old stock can be had for $4k...Yes, you get what you pay for in carts as long as the table, arm and setup are up to task.
What Cartridge(s) Is Everyone Using
- Thread starter Steve williams
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Ortofon A90 new old stock can be had for $4k...Yes, you get what you pay for in carts as long as the table, arm and setup are up to task.
There are good cartridges at all price points--and as Christian pointed out your table--and especially arm and phono section--must be up to the task.
There's cartridges from Lyra, Clearaudio, Soundsmith, Sumiko, Ikeda, Benz, EMT and a few others that merit consideration.
There's cartridges from Lyra, Clearaudio, Soundsmith, Sumiko, Ikeda, Benz, EMT and a few others that merit consideration.
Three great Phono Cartridges - Class D, C, and B (from top to bottom).
-- ...And there is also the Audio-Technica AT95E, which retails for $71 only! :b
For an upgrade there is the Denon DL-103, which retails for $229.99
And for an even higher upgrade there is the Zu Audio DL-103, which retails for $439
- Those three phono cartridges above are available today (year 2012). :b
* And street prices and sale prices are much lower than MSRP; like the AT95E you can get for about $39 or even less. :b
And of course there are much better cartridges out there, even within the same AT family (I got better ones myself), but for the mooooney the AT95E is perfect for the kid who is just starting in the 'onolog platter' world. :b
-- ...And there is also the Audio-Technica AT95E, which retails for $71 only! :b
For an upgrade there is the Denon DL-103, which retails for $229.99
And for an even higher upgrade there is the Zu Audio DL-103, which retails for $439
- Those three phono cartridges above are available today (year 2012). :b
* And street prices and sale prices are much lower than MSRP; like the AT95E you can get for about $39 or even less. :b
And of course there are much better cartridges out there, even within the same AT family (I got better ones myself), but for the mooooney the AT95E is perfect for the kid who is just starting in the 'onolog platter' world. :b
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Christian , Myles,
Thanks for the response , I understand it's academic one's TT has to be up to par , for cheap or expensive cartridges, so is it really necessary to go the 5k route , what is the difference to say the 103r I'm currently running , is it refinement , detail , I ask because it is not easy to hear top analog today as say expensive digital , many moons back i was running Koetsu with my LP 12 , today I'm running the 103r and i'm pretty please , the few times i have heard really expensive analog it did not surpass what i'm currently listening to , understanding it could be one system vs the other , so more than just the analog front end ..
So my question ..?
Have you tried modereratly priced cartridges ( under 1k) on your expensive rigs and what were the draw backs vs these 5-10k cartridges ...
Regards
What about soundsmiths wood bodied and upgraded 103r...?
The AT is a bit wirey sounding to me ....!
1. I just dunno (wood body + ...).
2. It's a fine cartridge for beginners (AT95E). ...I know so, I have one (among several others; from Audio-Technica and other brands).
Not under $1K, but I do have a Clearaudio Talismann V2 for $1500.00. It does the job, but obviously collects dust on my shelf. You can still get an Ortofon A90 NOS for $4k or less. It is the obvious relatively economical SOTA choice for a well sorted system and competes well with the $10K and above crowd. It's important to have a top of the line arm, otherwise you may not get the maximum benefit from the more expensive carts. I know it sound's Obscene to spend this kind of money on a cart, but if your serious and have a serious arm, table and phono stage, you shouldn't shortcut the cart. Unfortunataely the best cost. The A90 is the best bang for the buck bar none while you can still get one. I have two. One still sealed.
Different price range, I know, but take a look at an AT33PTG. It can be had for ~$500 from Japan. There's a SS review of a 33AV - elliptical stylus vs a ML. Sonically, it's in a totally different league compared to a wet sock like a Grado Gold.
I have not yet decided for a second arm/cartridge myself, my turntable can handle two tonearms and doubting to install a mono cartridge (few mono LPs as of now) or a good MM to try out, options are AT, Empire or Ariston with a Jelco 12 inch arm.
@Felix,
While i do prefer the 103R , the Grado is far from a wet sock and my mental block limit is currently 1K on cartridges, so your AT suggestion fits just fine ....
While i do prefer the 103R , the Grado is far from a wet sock and my mental block limit is currently 1K on cartridges, so your AT suggestion fits just fine ....
@Felix,
While i do prefer the 103R , the Grado is far from a wet sock and my mental block limit is currently 1K on cartridges, so your AT suggestion fits just fine ....
Obviously, I'm not a big Grado fan. If that's the sound you prefer, the PTG may not be a great match for your taste. While, tonally, it's relatively warm and rich in the mids with slightly softened highs, it's a "fast" sounding cart that tends to emphasize the sense of transient attack. Its main claim to fame is its transparency, given the price point. That's what I meant by the Grado being a wet sock. In terms of resolution - meaning, extracting and presenting the information on a recoding - can't really compare the two.
Odyno ,
Goldring has more models than GM, could you be a bit more specific on the series/ model ....
Goldring has more models than GM, could you be a bit more specific on the series/ model ....
To me, the 1042 is a no brainer....
Never had a chance to listen their moving coil in my system but had lot,s of good comment on them.
Never had a chance to listen their moving coil in my system but had lot,s of good comment on them.
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