Dear @lewm : " Try your Goldring. I am finding the MP500 Nagaoka to be excellent (on my Triplanar) but perhaps not the equal of the Ortofon MC2000. "
Your advise to mijos could be not function with him in the same way that in your system.
Key for MM/MI cartridges is the MM phono stage design ( you even can do way better ).
Normally phono stages designers do not care about MM/MI cartridges because normally MC is the " rule " , so for MM/MI cartridges they use the MC stage with lower gain stage and that's all.
To really shine MM/MI cartridges needs a dedicated phono stage diferent from the MC stage.
Around 15 years ago I re-discover the MM/MI cartridges thank's that I owned a few Audio Technica and AKG models and thank's that was with these cartridges that we tested our Essential 3150 that came with a dedicated MM stage totally separated of the MC stage, in reality the 3150 has 2 separated and different phono stages. The needs of LOMC cartridges are diferent of the MM/MI needs,
In those times I shared my re-discover starting the today very long thread MM/MI dedicated and through the time several of Agoners learned and shared about their first hand experiences with. As a fact all the vintage cartridge you own was because that thread you knew about through that thread and your curiosity made that you pull the triger.
The unit that mijos is waiting is a full integrated " digital processor " that as an option you can buy with phono stage too. Btw, Nagaoka beats Goldring that's a good cartridge but any of your vintage cartridges outperforms that Goldring.
When we finished the Essential 3160 all those vintage cartridges gone/performs at a new and better level not more of the same but with som critical characteristics that comes in the LOMC cartridges that we are accustom to by " hundred " of years listening to it.
Obviously that through the time all go changing and changing and normally all those change in the audio world is for the " better ". As we audiophiles all audio items designers improve their new models is critical main part and the name of the game.
That's why right now instead to stay listening only MC cartridges I have mounted two vintage Audio Technica cartridges running through my new Essential 3180 and guess what: I can't say that I'm listening a MM cartridges even coming from the early 80's and these kind of experiences is due to the MM 3180 phono stage.
Mijos mentioned SUT for HO MC and well the overall listened quality sound levels " coming " from that SUT mainly depends of the MM phono stage design.
Btw, mijos I know what you could answer but the MC Diamond is not very low output ( 0.2mv ) and that " noise " you mentioned not should be there. Current design has more disadvantages that advantages if any over the voltage design stages and we have to remember that cartridge is a voltage item.
R.