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Best cartridge

Apologies in advance, since I’m certain that topics like this have been posted ad nauseam.. 

While my digital music collection numbers in the tens of thousands of tracks, my vinyl collection is quite modest (50 or so albums). As a result, I’ve never invested much in my TT setup. I recently picked up a vintage Marantz TT and am interested in an updated cartridge to bring it into the 21st century. I’ve got an NAD PP-3 phono preamp I’ll be using which will feed into my Classe CAP-151 integrated. 

Let’s go on the assumption that I know nothing about cartridges, and please just make your best recommendation for a first upgrade that would represent a good value and work well with my other components. 

If this matters, I’ve found the synergy between my JBL Synthesis HDI-1600‘s & Classe Integrated to be quite laid back compared to my Monitor Audio REF 700 PMC bookshelves, and since I’ll primarily be using the JBL’s, if a cartridge can emphasize HF extension, that’s something I’d be interested in. 

Thanks in advance!
128x128dougeyjones
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rauliruegas
13,093 posts
 
Dear @dougeyjones : "  It makes intuitive sense to me that cartridges from vinyls heyday would’ve been manufactured with higher QA standards than now,.... "

Intuitive sense?, maybe to you. In the old times the cartridge main alternative was MM designs and latter on changed to MC alternative.

You can ask Ortofon or Audio Technica or other cartridge manufacturers if in the past they had higher quality control with the overall cartridge building. I own old and today cartridges from the same manufacturer and I can't confirm your " intuitive sense ".
Several things already changed over so many years. If the quality been degraded through the years the LP analog experience just already disappeared and it's not that way. After the LP the cartridge is the main analog audio item, it's the one that rides those LP groove modulations: quality is a must down there.

R.
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best-groove's avatar
best-groove
842 posts
 


You have to invest in analog and you need a better turntable, it’spretty esy to solve the problem and purchase Technics SL1200GR (at least).

Alt .... the opener may have collected a TT1000 vintage; in this case it is not necessary to change the turntable. LOL
billstevenson
361 posts
 
"You can ask Ortofon or Audio Technica or other cartridge manufacturers if in the past they had higher quality control with the overall cartridge building. I own old and today cartridges from the same manufacturer and I can't confirm your " intuitive sense ".
Several things already changed over so many years. If the quality been degraded through the years the LP analog experience just already disappeared and it's not that way. After the LP the cartridge is the main analog audio item, it's the one that rides those LP groove modulations: quality is a must down there."
I completely agree with Raul here. 

Let me add too, quality is actually defined in part as repeatability from unit to unit, and if anything the products today seem to be more consistent at least from the big companies.  Ortofon and Audio Technica have always been excellent in this regard, so maybe they have just maintained their always excellent consistency, but they may be the exception that proves the rule. 

Regards,
Bill
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Up to a thousand bucks Nagoka . Hands down .
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