Best cheapo Cartridge


In a bind, I have 2 cartridges that have seen better days.   My Ortofon Jubilee has at least 1500 hours on it and I’m starting to hear a drop in performance.  My Transfiguration Proteus only has 450 hours but is on the fritz and they are OOB.

I have too many irons in the fire to spend alot and need one to hold me over for a while.  Thinking about a MM, like Ortofon or Grado.  Would be mating with a Basis Vector 4 tonearm, Basis 2200 sig, and either Allnic H3000 or ARC PH 5.  Speakers are Thiels.  

Analog heads please give me some advice.   I have no experience with MM or MI or than many cartridges in my system  for that matter.  


pops
Current production of the Nagaoka MP-200,300, & 500 all have boron cantilevers.
Personally, I prefer the conical stylus from the MP-10 for my vintage jazz Micro-groove LPs.

Why?
I always prefer MicroRidge or LineContact for my vintage LPs.
Nagaoka cartridges are overrated, there are much better carts from the same era.

P.S. for the fans of conical tip there are Denon DL-107 MM    

Chakster,

Because to me the conical stylus sounds better, that’s why.  But that’s just what I like.  Probably why I’m such a big fan of the Denon 103 and the Yamaha MC-11.  
 Nagaoka cartridges are overrated?  Hmmm.  Never heard that before.  What exactly is that based on?  The fact that you don’t like them?

For me, (which is what is important) I find them some of the finest sounding cartridges I’ve ever heard, with absolutely no listening fatigue, which is why I still use them.  

Nagaoka has built almost the exact same line of cartridges for over forty years.  Only  subtle changes have been made.  So clearly, they must be doing something right, as they are still enjoyed by many.

N.

  


Dear @normansizemore  : "  So clearly, they must be doing something right, as they are still enjoyed by many. "

you are rigth on your common sense statement and I gree too because I owned and I think still own at least one Nagaoka cartridge but some people like to talk mybe by ignorance or  personal " agenda ": who knows.

R.