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Cartridge recommendations for second system turntable please

So I have been thinking of assembling my old gear, which I have never sold, into a second system. The turntable would be a Music Hall MMF-7. I need a new cartridge for it, as the original Goldring Eroica that came with it is very old and has a bent cantilever. The rest of the system would be: Project Speedbox, MF KW500 integrated amp, MF Tri-vista DAC, MF A3.2 CDP, Transparent Powerbank 8, all Transparent cabling, Carver Amazing Loudspeakers. I listen to a lot of jazz, as well as rock, vocals, "world music," classical, pop. Thanks in advance for the cartridge recommendations. Would especially love to hear actual user experiences.
arsh
tketcham
291 posts
 

Hi, arsh,

I have a Music Hall mmf-7 and in addition to the Goldring Eroica H that came with the turntable, I have enjoyed using a Goldring 1012GX, a Dynavector DV-20XL, and an Audio-Technica AT-33PTG, which is currently on the tonearm. Each of them has worked well on the ’arm and sounded very nice. The tonearm on the mmf-7.1 is a decent ’arm (Pro-Ject 9c) and is more than capable of bringing out fine performances from these cartridges.

I also have a Michell Engineering Gyro SE with a SME 309 tonearm and have used the DV-20XL and AT-33PTG on the ’table. In comparison to the mmf-7 the sound is more revealing and dynamic with a more quiet background but the Pro-Ject 9 tonearm holds it’s own.

I’m currently using an Audio-Technica ART9 (on the SME 309), which replaced an aging Dynavector Karat 17D3. After a hundred hours or so I can say that I prefer the ART9 because if its better tonal balance (less emphasis on the lower frequencies), improved bass control, and a more natural sounding mid-range and uppermost frequencies (cymbal crashes for example). Plus, it does a better job of tracking difficult high-energy passages. I think the AT9 would sound very good on your Pro-Ject 9c tonearm if you decide to spend more money on the cartridge.

Regards,

Tom

PS: I’m using a MF A3.5 integrated and Rogue Audio Stealth phono stage with the mmf-7 so other than the speakers, the electronics are similar. The speakers, on the other hand, are quite different. I’ve wanted to hear a pair of those Carver speakers.

arsh OP
367 posts
 
 Thanks Tom. That is very interesting information. I really appreciate it. My turntable is the MMF7 not the 7.1. Is the tonearm the same?  I have read with interest the information on this forum about the audio Teknika art 9 cartridge. I would be very interested in trying it on the music hall turntable if it is a good match. 
tketcham
291 posts
 

The mmf-7 came with the Pro-Ject 9 aluminum tonearm while the mmf-7.1 came with the first generation of the Pro-Ject 9 carbon ’arm.

I haven’t tried the ART9 on the mmf-7 but given that it plays fine on the SME 309, which has a lower effective mass than the Pro-Ject 9, I’m assuming it would also work well. Using a resonance calculator the resonance frequency is somewhere between 7Hz and 8Hz. Not ideal but not in the red zone.

Tom


PS: You may want to read this thread: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/messages/114/1141823.html

arsh OP
367 posts
 
Thanks Tom. I will read that.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
Is there a price range for the cartridge? As stated, you'd need a high output cartridge, which could be anything (MM, moving iron, high output moving coil) with an output from 2.5 on up.

For an overall great combination of inner detail and ambience, dynamics, linear response, and transparency, the Audio Technica AT150Sa (Shibata stylus) is really nice. I have one. It started 8 years ago as an AT150MLX, but AT has discontinued the microline stylus on a boron cantilever and now offers a replacement Shibata stylus on tapered aluminum pipe. I like it *at least* as much as the MLX, probably a little more as it has (I think) a little more delicate and smoother treble. Best price I know of offhand is $323.69 at LpGear.

The Shelter 201 is also a great match for your musical tastes. It really excels at rock, pop, big band and small group acoustic jazz, and also classical. At $310 for the authorized US import, I think the AT150Sa is the better value. However, the same Shelter 201 from a reliable Far East vendor for $167-ish (I got mine from this very vendor) is an absolute no-brainer. There's something about it that puts a smile on my face every time. At half the price of the AT150Sa and $50-ish more than an M97xE, it's just crazy good, especially doing all the kinds of music you mentioned. 

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