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Cartridges: Complete Scam?

I’m very new to analog, and researching my options on forums I keep coming across the same sentiment: that past the ultra low-end cartridges, there is very little gains in actual sound quality and that all you’re getting are different styles and colorations to the sound.

So, for example, if I swapped out my $200 cartridge that came with my table for a Soundsmith, Dynavector, Oracle, etc, I may notice a small improvement in detail and dynamics, but I’m mostly just going to get a different flavor. Multiple people told me they perffered thier old vintage cartridges over modern laser-cut boron-necked diamonds.

It’s possible that these people are just desperately defending thier old junk and/or have never heard high end audio. But if what they’re saying is true, than the cartridge industry is a giant SCAM. If I blow 2.5k minimum on an Air Tight I better get a significant improvement over a $200 bundler — and if just all amounts to a different coloration, than that is a straight-up scam ripoff.

So guys — are these forums just BS-ing me here? Is it really a giant scam?
madavid0
br3098
997 posts
 
I apologize for chiming in on this topic so late in the conversation.  IMO the phono cartridge is a major component in how a system sounds.  BUT, the cartridge must be compatible with the tonearm , step up transformer/phono stage and (to a much lesser degree) the turntable.  Finding the "right" combination of these components will make or break an analog system.

I have found that the biggest changes to the the sound of an audio system are driven from both ends in.  In an analog system that would be the first and second transducers.  So the order of how an individual component affects the end result (sound), from most to least.  Again, this is my opinion and YMMV:
1- speakers
2- Analog front end (cartridge, tonearm, phono stage and/or SUT, turntable)
3- Preamp
4- Digital front end
5- Speaker cables
6- Amp
7- I/O cables
8- Digital cables


Post removed 
leotis
183 posts
 
OP isn't asking a serious question.
He likes to create controversy and then yank everyone's chain.
Pity to see all the effort wasted trying to give him a serious response.
Post removed 
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
@thehorn: breathing just fine, thank you!

I also notice that we share some common choices in our MM collection.

I’ve learned something important about the title of this thread: include the word Scam and, focused only on the the ball with pentagons and hexagons, we all become first grade soccer players.

Next time I want attention I’ll just yell out "SCAM"

And yes madavid, you have absolutely no clue how good a properly set up cartridge from the 70s and 80s, using all those tools that make a difference and that you cynically besmirch, can sound. And I can tell you are a newbie to vinyl and equipment because you dismiss anything that isn't the newest, greatest and most expensive.  Exactly why the heck are you listening to stone age vinyl in 2017 for Jupiter's sake?
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