2. analog
  3. 132594-76532

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
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,095 posts
 
Dear @raymonda : The tonearm manufacturer protractor has to have 100% accuracy and that you can use it " thousands " of times if necessary. Paper just does not works as protrcator.

R.
Post removed 
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
Inna: hahahahahahahahaha, "you cartridge guys," you're killing me.

Viridian: interesting idea, and budget worthy too, but, something must be wrong because none of my catridges has sucked my blood, at least yet.

Madavid: You should have all the answers to your important questions by now and can make informed and rational decisions regarding vinyl playback, and, you're welcome.

Everyone else: KUDOS! 


inna
7,296 posts
 
Cartridge alignment is like cleaning records. Whatever you do it will never be perfect. No wonder people always upgrade cartridges instead of aligning the old ones properly. Many report that Mint protractor is currently the most accurate tool. So whatever you used before it gave you misalighned cartridges. Mint also gives you cartidges that are off the alignment, you simply don't know it yet and maybe even cannot accept that it might be the case. Good luck, anyway. 
arkanya
11 posts
 
I owned many different cartridges from Madrigal Carnegie (by Mark Levinson), Linn "Troika" to my latest Lyra Etna and Dynavector TE Kaitora Rua. The newer ones are much better sounding cartridges. It's like you'll compare old amps to a newer ones, or old speakers to a todays technology, i.e. IMHO new (same class) Naim or McIntosh Amps sound much better than the old ones, or the latest Sonus Faber Amati speakers sounds much better that the 10-15 years old ones. I believe it's all about what people can afford these days and partially nostalgia is to be blaimed.
More to discover