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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
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Life is a total SCAM
I mean really, you are born then you die?
What a rip off........
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@madavid0 perhaps you can spend some more time doing research and reading before bugging us again

here are two good starting points on this topic
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/stepup/primer.html
http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/mc_step-up_transformers_explai.html
lewm
13,173 posts
 
When confronted with life's dilemma, one can always do the "uberwaltz" and forgeddaboudit, at least for a while.

FWIW, I wouldn't go as low as 20 ohms, even WITH a SUT.  But (Madavid) keep in mind that the "20 ohms" is the reflected load, in the case where you use a SUT, not the value of the load resistor.  When you use a SUT, the net load seen by the cartridge is equal to the value of the load resistor on the secondary side of the SUT, divided by the square of the turns ratio of the SUT.  For a 1:10 SUT, use "100" as your divisor, etc.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,101 posts
 
Dear @madavid0: I don’t know how or why you decided to go with this AT LOMC cartridge.

Anyway, yes it needs at least 40-50 hours before settle down completely. After those playing hours you need to make a complete and new cartridge/tonearm parameters set up/fine tunning it.

In this link you can go to " reviews " and you will read what owners of this cartridge said about.:

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/cartridges/8e67b15a2a48de4e/index.html

Btw, LOMC cartridges are not sensitive to load impedance changes. That 100 ohms choice in your MS is fine. Don’t worry about yet till the fine tunning time and then you will know what to do. If after the time of playing the cartridge you still do not likes then follow the  what one gentleman just posted to you on that AT carrtridge

"""  But it will only be heard on a more capable table,phono amp. """

or learn why does not like you.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
analogluvr
859 posts
 
 I think you chose very good cartridge. In my opinion I have always liked much less loading then the manufacturers recommendations. Loading is very much personal preference.   If I were you I would try it without any loading at all just run directly into your preamp. That usually gives it a 47K load.  47K as compared to 100 will give you a much livelier open sound but the downside is that it has the possibility to distort more on the upper end 
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