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High Output MC Cartridge recommendations?

Hi everyone, first-time user here!

My vinyl system consists of the following:
Clearaudio Champion 2 Turntable
SME Series 300 Model 309 Tonearm
Sumiko Blackbird HOMC Cartridge
Audioquest Leopard Tonearm Cable
McIntosh C41 Audio Control Centre / Preamp
McIntosh MC2102 Valve Power Amp
Amphion Argon 7LS Floorstanding Speakers

Most of the components are about 10 years old. I bought the TT, tonearm and cartridge from a second-hand hifi dealer so I didn't have any involvement in matching the components etc.

Some years ago an over-zealous cleaner managed to snap off the cantilever from the Blackbird. I was very happy with the overall sound of the system so I went and bought another Blackbird. Sadly, however, the same thing has just happened again (in spite of a big PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH sign, but that's another story!)

So, rather than go to the expense of just replacing the Blackbird yet again, I thought this time I would do a bit of research into what other options might be available. Sorry for the long story, but has anyone got any recommendations for other HOMC cartridges I should be considering?

Cheers, Mike
mikebest
deepee99's avatar
deepee99
86 posts
 
Ortofon's MC-3 Turbo HO cart is worthy of your consideration. At $450 retail, I don't think it can be beat at twice the price. I'm not a fan of anything that needs an external SUT; just more opportunities for garbage and hum in the cabling.
2channel8
758 posts
 
LP Gear carries the MC-3 Turbo for $329. I deliberated long and hard on that before settling on a Denon DL-301 II LO to compliment the Shure V15 RS I already had. No regrets except that I didn't have  $600+ for a Dynavector 10x5 (I feel like a relative pauper after reading some of this week's posts. I only have ONE amp in my main system and all my cabling combined didn't cost as much as one pair of the ICs being discussed) or that the Hanas were not yet available.

However a nice Grace F-9 is probably the next cartridge I'll try.
mikebest OP
2 posts
 
Thanks again for all your responses everyone. After much research I decided to move away from HOMC and instead got myself an Ortofon 2M Bronze MM cart. It took a while to set up properly but now that I have it sounds awesome. Maybe a bit less shrill than the Blackbird. And it comes with a stylus guard! (Something the Blackbird was sadly, inexplicably and expensively lacking). The cleaners have been reprimanded and all is good with the world 
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